The warm and sweet nature of pumpkin makes it one of the most delightful comfort foods to be enjoyed roasted, steamed and smeared with butter, or blended into soups in the cooler months.

Did you know that pumpkins are not vegetables but fruits? They come in a multitude of shapes, sizes and colours. There are yellow, red, green, white, blue and even multi-coloured striped pumpkins. They can be huge, tiny, flat, short, tall, round, pear-shaped, long-necked, smooth, ribbed and even warty. Pumpkins are amazing for culinary uses. Inside the hard orange or yellow skin, the bright orange flesh is soft, sweet, smooth and honeyed. They are a good source of fiber, as well as providing a range of vitamins and minerals.

Kale, Quinoa & Mango Salad

Why do kids who have hard time waking up during school days, wake up early during weekends?

We live quite close to my son's school, so I normally wake them up by around 7.45 am which is not bad. It is really hard for the, to wake up at 7.45 even though they go to bed around 8pm. That is almost 12 hours' sleep!! I can't even remember the last time I slept more than 7 hours in a row...

It’s a different story over the weekends though. They wake up and get up at 6:30 like an atomic clock, every Saturday and Sunday. No matter how late they go the bed. It’s a futile effort to try to convince them, by saying ‘they can sleep as much as they want on weekends’ at bedtime. On the other hand, I am programmed to wake up when I hear them and really have hard time going back to sleep.

Dry Apricots & Pear Tarte Tatin

It feels so long since I posted my last Tarte Tatin recipe that I thought I must post another one this week.

Yes because a Pear & Brandy Tarte Tatin, a Peach & Passion Fruit Tarte Tatin and a Tomato Tarte Tatin over the last few weeks don't really seem enough Tarte Tatin in my life.

Well, yes, I may be working up a good obsession for these french recipe. But there is something special about that caramelized flavor with fruit and a delicious flaky crust that makes me go weak in the knees.

Mexican Layer Dip

My dear Javi,

next week you'll turning 7. I can't believe it's been seven years already since you arrived, dazed, tiny, and completely bold, so fresh in the world.

Everyone says not to blink because kids grow so fast. That statement is so true. I can still picture your tiny foot that I could hold in the palm of my hand the day you were born.

In your first year, you did all sorts of things: walked, talked, ate spaghetti, discovered Elmo, made me laugh, and we celebrated your birthday in our flat in Madrid with our family and friends. I remember how excited I was, how full of happiness and joy.