A few days ago I was looking for an idea for a dessert and I knew one thing: it must be with chocolate. That's just the way when the autumn is coming: chocolate is more often the main ingredient of my desserts. You have to lift your mood somehow when outdoors it is drab, cold and the days are shorter.

In this way I figured out the recipe for chocolate rice pudding. Sweet-and-sour plums counteract the chocolate sweetness of the dessert and turn out to be an excellent ingredient. In the original recipe I discovered that it is enough to boil thick rice with any ingredients. I also blended my dessert because I like this dish to have a smooth consistency.

Ingredients (for 4 people):
100g of rice
400ml of coconut milk
150g of dark chocolate
plum jam
2 tablespoons of butter
3 tablespoons of brown sugar
10 plums
1 tablespoon of lemon juice
a half teaspoon of cinnamon

The courgette is one of my favourite vegetables. When during the autumn there are beautiful, ripe and fresh ones at the market, I buy them very often. You can use them to prepare a lot of dishes, such as soups, salads and stewed courgette. Two years ago I found at the market some courgettes in an interesting round shape, and since then I have prepared stuffed courgette more often. They are ideal for this purpose, as they are fleshy and their shape lets you fill with them with a barrel of stuffing.

So far I have filled courgettes with minced meat or buckwheat groats and tomatoes. Today I propose that you prepare some stuffing with bulgur and smoked bacon and dried tomatoes.

Bulgur is a kind of cereal food made from rich wheat groats. It contains a lot of potassium, calcium, sodium and magnesium, all of which enable the cardiovascular system to work properly. It is a rich source of dietary fibre which reduces our bad cholesterol level. It is recommended for people who are exposed to stress and strain, because it is rich in vitamin B and magnesium – nutrients which make the nervous system work properly.

Ingredients:
3 round courgettes
100g of bulgur
200g of smoked bacon
1 onion

Sometimes I am intrigued by recipes for salads with a minimal amount of ingredients. Two or three items blended with a dip make an incredible and surprising dish. Reportedly, the most difficult thing is to come up with the simplest ideas.

Today my proposal for a salad contains only a few ingredients. Its secret is grilled peach, which has an interesting flavour and looks very decorative. Remember to choose ripe but hard fruits. They must be sweet, but they shouldn't break up when grilled. Nuts are excellent extras. I chose walnuts but you can use pecan nuts or roasted almonds.

Ingredients (for 2 people):
300g of green beans
100g of blue cheese
1 peach
10 walnuts
dip:
3 tablespoons of olive oil
1 tablespoon of lemon juice
1 clove of garlic
3 tablespoons of minced parsley
salt and pepper

Imagine your child has a little guest. He is healthy, doesn't have any allergies or intolerances and is hungry. You would like to prepare something yummy to make him feel good in your home. Usually, tomato soup, sausages with ketchup or spaghetti do the trick. Likewise, crepes and crumpets guarantee success. You can nearly always find a version, sweet or with vegetables, which your guest will relish. However, every mum knows that sometimes you can encounter with wonder a child who doesn't like either ketchup or spaghetti. Let us suppose optimistically that your guest isn't my son 

Today I propose a recipe for express crumpets in the American style called "pancakes". Sometimes, I don't know why, they are confused with crepes. In contrast to crepes, you have to use baking powder, baking soda or yeast. Pancakes can be prepared with milk, buttermilk or kefir, and are served with maple syrup, yoghurt sauce and with fruit or jam.

Today I chose pancakes with kefir, and my children wanted maple syrup and blueberries. If it wasn't for my lack of time in the morning, pancakes could be an excellent idea for breakfast. In my home it is more suitable for cream tea. I don't know wherein lies their secret, but in my opinion pancakes could be prescribed by the doctor to improve your mood. In times of autumnal depression, I recommend adding a bit (or a bit more than a bit) of whipped cream.

When I was a child, apricots were not my favourite fruit. The soft ones with sweet flesh and fluffy skin were at the end of my list of fruit to eat. I definitely preferred juicy nectarines, peaches and plums. Today I appreciate the uniqueness of apricots, and I use them in my kitchen both as fresh fruit and as conserves and ingredients of desserts and meat dishes.

Arboriculture of apricot trees isn't easy. They are fickle, tough and unpredictable. The trees sometimes bear fruit every year, but sometimes for no specific reason they have a yearly break. They are sensitive to frost and cool wind, which destroys their beautiful scented flowers. They don't like a lot of different things like drought, excess moisture and fertilizers.

It is said that apricots allow us to live longer. Their nutritional value was appreciated by the Chinese. This fruit was a permanent ingredient of their diet. Apricots are a rich source of antioxidants, which delay the human aging processes. Oil from apricot seeds is used for creams, masks, tonics and milk – especially for oily and acne-prone skin.

Today I used some apricots to prepare a fluffy cake that is excellent for a weekend cream tea or a school packed lunch.

Ingredients:
12 apricots
100g of almonds