Pickled veggies may not appear to be the most toddler friendly of dishes but my little one certainly approved. The pickling liquid isn’t too heavy on the vinegar so give it a try, you can always add a little extra sugar if you think it is still too vinegary.
This is my favourite salad to serve with my teriyaki salmon recipe. It just works so well with fish and the sweetness of the teriyaki.
1 large carrot;
1 large cucumber
4 small radishes
3 tablespoon of pickled ginger; finely sliced
handful of mint or coriander; finely chopped.
100 ml rice wine vinegar
2 teaspoon sugar
sesame seeds to garnish
Using a vegetable peeler (preferably one that cut into long matchsticks) slice the carrot and cut into matchstick size pieces. Do the same with the cucumber and discard the middle once you get to the seeds. Thinly slice the radish and also chop into matchsticks. Add all to a bowl along with the ginger and coriander.
Combine the vinegar and sugar in a saucepan and simmer for a couple of minutes. Cool slightly and add to the veggies. Toss well and refrigerate. Give the veggies another couple of turns when you think of it. Serve cold garnished with sesame seeds.
Pickled ginger is available from most supermarkets or you will find it at an asian supermarket
Amaranth porridge with peach, passion and pomegranate is a new favourite breakfast. It’s nutritious, has a lovely nutty taste, it’s a good protein source and it’s naturally gluten-free – a perfect way to start the day. Amaranth take 25 minutes to cook on the stove, so for busy morning soak the raw amaranth in water…
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Berry bliss balls are a handy little snack to have in the freezer. They are raw and made with all good things: berries, coconut, oats, chia seeds and couple of dates for sweetness – that’s it! They require no cooking, just pulse in a food processor and roll into balls – get the kids to…
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I’m a huge quinoa fan and given the chance I would eat it everyday! I’m lucky that H also loves it, so I make it often. Sometimes served as a meal, like this roasted pumpkin quinoa salad could be, and other times I will just season it and have it as an accompaniment to another…
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I have mentioned in previous posts that kids will to eat just about anything if you put it on a stick! These lemony salt and pepper prawn skewers are no exception… H loved them and I loved that they were easy, effortless and ready in 15 minutes. The prawns are sprinkled with a lemony salt and…
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Who doesn’t love a sausage roll… my little guy certainly does so I was keen to make a healthier version. These veggie sausage rolls are made using chickpeas, carrots and feta and are super simple to make. Simply add most ingredients to a food processor and then combine the remaining with your hands. Add the…
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I have a nice easy no cook recipe for you today. Raw peppermint power puff bars, made using puffed rice and amaranth, chia, goji, sunflower seeds, cocoa, honey and of course peppermint. You simply mix all the ingredient together and press down into a baking dish to set in the fridge – easy. It will…
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G’day everyone, how are you all? I’m sorry for the lack of recipes lately but I have been concentrating on my little family and haven’t had the motivation. My beautiful little boy lost his daddy a few months ago and it came as a huge shock to all. H is still so little and has…
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I have a quick and healthy snack for you today. Roasted edamame with thyme and pecorino. Super quick and super delicious. You simply toss the thawed edamame in oil and add your flavouring of choice. I’ve used thyme and pecorino but use what ever you like. Some other combinations to try: parmesan and garlic, olive oil…
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I’m a huge fan on homemade granola – it is so easy to make and well worth the effort. This is a nut-free granola with quinoa, seeds and goji berries and it is delicious. So good that I have eaten it for breakfast and dessert for the past week! The quinoa adds l lovely nutty…
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Super easy to make, these fish cakes with potato and dill are ready in no time, and if you have a little helper – even quicker! Not counting the extra time to clean up the all the mess of course… They are made with a classic flavour combo of potato and dill and make a healthy lunch or…
If you live in Sydney then you would have been melting along with us in the heat over the past few weeks. These healthy Avocado Chia Popsicles are just what we needed. They are so good for you that you could eat them for breakfast… They contain avocado, coconut milk, chia seeds, honey and strawberries…
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Breakfast… I was never into it before having H, but now it is one of mine and Harry’s favourite meals of the day. It’s always quick to prepare and usually made up of whatever we have in the fridge. It is the one meal I usually let H decide on so regardless of what he decides,…
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Homemade fresh tomato sauce is so handy to have on hand. I make a large batch and freeze it for a lazy day. I use it to add to pasta, as a pizza sauce, meatballs, a quick ragout, ratatouille, etc. So next time you go to the farmers markets grab a few kilos and make it fresh, it’s…
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Stone fruit season – yay… H and I recently went to the Apple Shack at Glenbernie Orchard to pick our own nectarines. It is one of the few orchards that let you eat as many as you like as you pick – bonus. H didn’t stop eating them! I lost count at 6… We managed to pick a…
