I have nice and warm associations of fresh figs with holidays in Croatia. Every morning my husband would wander to the bakery for bread, visiting on the way home market stands with beautiful, ripe fruits. I haven't eaten watermelons like they have there in a long time. They were intensely red, sweet and so juicy that we almost couldn't slice them. Heavily chilled in the fridge, they gave us relief on hot days.

Now whenever I encounter fresh figs I buy some of the ripest ones. They aren't so beautiful as the ones in Croatia but they still usually disappear before I can work out what to do with them. This time I saved two figs and added them to a salad.

Ingredients:

mixed lettuce

2 fresh figs

a handful of walnuts

We have had millet groats on our table for quite some time. We all like it, each of us in their own way. The product is tasty, light and filling and is especially recommended for breakfast. It could be a side dish or a surprising ingredient of desserts.

Today I would like to propose another way to use millet groats - fluffy and exquisite cutlets with chickpeas. You can make them a little spicier by adding minced chili pepper. My children and I prefer the light version.

Ingredients:

120g of millet groats

300ml of water

a pinch of salt

half of teaspoon of butter

Starting from the first half of August, in the shops and on stands appear the first domestic plums. In September there are so many of them that I have a problem deciding which kind I should choose. Small and big, round and more ovate, violet, red and yellow. You can eat them fresh or make a lot of preserves (jams, plum stew, stewed fruits, pickles, liqueurs, plum brandy). Our favorite are big and round greengage plums, or slightly firm violet plums.

Plums have a lot of valuable attributes. They regulate digestion and protect us from free radicals. Dried plums are more valuable regarding vitamin and fiber content, but they have five times more calories than fresh fruits.

Plums have quite a lot B vitamins, so for a long time they have been well regarded for having a soothing effect on the nervous system and improving our frame of mind. That's why you simply have to make a plum cake. Either now or when the dreary autumn days arrive. Their benign impact on the nerves could be a good excuse for putting another piece of cake on your plate.

I don't like complicated cookery. In this recipe you will find a lot of ingredients, but even so, preparing this delicious cake is very simple.

Extraordinary, fast and simple recipes are always valued. I am especially interested in them because I have so little time in the afternoon. My proposition for little sandwiches made from French pastry offer a supper which you can prepare in a flash and, what's more, they are not just ordinary frankfurters. The remarkable recipe:

Ingredients:

1 pack of chilled French pastry

120g of mini mozzarella cheese

200g of cherry tomatoes

10 black olives

basil leaves

salt and pepper

Courgette is a product with significant culinary potential. You can eat it raw or cooked. It is excellent grilled, fried or stuffed. It is now possible to buy many different varieties of this vegetable and it has made dishes more interesting and tasty. This year I ate for the first time raw courgette in a salad with carrot, dill and onion. It was very tasty.

My children like grilled courgette the most so this is how it is served most often on our table. This time I use grilled courgette to prepare a light and dainty snack with smoked salmon and cottage cheese. You may spice up the filling in your own way using natural cottage cheese and onion, garlic, horseradish and herbs. I use ready horseradish cottage cheese and enrich it with thyme. This dish is elegant and colourful. It is perfect as a starter before a slap-up meal and as a light supper or snack.

Ingredients for 8 rolls

2 little courgettes

200g of smoked salmon