Chocolate tahini sesame muffins

Ingredients for 14 small muffins

50 g butter
20 g dark chocolate
5 tablespoons tahini

240 ml buttermilk
2 eggs
vanilla extract
130 g brown sugar

50 g cocoa
130 g flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
a pinch of salt

sesame seeds
30 g of chopped chocolate

How to:

1. Start your oven at 175 C. Melt the butter and the chocolate over a bain marie dish. Let it cool for one minute and the add the tahini, the beaten eggs, the sugar, the vanilla extract and the buttermilk.

2. Sift the flour, the cocoa together and then add the baking powder, the baking soda and the salt. Also you could add some chocolate nibbles or some chopped chocolate.

I think the next time I will do this recipe, I would add some toasted sesame seeds in the flour mix for more texture.

3. Briefly mix the dry and wet ingredients, just until you won't see flour in the mix. You really don't want to over

do it (in this way you keep your muffins moist and soft).

Asparagus & lemon risotto

The best way to welcome spring into your life.

Ingredients for 3 pers:

1/2 shallot - finely chopped
2 tablespoons of finely chopped celery
250 gr arborio rice
200 ml of dry white wine
about 1 l of vegetable stock
1 bunch of thin asparagus - about 350 gr
parmesan - as much as you want
the juice from half a lemon
parsley & mint - chopped
salt & pepper

1. First, wash and trim the asparagus. Keep the woody parts and add them to the boiling vegetable stock, it will add a subtle, fresh flavor.
2. Add a splash of olive oil, then  the shallot and the celery to a big pan and gently fry them for about 1 or 2 minutes, while stirring. Next, the rice - fry it for about 2 minutes - untill it gets translucent.
3. Deglaze the pan with the white wine and wait untill it is absorbed.
4. Start adding the soup, in small increments to the rice (about 100 ml at a time) and most importantly - stir.
5. After 15 minutes or so, taste and see if the rice is done. It should be al dente. Turn of the gas, add some more liquid (it will be absorbed), add the lemon juice and put a lid on and wait for another 3-5 minutes while you chop the herbs and shave the parmesan. No butter or cream is needed - maybe a dash of some good olive oil while you plate it.
6. Enjoy!

Butternut squash, kale and gorgonzola frittata

Ingredients for a 28 centimeters pan:
- 400 g cubed butternut squash
- 200 g kale leaves - just the tips, remove any stringy part
- 100 g gorgonzola
- 1 red bell pepper
- 1 teaspoon minced garlic
- 8 eggs
- 50 ml single cream
- salt, pepper, chilly flakes, grated parmesan.

1. Turn on he oven at 180C. Toss the squash in a tray with some olive oil, salt, pepper and parmesan and roast it for 25 min.
2. Meanwhile, beat the eggs with some salt, pepper, parmesan and chilly flakes.
3. In a 28 centimeter ovenproof pan (if you don't have  one, just transfer everything in a cake tray or something similar), heat 1 tablespoon of olive or sunflower oil and gently fry the pepper, the garlic and the kale (a lid will help in getting the kale to wilt faster). This will take about 5 minutes or so. Just be careful, don't over do it or it will taste bitter. Put it aside and check the squash, if it is almost done, just throw  it in the pan, along with the egg mixture and put the pan back on the heat for 1 or 2 minutes. Don't worry if it seams too little egg, it will puff in the oven.
4. Tear the gorgonzola cheese over the frittata and get the pan in the oven for about 15 minutes. Just check it after 12 minutes and see if the egg is still runny.
5. Serve it with a mezclum and cherry tomato salad, dressed with balsamic, olive oil and honey. It will balance the strong flavors from the frittata.
Enjoy!