This really is a deliciously healthy snack, dessert or even breakfast.  Mango, Pineapple, Lime and Coconut Tapioca is also perfect to freeze.  I simply warmed the mixture a little and it was perfect.  So double the recipe if you like and freeze what you don’t use for another day – enjoy…

  I let Big H try the chocolate dipped oranges but I am keeping sugar to a minimum for as long as possible – so basically he gets just the orange and I get the chocolate dipped ones!  Be warned they are totally addictive.  I bought the dehydrator some time ago with the sole purpose of making these – they are…

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A really simple cookie recipe that makes a great afternoon snack or even breakfast on the run.  Toddler approved.

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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 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…

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Super light and crispy kale chips make a delicious snack.  Kale is one of the healthiest vegetables around, and is particularly high in vitamin K, A, and C  My toddler loves them and I’m sure you little ones will too.  Just make sure they are nice and crisp.  That way they just melt in your mouth…

Making custard at home is a really great option.  You can be guaranteed that it is sugar-free and free of all other nasties – something I am very particular about when feeding my son. This is an easy custard recipe and baby will love it.  Stir though a little pureed fruit for a natural sweeter…

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Ciao friends! I’m super excited to share something I’ve been working on behind the scenes — I made an iOS app for my recipe blog! Its called SAVOUR 🎉 Now you can browse all your favourite recipes right from your phone. It includes a lot of recipes from this blog + more… The app is completely…

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Good Old-Fashioned Aussie Rissoles 🇦🇺 A quick Google search tells me they’re actually of French origin — but regardless, most Aussie kids grew up eating them, and they’re almost always on the menu when I visit Mum. Her rissoles are simple, made with just a few basic ingredients, but they’re full of flavour. You can…

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My healthy-ish ricotta pancakes are made with just a few simple ingredients: wholemeal spelt flour, eggs, milk, fresh ricotta, and baking powder. That’s it! I haven’t added any sugar because, let’s be honest — if you’re going to smother them in maple syrup (like I did), you really don’t need it. But if you prefer,…

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Ciao from Isolation 🥴… words I never thought I’d be writing — but more on that later. First, the food. Today I’m sharing a classic French quiche recipe. Quiche is one of those wonderfully versatile dishes that’s surprisingly easy to make. For this version, I’ve used caramelised onions, perfectly ripe tomatoes, and for a little…

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It may be getting cold here in Firenze but the city is more beautiful than ever. The Christmas lights are up all over the city, there are idyllic Christmas markets with mulled wine and delicious treats, and Harry said to me yesterday that he loves Florence. This made me so happy! Harry and I have…

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Dinner ready in 10 minutes? Pasta al limone is for you…. But first… yes I finally did it.  I moved us both to Florence Italy.  My son H and I are both on this amazing Italian adventure.  It has been just over two months and it still feels like a dream. Food is my passion but I have…

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Chocolate mousse is my current addiction…  and there will be none of that healthy avocado cocoa business here…  this is a traditional French chocolate mousse – dark chocolate, eggs, sugar, butter and vanilla. It’s velvety, thick and super rich but also somewhat light and fluffy! I could eat the entire bowl on my own! It’s easy to…

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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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I’m sharing a simple recipe with you today – perfect stove top popcorn. Who doesn’t love salty buttery popcorn! It’s a H favourite so I make it often, minus the butter. I use coconut oil instead and it works a treat. I of course have nothing against butter, so feel free to melt a little…

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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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With consecutive 42 degree days in Melbourne this week, I was keen for somethings chilled, and this was the result. A silky smooth chilled soup.  I wasn’t sure that Big H would go for the aniseed taste of the fennel but he did!

Fennel is also great for breastfeeding mums with supply or letdown reflex issues – maybe that’s why H like it.  I consumed by fair share of fennel in the early days after being given that advise.  I added it to smoothies, roasted it, grilled it, soups, etc… 

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• 300 g fennel (approximately 2 large bulbs)
• 1/2 leek
• Butter
• Tarragon
• 2 1/2 cups organic chicken stock (or vegetable stock)

• Sauté the trimmed and chopped fennel and leek with 1 tablespoon of butter to soften – about 5 minutes
• Add 2 1/2 cups stock; boil, cover, lower the heat and simmer until fennel is tender – about 15 minutes
• I used a vitamin to purée which produces a beautiful creamy soup but depending on your type of blender you may need to strain the mixture at this point
• When cool, garnish with tarragon and serve

Adapted from NY Times – 12 Cold Soups

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 is cooked so when you put them in the pan you are really only after a nice golden colour.  They are also really adaptable so get creative and add coriander, lime, spices or whatever takes your fancy.  xx

Tips: when H was really little I used to cook the onion (like in the recipe instructions below) but my mum never used to do this.  I also don’t bother anymore.  Just chop it reasonably fine and it will be tender enough from cooking them in the pan alone.