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Who doesn’t love arancini! It’s sure to be a hit with the kids so next time you make risotto, make it a big batch so you can make arancini the following night. Two meal with minimal effort. Bonus… The kids will love to help prepare this meal. I rolled the balls and passed them to H to dunk…
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Mini cupcakes – perfect for little hands… I used my mums cupcakes recipe here but substituted the huge amounts of sugar with mashed banana and honey. It worked a treat. H loved them. The mango on top is lovely paired with the banana and they are light and fluffy. They are super easy to…
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I used a combination of purple and green asparagus here. H and I were at the green grocer when he spotted purple asparagus and got super excited – like jumping up and down excited, I wish I could have recorded him. It was super cute and me loving his enthusiasm for good food ended up buying…
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Gozleme is a tradition Turkish pastry filled with savoury ingredients. I have very much cheated by using store-bought flatbread instead of making my own pastry. It makes this cheats gozleme recipe super quick and convenient for lunch, a light dinner, or to pack into kids lunch boxes. Gozleme has always been a favourite of mine….
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Baked apples is a classic dessert. It’s so easy to prepare and this version is also healthy. So healthy in fact that it would make an equally delicious breakfast. Most nights dessert for the little guy is natural yoghurt with a few berries, but its nice to go to a little more trouble on occasion. Baked…
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Ribollita is a Tuscan soup made with lot of veggies, white beans and bread. It is super easy to make and doesn’t take too long. It is a great dish for the entire family. Puree/mash for baby and leave it chunky for bigger kids and the family. Ribollita – meaning reboiled, is a great…
I’m sharing another H favourite with you today. Pappardelle bolognese with lot of hidden veggies. The rich bolognese sauce will feed about 6 people or freeze what you don’t use for another time. I always have some in my freezer ready to go. An important step when making this dish is to get a nice…
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It has been so long since I have cooked lamb shanks – I’m not sure why! There is something so satisfying about cooking a tough piece of meat and turning it into something super tender and melt-in-your-mouth. This dish is just that… the tomatoes and spices produce a rich chunky sauce, and the chickpeas add…
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These pretty little roasted rhubarb chia pots make a wonderful breakfast or healthy dessert. The rhubarb is roasted with strawberries, orange juice, zest and a good drizzle of honey – the only sweetener in this recipe. The chia pudding has 3 ingredients only and will thicken in the fridge after an hour or so. I…
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Energy balls, bliss balls, apricot balls, whatever you want to call them, are delicious little things that are perfect for lunch boxes and a quick snack. My energy balls contain hemp seeds which have a rich nutrition profile with high levels of antioxidants, fatty acids, minerals, and vitamins. They also contain oats, chia seeds, unsweetened coconut, dried…
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This one-pan spiced chicken with tomatoes is H’s absolute favourite dish. Ever since I made it the first time he has requested it again and again. He loves to drown his rice in all the spiced tomatoes juices that happen once it’s cooked. It’s a real winner. It’s also minimum fuss and happens in the…
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And just like that H is at school and I’m preparing school lunch boxes. I’m finding it quite fun at the moment – but it has only been a week. I’ll report back in a months time! So with that in mind, I thought it would be nice to include a little sweet treat on…
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Black sticky rice with caramelised coconut and mango is our favourite dessert, but I hear it is most often eaten at breakfast in Thailand. I could definitely get on board with that! On our recent visit to Thailand, H and I ate this everyday – sometimes twice a day! It’s the perfect balance of sweet…
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Make your own gut healing bone broth at home. So why bone broth? It’s great for your gut, your skin, your hair, your bones, your immune system, plus much more… Simply warm and drink as is or use anytime a recipe calls for stock. If you suffer from any gut issues it really is a…
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These little parsley and pine nut ricotta pastries would be perfect served as a light lunch or starter at your next party. You may remember my sweet jam filled ricotta pastries? These are a savoury take on them with a no cook filling of parsley, pine nuts, parmesan, garlic and baby bocconcini. The pastry is made using…
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A little bit like a shortbread these delicious little honey and walnut cookies are made using only 5 ingredients and are refined sugar-free. I have never had much luck with sugar-free cookies but these were an experiment gone right. They are also super simple to make; you simply beat the butter and honey and add…
It’s great for your gut, your skin, your hair, your bones, your immune system, plus much more…
Simply warm and drink as is or use anytime a recipe calls for stock. If you suffer from any gut issues it really is a miracle food.
