This quick crispy potato with nigella seeds recipe happened when I was in a bit of a rush.  I was going to boil some potatoes but noticed my nigella seed mix sitting there and decided to give my potatoes a quick toss in the pan, with some oil and a tablespoon of the spice mixture – they…

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Super easy to make and super convenient to have on hand, Lebanese flat bread is the ultimate convenience food.   Use them as a quick pizza base, sprinkle them with my homemade nutty dukkah, slice and dip into homemade hummus and other dips or top with leftovers for a delicious meal – think slow cooked meat,…

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Chunky sesame prawn toasts are sure to be a hit with young and old.  They are super crispy, quick to make, tasty little triangles that are great served at parties, for lunch or as a starter to your main meal.  I have used delicious plump fresh prawns for this recipe but frozen would work just…

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I know what you are thinking – Dukkah isn’t kids food!  Well I thought the same things, so when H and I decided to make this homemade nutty dukkah the other morning.  I wasn’t expecting H to like it.  He has never been a huge fan of cumin so I thought there is no way…. But, I turned…

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This is my take on the Thai dish; Pad Kra Pao.  I haven’t called it that because it is far from authentic but I have been making it for some time and its super tasty.  It’s also super simple to make and a perfect weeknight meal for the family. Serve this Thai basil chicken with…

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I love to make my own pastry and when I came across this recipe in one of my favourite cookbooks I couldn’t wait to try it out.  It is very simple and sugar-free.  I have added a little orange blossom water because the combination of that with the strawberries is heavenly.   The only sugar in…

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Green smoothies are to H what lollies are to a lot of kids – he absolutely loves them. Guaranteed if we walk past a juice bar, he will drag me kicking and screaming until he gets one – he loves to choose the ingredients and it has become his little treat after daycare a couple of times a…

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Frozen banana pops with a healthy cocoa-tahini coating that not only tastes great, but it is good for you.  Sugar-free and a great snack option that the kids will love to help make.   You simply chop a banana into thirds and stick a paddle pop stick or skewer into the end and freeze for a few hours….

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Baked fish parcels make a fun weeknight meal.  Super easy to prepare and by cooking it in baking paper it is harder to over cook and dry out the fish.    H was pretty excited to get a parcel for dinner. ‘oh that looks nice’  he said – he is my greatest fan… If serving this to your…

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This Spiced peach quinoa porridge is a lovely warm and comforting breakfast – perfect now that the weather is getting a little cool. It has quite a savoury taste without the addition of fresh peaches on top and the maple syrup.  If you like things a little sweeter, stir through some sweetener of your choice after…

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It doesn’t get much simpler than this – Banana dipped in lemon juice and tossed in coconut.  A nice easy snack for the little ones – it also makes it easy for them to grip.

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• 1 or 2 bananas
• Desiccated coconut
• Freshly squeezed lemon or orange juice

• Cut the banana into bite sized pieces. Dip banana pieces in the lemon or orange juice then straight into the coconut. Toss to coat.

A prefer lemon juice to orange juice. The hint of lemon with the sweetness of the banana and coconut goes very well together

We eat a lot of fruit in our house.  The little dude just loves it, so I always like to mix things up a little.  This fruit salad has a lovely orange vanilla glaze drizzled over the top, then I added a dollop of my homemade mascarpone and some toasted almonds.  It would make a…

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 This is a subtle tasting smoothie with blueberries and rock melon – perfect for younger babies.  (Suitable for babies from 6 months of age, if you have introduced all the components individually)

This is a delicious breakfast, dessert or healthy afternoon snack for Little Big H, with no cooking involved.   I like to swirl the mango raspberry and yoghurt rather than mix it all together, that way Little Big H gets a different taste with every mouthful.   He just loves yoghurt.  I always serve him…

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 This is a subtle tasting smoothie with blueberries and rock melon – perfect for younger babies.  (Suitable for babies from 6 months of age, if you have introduced all the components individually)

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• 1/4 medium rockmelon (cantaloupe)
• 1/2 cup fresh blueberries
• a good dollop of organic natural yoghurt
• 1/2 cup organic milk
• little slash of maple syrup (optional – after 12 months of age)

• Remove the skin and seeds from the rock melon and roughly chop. Place in a blender with the other ingredients, and blend until smooth

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 make in a food processor.  If you don’t have a food processor, use your hands, it will just take a little longer.  If you want to skip making the pasty all together, a store bought short-crust pastry would also work – but nothing beats homemade.

When making the pastry remember an Australian cup is 250 ml compared to an American cup which is 240 ml.  For most recipes it really doesn’t make a difference, but for pastry, sticking to the correctly quantities is key to a beautiful pastry.  Once you have added your cold water keep pulsing the mixture in the food processor until if forms a large ball.  Don’t be tempted to add more water (I’ve made that mistake once = huge fail!).  It will come together on its own.

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• 1 1/2 cups (220g) of plain (all-purpose) flour
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 85 grams (6 tablespoon) butter; cut into small cubes
• 1/4 cup ice cold water
• Egg with a splash of milk; as a wash for the pastry

• 600 g potato (about 3 large potatoes)
• 1 small head of broccoli
• small bunch of sage , roughly chopped
• olive oil
• salt pepper

• Place the flour and salt in a food processor and pulse to combine. Add the cubed butter and pulse until the butter is about the size of a pea. Add the cold water and keep pulsing until the dough comes together (as soon as it all comes together in a clump, its done. Don’t over process). Wrap in plastic wrap refrigerate for 30 minutes.
• Flour your bench lightly and roll the pastry out to about 30cm (12 inches) in diameter.

