I had this organic pumpkin in my fridge and didn't know what to do. At the same time, I had to photograph a salad for a food photography challenge. So, I searched for a pumpkin salad and found an amazing recipe from Donna Hay. Slices of pumpkin brushed with molasses mixture and served with nuts, greens and labne.I gave the recipe my personal touches and changed some ingredients to fit to what I had available. Instead of pomegranate molasses, I used honey. I also added a hint of toasted sesame oil and balsamic vinegar to bring complexity and depth of flavour. And it worked marvellously. The pumpkin slices came out of the oven very soft and with an intense aroma. I also used pecans instead of walnuts and added some pumpkin seeds. One of the most interesting points of the recipe is the use of cumin to toast the nuts, bringing some herbaceous pungency to the nutty flavours.Just have one thing to say about that salad: You must try, it is amazing! Find the recipe below:[ultimate-recipe id="350" template="default"]
Pea and mint soup
I love soup! For me, during the winter, soup is the perfect meal for every time I feel hungry. It's a healthy, warm and easy solution: just use the vegetables you have in your fridge and voilá. Pea and mint soup is classic and one of the easiest soups you can do. Frozen peas can be used directly from the freezer and cook really fast. Combined with fresh mint, you can taste the freshness of the garden in a big hot bowl. I like to serve it with croutons and garnish with some peas, mint leaves and a swirl of cream.[ultimate-recipe id="331" template="default"]
Green avocado smoothie
One skill I'm looking to improve in 2018 is food photography. But sometimes its hard to maintain a routine of doing activities to get your things done. And social media, like Facebook and Instagram, can take away our attention.Fortunately, there are very interesting people you can meet on the internet that, somehow, will help you achieve your goals. One of them is Kimberly from The Little Plantation. She runs Instagram food photography challenges and there is one happening right now. I decided to take part in the challenge, so I could keep up developing my skills with food photography and make a better use of social media.The first week theme is "Eat your greens", and the first picture should be a green drink. I choose a green avocado smoothie for this one, which recipe is available below:[ultimate-recipe id="321" template="0"]
Lemon drizzle cake with blueberries
I like cakes, but I'm not the biggest fan of sweet candy. So for me, it's always a good idea to have cakes, pastries and desserts that include bitter chocolate or citrus fruits like orange, lemon and passion fruit. The cake of the moment at home is the lemon drizzle cake with blueberries. The addition of the lemon zest in the batter gives the cake an elegant, delicious aroma. I tested some recipes and ended up sticking with the version that has yoghurt, making the cake moist and silky. I usually add blueberries when I have them at home. They and create beautiful dots of moisture and delicacy in the middle of the cake. But if you do not have blueberries, it is perfect also without them. Finally, I like to drizzle the cake with a mixture of lemon juice and confectioner's sugar, to create that thin sugary surface and intensify the lemon flavour. Check out the recipe:[ultimate-recipe id="274" template="default"]