This sweet and sour plum recipe is truly delicious; serve with cream, ice-cream, yoghurt, or it would make a lovely addition to trifle, pavlova, on top of cake or with meringues

I thought I should also note that this isn’t something that I would make often for H.  It contains both sugar and red wine – not very toddler friendly foods!  The alcohol is however thoroughly cooked off.  It is a desert that would be great served at a dinner party, possibly with the meringues mentioned above, and would satisfy the adults and children alike

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• 400 g sugar plums (or other type of plum), halved and pitted
• 100 g coconut sugar
• 50 ml red wine vinegar
• 100 ml red wine
• 1/2 cup water
• 2 each star anise and cinnamon quills
• 1 vanilla bean , split, seeds scraped (alternatively use vanilla bean paste)
• Zest of 1/2 lemon

• Combine sugar, vinegar, wine, water, spices, vanilla and zest in a pan over low heat, stirring until sugar dissolves. Bring to the boil, then simmer until reduced by half. Add plums; cover with a lid and cook over very low heat for about 15 minutes. Using a slotted spoon transfer plums to a bowl. Return pan to medium heat and simmer for 5 or so minutes until the mixture is syrupy. Add syrup to plums, cover and refrigerate until chilled and ready to serve

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Chia seed pudding is one of the first recipes I posted on this blog.  H and I both love it, and I love the convenience of it when served for breakfast.  I always make it the night before and it is ready to go in the morning.  It is so easy to make and requires no cooking.

I started giving my little guy chia seed pudding when he was about 6 months old.  I originally discovered the recipe on ‘A Healthy Mum‘ – a food blog with healthy recipes and tips, and I have been making it ever since.  

I have used coconut milk in this version and combined it with berries for a healthy breakfast, snack or dessert. You can find the original recipe here.

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• 1 cup coconut milk
• 4 tablespoons chia seeds
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract or paste
• 1 cup berries (fresh or frozen); mashed with a fork
• Extra berries to serve
• Optional* a tablespoon of maple syrup to sweeten

• Add the milk to a mason jar or a container with a lid. Add the chia seeds and vanilla extract, secure the lid and shake straight away so the chia seeds don’t clump together. Add the mashed berries and shake again.
• Give it a few more shakes over the next 15 minutes, so the mixture thickens evenly. Leave in the fridge for a few hours or make the night before.

I also love the combination of coconut and mango – use whatever fruit is in season
Sweeten with maple syrup or honey from 12 months old

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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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 walnuts on first glance may not look toddler friendly, but what kid doesn’t like oranges!  My little dude also loves fennel.  Possibly something to do with the about I ate when breastfeeding in the early days – apparently it helps with milk supply and let down.  So I ate a lot of it, and inadvertently, so did H.

The cumquats in the recipe may not be to everyone’s taste, so skip them if you can’t find them or don’t like them.  I grew up eating them and love the sourness.  My Nanna had a tree that produced the sweetest fruit.  I find the sweetness is in the skin and then flesh is quite sour, so its important to eat the entire fruit.

If you are worried about giving walnuts and your child, keep them to the side and pop some on your serving only.  

Enjoy xxx

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• 2 blood oranges
• 1 orange
• handful of cumquats (optional); sliced
• 1 baby fennel
• 1/4 cup walnuts
• A couple of sprigs of chervil to garnish (or use the fennel fronds)

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 teaspoon maple syrup
• 1 teaspoon orange blossom water
• Salt and pepper

• Cut the top and bottom off the oranges. Run your knife down the sides to remove the remaining skin so there is no white left on the oranges. Slice the oranges.
• Using a mandolin to slice the fennel as fine as you can. Alternatively use a sharp knife to slice as fine as possible.
• Arrange the fennel on a plate and top with the oranges, cumquats, walnuts, and garnish with the chervil.
• For the dressing, combine all ingredients in a small bowl and combine. Drizzle over the salad. Serve, or refrigerate until ready to serve.

Serves 4 as a side. I prefer it served cold from the fridge, it allows everything to marinate and the fennel under the oranges to take on the other flavours.

 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…

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• 100 g tapioca pearls
• 60 ml coconut cream
• 2 tablespoon pure maple syrup
• 1 lime
• 1 mango , diced
• 1/4 fresh pineapple , peeled, cored and diced

• Fill a saucepan with water and bring to the boil. Add the tapioca pearls, stirring occasionally to make sure they don’t stick. Simmer until they are almost completely transparent with just a small speck of white in the middle (around 10 minutes). Drain and refresh under cold water; set aside
• Combine the coconut cream and maple syrup in a saucepan and heat through until combined; set aside to cool slightly
• Cut the peal from the lime and segment them by cutting as close to the membrane as possible on either side of each natural segment. Work your way around the lime until you have cut all the segments out. Roughly dice the segments
• Combine the lime, mango, pineapple, tapioca and the coconut mixture and stir to combine
• Spoon into individual bowls and serve

Suitable to freeze;Omit the maple syrup for younger babies. If you think it is a little tart, try adding a little mashed banana.