• Pre-heat oven to 200 degrees C (400 degrees F). Peel and parboil the potatoes whole. Allow to cool slightly and slice thinly. Break the broccoli in to florets and also slice so they are reasonably thin to allow you to layer the potato and broccoli.
• Combine the potato, broccoli and sage in a large bowl or on a board, being careful not to break up the potato, and add a good few glugs of olive oil so everything is well coated. Season well with salt and pepper.
• Place the filling in the centre of the pastry, layering the potato and broccoli, leaving a boarder to fold over the filling. Fold over the edges and secure with a little water if it isn’t sticking. Brush with the egg and milk mixture and bake for 50 minutes or until lovely and golden. Serve

H and I had these little pea and broccoli fritters for lunch.  They are quick to make and packed full of veggies.  They would also be lovely for a light dinner.

I served them with a yoghurt dipping sauce because I know it’s always a winning combination with the little guy.   Whatever works right!  

The mixture makes 8 good sized fritters but you could go with a mini sized version and freezes what you don’t use to add to lunch boxes or as a quick lunch on the go. 

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• 200 grams frozen green peas (approx 1 cup)
• 100 grams broccoli florets (about half a head of broccoli)
• 2 eggs; lightly whisked
• handful parsley; finely chopped
• 1 teaspoon turmeric
• Zest from 1 lemon
• 35 grams (1/4 cup) quinoa flour (or whatever flour suits)
• Coconut oil for frying
• Greek yoghurt and lemon to serve

• Allow peas to thaw on the bench a little. Add the broccoli to a food processor and pulse until you achieve a rice like consistency. Add the peas and pulse to break them up – just a little.
• Add to bowl with the eggs, parsley, turmeric, lemon zest and flour. Stir to combine.
• Heat oil over medium heat and add a couple of tablespoons of the mixture to the pan. Flatten with the back of your spoon. Allow to cook a few minutes each side until just golden.
• Serve warm with a dollop of yoghurt and a lemon wedge

Makes 8 medium sized fritters. Make mini fritters and freeze what you don’t use for another day.
If you don’t have a food processor you can use a grater for the broccoli or alternative finely chop. Use a fork to break the peas a little.

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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These strawberry and coconut muesli bars are a real winner.  They are super easy to make and always work out beautifully.  I have used strawberries because there seems to be an abundance of them in Australia at the moment, they are super cheap, super tasty and we can’t get enough of them.  You can substitute what’s in season in your part of the world – think stone fruit like plums, apricots, cherry or even pineapple, pear and apple would work well.  Enjoy xx

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• 1 1/2 cups (150g) oats (old fashioned oats, not quick oats)
• 1 3/4 cup flour
• 1/2 cup coconut
• 1 tablespoon chia seeds
• 1/4 cup currants
• pinch of salt
• 1/2 cup sugar (optional or use a sugar alternative)
• 250 g butter; melted
• 250 g punnet strawberries

• Pre-heat oven to 200 degrees C (400 degrees F). Combine all dry ingredients in a large bowl (not the butter or strawberries). Add the melted butter and stir to combine, then use your hands to make sure its all incorporated. The mixture should form a large ball when you press it together. (If it is crumbling apart you may need a little more butter).
• Take 3/4 of the mixture and press into a slice tray sized 25cm x 18cm, lined with baking paper. Press down really firmly with your hands.
• Wash and slice the strawberries. Place on top of your slice and then take the remaining mixture and sprinkle over the top. Press down with your hands again. Its fine if there are strawberries poking though the mixture. Bake for 30-35 minters or until lovely and golden. Allow to cool on the bench and then place in the fridge. Slice and serve.

Makes 15 squares. Suitable to freeze.

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• 250 g of potato (I used red potatoes and sweet potato); washed and cut into baby bite sized pieces
• 2/3 cup peas
• 1 medium onion , finely chopped
• 1/4 cup chopped prosciutto
• 1/4 teaspoon saffron threads , crumbled between your fingers
• 6 large eggs
• 2 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil , divided
• Fine grain sea salt and freshly ground black pepper (optional)

• Cook potatoes in a saucepan for about 7 minutes or until the potatoes are tender but not mushy
• Add in the peas and cook until barely tender, about 2 minutes. Drain and set aside to cool slightly
• Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in an oven proof 20cm frying pan (9 inch skillet) over medium heat. Add the onion and cook until softened, but not browned, about 8 minutes. Add the saffron and cook until aromatic, about 1 minute. Set aside to cool.
• Beat the eggs with a 1/2 teaspoon of salt and some freshly ground black pepper. Mix in the peas, potatoes, prosciutto and the onion mixture. Wipe the frying pan clean
• Move an oven rack to the top position and heat the grill (broiler)
• Heat the remaining tablespoon of oil in the cleaned frying pan over medium heat. Once the pan is hot add in the egg mixture and cook, occasionally sliding a spatula around the edges of the pan to loosen the omelette. Cook until the bottom/sides of the omelet are golden (the eggs are still runny just on the top), about 8 minutes
• Place the pan under the pre-heated grill and cook until just golden brown on top and set 3 – 5 minutes
• Allow to cool. The omelette can be cooled to room temperature or even chilled for several hours if desired
• Cut the omelette into wedges or into 1 inch squares to serve

Will keep in the freezer for 3 months Adapted from Kitchen Culinaire