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• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 head of broccoli
• 1 garlic cloves , crushed
• 3 anchovy fillets (I used tin anchovies in olive oil but you could use fresh), chopped
• 250 g orecchiette pasta
• Parmesan cheese

1. Wash and separate broccoli into small florets. Cook in a pot of salted boiling water until very tender, About 5-10 minutes. Drain and set aside. Cook the pasta in salted boiling water according to the packet instructions. Once cooked, drain and reserve a little of the cooking water
2. Heat the olive oil in a frying pan and add the garlic and anchovies. Mash the anchovies with the back of the spoon. They should melt into the olive oil. Add the broccoli and stir to combine so it absorbs the flavour of the anchovies. Then add the cooked pasta and stir to combine. Add a little of the reserved water to loosen the mixture if necessary
3. Serve immediately sprinkled with parmesan

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• 3 bananas – or however many you like

For the cocoa coating

• 1/2 cup coconut oil
• 1/2 cup cocoa powder (unsweetened from the health food store)
• 2 tablespoons tahini
• 3 tablespoons rice malt syrup

Garnish options

• – toasted almonds
• – popped amaranth
• – sesame seeds
• – pomegranate seeds
• – coconut , etc

1. Peal and chop the banana into thirds. Stick a skewer or paddle pop stick in the end and freeze for a few hours.
2. To make the coating add the coconut oil to a saucepan and melt over low heat. Whisk in the remaining ingredients until combined. Allow to cook a little and add to a bowl.
3. Dip the banana into the cocoa mixture and allow to drip off. It will set within a few seconds. I like to dip mine in a second time so the coating is nice and thick.
4. Sprinkle on the garnishes if using. Eat straight away or freeze until ready to serve.

I allowed my bananas to freeze for a few hours so they were not super hard. If frozen solid allow to defrost on the bench for 5 minutes if you prefer.
You will most likely have a little of the coco-tahini coating left over. Pour into chocolate moulds or a baking paper lined dish and freeze. Chop and eat straight from the freezer for a healthy chocolate snack.

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• A dozen or so fresh lychees (you could also use tin lychees)
• A handful of fresh pineapple pieces
• 2 apricots

1. Peel and remove the seed from the lychees
2. Add to the blender along with the pineapple pieces
3. Blend to the desired consistency

Suitable to freeze if using fresh ingredients
Not suitable to freeze if using frozen fruits as the mixture is not cooked

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• Use any stone fruit you like. I used approximately 4 cups of the following
• Peach
• Plum
• Nectarine
• Apricot
• Cherries
• 1 Cinnamon stick
• 2 Star anise

1. Wash and remove all stones from fruit
2. Chop and add to the sausepan with the cinnamon stick, star anise & 1/2 cup of water (adjust water depending on fruit quantity used)
3. Cook on medium heat, stirring occasionally until cooked. Roughly 15 minutes for extra soft fruit. If your baby is used to lumps then cook for approximately 10 to 12 minutes. Add extra water if needed.
4. Once cooked discard cinnamon stick and star anise and serve
5. For a smoother consistency add to blender and puree

This puree is quite tart. Try adding some apple or a banana to add a little sweetness without using sugar.
For babies over 12 months add a couple of tablespoons of honey.

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

1. 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

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• A handful of raspberries (fresh or frozen)
• 1 Mango cheek (fresh or frozen)
• Natural yoghurt

1. Mash raspberries lightly with a fork. I find it easier to blend the mango but you could use a fork. Combine mango and raspberry and add a dollop of yoghurt. With your spoon swirl to combine slightly

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• 500 ml (2 cups) milk
• 1/4 cup of brown rice (you could also use white but brown is more nutritious)
• 1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste (or you could use extract)
• 1 small cinnamon stick
• Honey or maple syrup to drizzle – suitable for babies 12 months plus

1. Combine milk, vanilla bean paste, cinnamon stick and rice in a saucepan and bring to the boil. Cover with a lid; lower temperature and simmer for about an hour to an hour and a half. (brown rice will take quite a bit longer than white rice).
2. It is ready when most of the liquid has been absorbed, keeping in mind it will thicken up quite a lot once cool. Serve warm or cold on it own, or drizzle with honey and top with fresh fruit

To sweeten naturally try adding a mashed banana once cooked and cooled
For little babies, add to a blender and puree until smooth. Try adding a date when pureeing for another flavour with added natural sweetener

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• 3 medium zucchini (approx 450 grams)
• 3 organic free range eggs
• 4 tablespoons of goats cheese
• 3 teaspoons of butter
• pinch of nutmeg

1. Preheat oven to 190 degrees. Dice zucchini and steam for 5 minutes. Add zucchini to a blender and pulse. (You don’t want a paste but rather a fine consistency)
2. In a bowl add eggs, melted butter, nutmeg and goats cheese – whisk to combine. Let the zucchini cool a little and add to the egg mixture. Stirring while you add so you don’t cook the eggs
3. Fill your ramekin dishes and place in a water bath so the water comes roughly a 1/3 of the way up the ramekin. Place in the oven and cook for approximately 30 to 35 minutes. (This really depends on the size of your ramekins. Test mixture with a knife. If it comes out clean they are ready)

For Mum & Dad – fill babies ramekins firstly and then with remaining mixture add salt & pepper and continue with above steps

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• 2 small sweet potatoes
• 2 tbls finely chopped mint
• 2 tbls finely chopped parsley
• Sumac to garnish

For the crispy chickpeas

• 1 tin chickpeas
• 1 tablespoon oil
• 2 tsp sumac
• 1 tablespoon honey or maple syrup
• pinch of salt

For the tahini sauce

• 1/2 cup tahini
• 1/4 cup water
• 1/4 cup lemon juice
• 1 clove garlic; minced
• salt to taste

1. Pre-heat oven to 200c / 400F. Give the sweet potatoes a good scrub (leave skin on ). Cut in half lengthways and place on a baking tray. Brush with oil and baked for about 30 minutes or until tender.
2. Drain, rince and dry the chickpeas; add to a heat proof dish. Mix the remaining ingredients and add to the chickpeas and toss to coat. Place in the oven and cook for about 20 minutes or until golden and crispy. Once cooked add half the parsley and mint and combine.

For the tahini sauce

1. Combine all ingredients in a bowl and mix well.

To assemble

1. Place your sweet potatoes on a serving tray and using a spoon make a little dent in the sweet potato so you can pile your chickpeas on (alternatively scoop out a little of the flesh). Top with chickpeas a good dollop of tahini, the left over herbs and a sprinkle of sumac. Serve

Serves 4 as a side (half a sweet potato each). Double the recipe to serve as a main or if you are super hungry

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• 1 cup almonds
• 2 tablespoons cumin seeds
• 1 tablespoon coriander seeds
• 1 tablespoon fennel seeds
• 1 tablespoon sesame seeds (we used black)
• 1 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 teaspoons chia seeds

1. Pre-heat oven to 180 C / 350 F. Add the almonds to a roasting tray and roast for approximately 10 minutes or until golden. Add the cumin, coriander, fennel and sesame seeds to another tray and roast for about 10 minutes or until golden. Keep on eye on them.
2. Once cool add both to a mortar and pestle, along with the ginger, chia and salt. Bang away until you achieve a crumb. You don’t want it super fine but no big chunks for little ones either.
3. Serve with olive oil and fresh bread or see my other ideas below

Will keep in an airtight container for a few weeks
If you don’t have a mortar and pestle, add to a food processor and pulse until the desired consistency is reached