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• 210 g tin red salmon
• 2-3 medium sized potatoes (you want about equal quantities of salmon and potato – or adjust to your liking)
• 1 small onion , finely chopped
• 1 tbls chopped parsley
• Salt (optional)
• Oil for frying
• Flour to coat patties

• Cook the onion – either steam or toss in the frying pan until tender
• Boil the potatoes in water until also tender; mash
• Combine the cooked onion, mashed potato, salmon, parsley and salt if using, in a bowl
• Form into little patties and toss in flour
• Heat oil in a frying pan over medium heat and cook patties until golden brown.

All the ingredients are cooked so you are really just trying to achieve a nice golden colour.  Suitable to freeze.  Once H was a little older I left the onion raw and it cooked enough in the pan alone. 
Try adding veggies like broccoli, grated carrot or sweet potato to the mix if you like. 

Frozen yoghurt is so easy to make – it only has 4 ingredients.  I’ve added banana to give it some sweetness and a little maple syrup, but that is totally optional.  It freezes quite hard so sit on the bench before serving to allow it to soften a little.

Substitute the blackberries for whatever you have on hand, fresh or frozen both work well – enjoy xx

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• 500 g tub of greek yoghurt (2 cups)
• 2 small ripe bananas; mashed
• 400 g organic frozen blackberries
• 1 teaspoon vanilla-bean paste
• 1 tablespoon maple syrup (optional)

• Place all the ingredients in a bowl excluding the blackberries and mix to combine. Place the blackberries in a separate bowl and break them up a little. If you don’t want any chunks, break them all up. Add to the yoghurt mixture and then churn in an ice-cream machine until set. Its ready to eat now as a soft serve or freeze until ready to serve.

This recipe makes a large batch so you can freeze what’s left.  They defrost really well and are perfect for unexpected visitors or as a starter or light lunch.  The lamb filling has lots of spices along with mint and crumbly feta – really delicious.  I served it with a little golden kiwi fruit salsa (golden kiwi…

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The classic roast chook, it’s always a favourite at our table.  This recipe is really simple and the result is perfectly cooked chicken with juicy flesh and crispy skin, with hints of sage. Up until fairly recently we always used the rotisserie to cook chicken, but with that no longer an option (apartment living!).  I have…

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There isn’t a whole lot I like about winter, but juicy blood oranges are one of the few things that I can’t get enough of.  The colours are just gorgeous and I love love love orange salads.   There is another one that I make regularly with rosewater, pistachios and goats cheese – but I’ll leave that for another post!  This citrus salad with fennel and…

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I really like celery but I don’t tend to use a lot of it in my cooking – not sure why!  I always seem to have a huge amount taking up prime real-estate in my tiny fridge – thanks to my mum who always seems to buy it.  Keen to use it up, I was…

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Salads and toddlers aren’t two words that generally go well together!  But, we love salads, and they are one of H’s favourite things to eat.  The trick is to add ingredients that they love, and then sneak in the rest.   This warm lentil, potato and corn salad has all of H’s favourite things.  I have snuck in…

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I posted this recipe on Instagram a few weeks back and it was very popular, so I’m posting here as well.  We love it, it’s simple and quick to make.   I originally came across a recipe similar to this in a magazine some time ago, but this is my toddler friendly version.  I’m certain the original has tea…

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H and I have been doing a stack of baking lately – homemade bread, pizzas, cakes and muffins.  I think the winter weather has something to do with it!  I’ve experimented a lot with muffin recipes and I have to say, I think I’ve found a winner.  These healthy zucchini, corn and tomato muffins are easy…

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Labneh or yoghurt cheese is so easy to make and it is delicious.  It has a smooth and creamy consistency and a slight tangy taste.  It’s great spread on crackers with a sprinkle of sumac – I also love a sprinkle of good quality sweet paprika and so does H.  I can see this being a staple in my…

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Galettes are really simple to make and you can put any veggies you like in them.  I’ve used potato, broccoli and sage which are great together.  I also put some sage leaves on top to crisp up in the oven.   The pastry I have made is also super simple and only takes 2 minutes to…

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Broccoli is my favourite green vegetable and H is a pretty big fan as well.  In this recipe the broccoli taste is very subtle because of the huge amount of herbs, but I love that there is another veggie in there. I very quickly pulsed the broccoli in a food processor to achieve a rice like consistency and then cooked…

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Little Big H just loves to dip his food into a sauce of some sort.  I think it is a bit of a novelty, but it is a great way to get kids to eat just about anything!