It’s also great for babies, I gave it to H from about 8 months old in small amounts. He still loves to have a little bowl of it on chilly morning – or anytime, and it’s great to have on hand when he is sick and off his food.
I use a slow cooker but it also works well in a pressure cooker and on the stove – time permitting.
Simply add your leftover chicken bones from last nights roast chicken (try my quick lemony chook or this roast chicken with sage) in a pot along with a tablespoon of apple cider vinegar – an important step as it helps to extract all the goodness from the bones. Also add a chopped carrot, celery, a bunch of parsley stalks (optional), bay leaves, peppercorns, salt and almost fill it with water.
Cook on low for 24 hours in a slow cooker, strain and you will end up with a beautiful clear stock. Adjust seasoning and store in the fridge for a couple of days. I like to freeze half in individual containers so I can defrost just the right amount.
Bones from 1 whole chicken, preferably organic ,roasted *see notes
1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
2 carrots ,chopped in 3
2 celery stalks ,chopped in 3
1 bunch parsley stalks
1 onion ,halved
2 bay leaves
5 black peppercorn
1 tsp salt
Add all ingredients to a slow cooker and fill with water. Cook on low for 24 hours. Allow to cool slightly and strain. Adjust seasoning.
Store in the fridge or freeze for later.
If not using bones from leftovers, buy organic bones from your butcher and roast in the oven beforehand.
Using the bones from 1 chicken will produce a stock that is slightly jelly like once cooled. I sometimes use the bones from 2 chickens. This will produce a stock that sets like jelly once cooled.
Wash the nectarine well – I like to leave the skin on. Cut out the seed and add the flesh to the blender. Add a couple of mint leaves, or to taste, and puree to the desired consistency
My little man has been off his food due to croup, so I made him a smoothie that I knew he would love. Its packed full of goodness, but it still tastes great. H loved it…
A really simple cookie recipe that makes a great afternoon snack or even breakfast on the run. Toddler approved.
This is my go to super easy lunch/dinner for Little Big H if I haven’t had time to prepare anything. He loves it and its ready in 15 minutes. It’s best served cold, so make it ahead of time if you can. If you don’t have a lots of fresh veggies on hand, it’s just…
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I often serve gougères (aka delicious french cheese pastries) as an appetiser at dinner parties – everyone loves them, H included – they are really good! Serve them as is or cut in half and fill with what ever takes your fancy. I have always found they work out best mixing by hand but you could give…
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I grew up eating my mums salmon patties and they are a family favourite. They are so comforting and remind me of home. They are so simple to make and are a great first finger food for little folks. I have made these mini sized so they are easy for H to pick up. The mixture…
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You may have seen this recipe a million times on the internet, but I couldn’t resist putting it on the blog for anyone who hasn’t. It is perfect for babies from 6 months old – and its delicious. My favourite topping is mango and passionfruit but use whatever fruit is in season. It takes…
Add the walnut and mix again on low until just combined. Halve the mixture, wrap in glad wrap and chill for 30 minutes. Freeze the other half for another time. Preheat the oven to 180 degrees C (350 degrees F)
Add the butter and ricotta to a bowl and mix with a wooden spoon until combined. Add the sifted flour, baking powder and a pinch of salt. Tip out onto a bench and knead together with your hands until the mixture comes together into a soft ball of pastry. (If not wanting to do it by hand, I have made this recipe in my Kitchenaid with a dough hook attached, it works out perfectly)
Form into a ball, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
Pre-heat the oven to 220 degrees C (420 degrees F). Peel and chop the potatoes into fries that are roughly the same size. Dry them a little using paper towel if they are wet. Toss the potatoes in the olive oil, paprika and salt
Place on an oven tray in a singe layer so the potatoes aren’t touching and cook for about 30 minutes (the time really depends on the size of your fries so keep an eye on them). For best results toss them half way through cooking. Sprinkle with parsley if using and serve.