If left in the fridge it will set slightly. I warmed the mixture a little and it separated the mixture again

Adapted from Lotus Asian Flavours by Teage Ezard

I couldn’t resist buying these super cute minikin pumpkins.  I have stuffed them with pearl barley and mixed veggies and it did quite nicely for a healthy meat-free dinner. Slice into portions or scoop out the flesh along with the pearl barley and mash for your little one.

Red Lentil Chicken pureed in blender

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• 100 grams of red lentils
• 1/2 chicken breast
• 1/4 cup leek
• 2 tomatos
• 1/2 cup chopped broccoli
• 1/2 cup chicken stock (salt reduced)
• 1 tbls olive oil

• In a saucepan cook the lentils as per the packet instructions (for 100grams add approx 3/4 cup of water and simmer until soft)
• Dice the vegetables and chicken
• Add olive oil and leek to a frying pan, cook until tender
• Add tomato and broccoli, stock & cooked lentils. Simmer until the vegetables are tender and the chicken is cooked through.
• Server as is or add to a blender and pulse till the desired consistency is reached.

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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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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Once Little Big H turned 6 months I started adding protein to his diet.  I also started adding herbs & spices, nuts, eggs, beans, grains, seeds, etc.  I tried most foods individually then made combinations there of.

In the beginning I steamed all meat and vegetables and blended to make a smooth puree.  Once Little Big H had tried most ingredients individually, I started getting a little more adventurous.  I made purees that were also baked, braised, roasted, etc.  Gradually I started leaving soft lumps so he would get used to different textures.

As mentioned on the 4 to 6 months page.  In Australia it is now recommended to give babies all food types from 4 months.  This includes meat, fish, eggs, nuts and other foods considered highly allergic. Please note that I am not a doctor or nutritionist, I am just sharing what worked for my son.   Please consult your health professional if you have any concerns about introducing new foods or you have a history of allergies in your family.

I buy organic fresh produce to make baby food. See why here. 

Meat Ideas

A good way to introduce meat is to add it to previously made vegetable purees.  Any of the vegetable purees on the 4-6 month page could have a protein added.

• Chicken, sweet potato & date
• Chicken, corn, zucchini & leek
• Cream of chicken
• Chicken, corn & apricots
• Chicken, green beans & leek
• Chicken, granny smith apple and thyme – guest post
• Chicken, carrot and cumin
• Chicken, bok choy, potato and coriander
• Beef, kohlrabi & potato
• Baby beef pie with potato
• Beef, celery, tomato & potato
• Lamb with mixed vegetables
• Tin tuna & corn
• Salmon & cauliflower
• Sole Puree with cauliflower & wilof
• Sole with red grapes and fennel – guest post

 Vegetable Ideas

Fruit Purée Ideas

I started leaving some fruit raw at this point.  Others I continued to steam/cook on the stove top and make into purees to add to other fruit combinations.  Once cooked I blended with the cooking juices or added water until smooth.  Little Big H loves yoghurt so I often add a dollop to the fruit purees for a quick breakfast, dessert or afternoon snack.

Try any of the fruit purees on the 4-6 month page but leave the berries uncooked.  Simply mash with a fork.

Other foods

• Sugar-free custard – add a range of flavours for variety 
• Scrambled eggs with full cream cows milk (once he had tried all components individually)
• Yoghurt – Organic sugar-free natural yoghurt is best, or greek yoghurt.  Add to any of the fruit purees to make a sweet treat
• Porridge with grilled banana, apple and rhubarb
• Bircher Muesli soaked overnight in yoghurt – served with fruit
• Pasta – I gave Little Big H Bellamy’s Organic Pasta from 7 months in small quantities.  Usually as a side to a meat or vegetable puree
• Cheese – I gave Big H Laughing Cow spreadable cheese in small quantities. (More so he could get used to the taste)

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…

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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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I couldn’t resist buying these super cute minikin pumpkins.  I have stuffed them with pearl barley and mixed veggies and it did quite nicely for a healthy meat-free dinner. Slice into portions or scoop out the flesh along with the pearl barley and mash for your little one.

A delicious green smoothie that isn’t at all leafy tasting.  H just loves it – he finished the glass in a matter of minutes!