Healthy and Natural: Eggplant and Zucchini Puree

Natural, healthy, easy, tasty... this recipe has all good! It is my own version of the eggplant purée. Usually, eggplant requires quite a lot of oil to cook properly in a pan, which is not a very healthy: the trick here is to brush lightly the eggplant with olive oil and bake it in the oven to soften it. Then I mix it will the other ingredients to create a smooth, light and perfect texture. Try it!

Serves 2
Preparation time: 15 minutes
Cooking time: 30 minutes
Difficulty: *
-you'll need a food processor-

Ingredients:
- 1 small eggplant
- 2 small (or 1 regular) zucchini
- 1/4 red onion
- 2 big leaves basil
- 2 teaspoons olive oil
- 1 tablespoon water
- juice of 1/2 lemon
- salt & pepper
- 1 teaspoon sesame seeds

Preheat your oven at 210°C/ 410°F.
Cut the eggplant in the middle, lengthwise. Brush the interior with about 1 teaspoon of olive oil. Bake for about 30 minutes or until the inside is soft.

In the meantime, peel the zucchinis (if you are using organic veggies, I recommend to wash them well and to keep the skin).
Steam then for about 10 minutes, until soft.

When the eggplant is ready, scoop the flesh with a spoon and add it to the bowl of your food processor.
Add the zucchinis and all the other ingredients, except the sesame seeds.

Blend for about 2/3 minutes until the preparation is smooth and all the ingredients are mashed.

Sprinkle the sesame seeds on the puree and served hot with some prosciutto/jambon de Bayonne. Enjoy!

French Potato Gratin: Gratin dauphinois

This traditional French recipe is very simple and requires only a few ingredients: potatoes, whipping cream, garlic, salt and pepper. Very easy! I suggest you add some grated nutmeg for a light nutty taste. Cooked slowly and for at least 1 hour, the potatoes melt in the mouth, it is delicious!

Chocolate Vanilla Marble Cake

Great for kids and adults as well, the Chocolate Vanilla Marble Cake is an easy recipe. This cake can be eaten for breakfast, brunch, tea time or anytime during the day! You can even make it with you children since the steps are not very complex.

Serves 6
Preparation time: 15 minutes
Baking time: 45-60 minutes
Difficulty: *

Ingredients:
- 150g butter (about 1 1/4 stick)
- 250g granulated sugar (1 1/4 cup)
- 8 tablespoons milk
- 300g all-purpose flour (3 cups)
- 4 eggs, whites and yolks separated
- 2 teaspoons of baking powder
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 30g unsweetened cacao powder (5 tablespoons)

Add the butter and the sugar in a large bowl. Warm quickly in the microwave to soften.

Whisk vigorously until the preparation becomes light and creamy.

Add the egg yolks, the milk, the flour and the baking powder. Mix well all the ingredients.

Add a pinch of salt to the egg whites and beat until stiff. Slowly add to the preparation above. Tip: it's better to use a metal spoon than a wooden spoon!

Divide this preparation into two bowls: add the vanilla extract to one and add the cacao powder to the other one.

Preheat your oven at 180°C / 350°C.
Grease a cake mould with a bit of butter and sprinkle flour all over the interior of the mould.

Pour half of the vanilla batter in the mould first, then half of the cacao batter and then the rest of the two batters. Alternate so that the white batter and the cacao batter are intertwined.

Bake for 45 minutes and check use a skewer to check if the cake is ready. If not, continue baking for about 5 to 15 minutes.