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• 1 large sweet potato
• 1 tablespoon of olive oil
• sesame seeds to garnish

• juice of half a lemon
• 2 teaspoons of maple syrup

• Pre-heat oven to 180 degrees C (350 degrees F). Peal then slice sweet potato into thin wedges; add to a roasting pan big enough so the slices are in a single layer. Toss with olive oil and bake for about 30 minutes. (The time really depends on how thickly you have made the slices so check them often)
• For the dipping sauce, place ingredients into a small saucepan and heat to dissolve the maple. Once the wedges are golden, drizzle with the syrup (reserving some for your little ones to dip into) and garnish with sesame seeds

If you don’t fancy the charred bits on the ends – slice them more like a chip shape 🙂

These yummy little balls were inspired after a recent attempt at Jamie Oliver’s no bake vegan slice. It turned out to be a winner and really satisfied that afternoon chocolate craving (mine of course not Little Big H’s!).  They are raw no bake balls suitable for toddlers (although they do contain lot of nuts, so if…

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What a treat these mini chocolate meringues are! They are not something I would offer my toddler regularly but they are a nice little treat, and would be great for special occasions such as birthday parties or at Christmas.

H playing with his jelly!  As much as I would love to say he gobbled it all up and absolutely loved it – I can’t.  He was very suspicions and mostly just poked it to watch it wobble!  It really is very delicious, which is why I’m posting it.  So for all those jelly loving…

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H playing with his jelly!  As much as I would love to say he gobbled it all up and absolutely loved it – I can’t.  He was very suspicions and mostly just poked it to watch it wobble!  It really is very delicious, which is why I’m posting it.  So for all those jelly loving babies (and adults) out there, this is a healthy jelly without all the sugar.  

It would be lovely served with my sugar free custard 

As you can see in the above picture, I didn’t take great care straining the juice so there is a layer of fine pulp that has settled on the top.  If you want it perfectly clear strain the juice in a very fine sieve or muslin

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• 2 cups of blood orange juice (about 5 oranges) – or any juice of your choosing
• 3 passionfruit
• 1 cup water
• 5 gold gelatine leaves
• 3 tablespoons pure maple syrup (*optional)

• Cut, then scoop the passionfruit seeds and liquid into a sieve and using the back of a spoon push the liquid through into a bowl – to just extract the juice; add to the blood orange juice
• Soak the gelatine leaves in cold water for 5 minutes. In a saucepan add the cup of water and the maple syrup if using, and heat on the stove until hot. Then squeeze out the excess water from the gelatine and add to the hot water, stir then remove from the heat. Add the mixture to the juice; stir to combine
• Pour the mixture to a mould and allow to set in the fridge for at least 4 hours or overnight. To remove from the mould place in hot water for a few seconds to a minute – not too long though or it will start to melt. Then turn out onto a bench and cut into cubes

I used gold gelatine leaves so if using titanium or another variety, just check the back of the packet for the quantity you should use. If you like your jelly on the firmer side add another gelatine leave
Will keep in the fridge for a few days

This Mexican black bean salad is super easy and super quick.  I’ve used canned beans for convenience.  They are the perfect fast food and I always have some in the cupboard ready for a quick side dish or lunch.  

I started giving H beans and chickpeas early on and would simply mash them with a fork.  He now absolutely love them and will happily eat them straight out of the tin.  

When I posted this dish on Instagram one of my lovely followers commented that they thought the yellow was mango.  Next time I make this I’m adding mango.  How delicious would that be!  So go ahead and get creative and add lots of fresh herbs – in my opinion that is what makes this salad extra delicious.  Enjoy xxx

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• 400 gram tin black beans
• Half a punnet of cherry tomatoes; quartered
• Half a large cucumber , quartered and sliced
• 1/2 a large yellow capsicum; chopped
• Large handful of coriander leavers; chopped
• salt and pepper

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• Juice of 1 lime
• 1 teaspoon honey
• 1/2 teaspoon cumin

• Drain and rinse the black beans. Add to a bowl along with the tomatoes, cucumber, capsicum, and coriander. Combine the dressing ingredients and add to the salad. Season with salt and pepper and serve.

Add more cumin to suit, I’ve kept it mild for the little guy. Chilli would also be a great addition.