• 1.5 kgs ripe tomatoes (about 25 tomatoes)
• 6 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 cloves garlic; finely sliced
• 1 brown onion; finely chopped
• salt and pepper
• handful of fresh basil; chopped

1. To remove the skin from the tomatoes, use a knife make a cross on the tomatoes and plunge into boiling water for a few minutes. Remove skin and when cooled enough to handle, peel the skin off and roughly chop.
2. Heat a large saucepan over medium heat and add the olive oil, garlic and onion. Cook until soft but not browned.
3. Add the tomatoes and using the back of your spoon break them up as much as you can. Bring to the boil and then allow to simmer for about 30-90 minutes. It will depend on how ripe you tomatoes are and the water content. Also the consistency and taste you like best.
4. Once the sauce has thicken up, add basil and season; add 1 teaspoon of salt and pepper to taste.

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If cooking only for baby

• 1 duck breast
• 2 figs
• 1 large potato
• balsamic vinegar
• 5 dates
• pinch of bi-carb soda
• Tiny splash dry sherry (optional)
• 1/2 cup of water

If cooking for a family of 3

• 3 duck breast
• 6 figs
• balsamic vinegar
• 10 dates
• pinch of bi-carb soda
• Splash dry sherry (optional)
• 3/4 cup of water

Directions if cooking only for baby

1. I removed the fat from the duck and chopped it into pieces before adding to the steamer basket along with the potato. Depending on what type of steamer you have, you could steam the duck breast as a whole. Steam for approximately 15 minutes or until cooked through.
2. Once cooked add duck and potato to the blender along with the cooked figs (see below) and two teaspoons of the date sauce.

For the Date Sauce

1. Chop dates and add to a saucepan. Add water and bring to the boil. Remove from of the heat and add bi-carb soda. Stir until dates start to breakdown. Allow to cool a little and add dry sherry and extra water if the consistency is too thick. Pass through a sieve.

For the Figs

1. Chop the figs in half and add to a baking dish. Drizzle with balsamic vinegar and grill for approx. 5 minutes. You want them to be tender but still holding their shape

Directions if cooking for the family

1. Use a sharp knife to score the skin of the duck breasts (without slicing all the way into the flesh)
2. If using a sous vide – vacuum breast and cook for 40 minutes at 64 degrees C (147 degrees F). Once cooked sear the breast in a frying pan skin-side down over medium-high heat to render the fat. Allow to rest
3. Alternatively – Heat a little oil in a frying pan over medium-high heat. Sear the duck, skin-side down, for 7 minutes reduce the heat to medium-low after 3 minutes. Turn the breasts over and place the pan in the oven for a further 5 minutes. Transfer to a plate and let rest for 5 minutes.
4. While the duck in resting place figs in the oven.

To Assemble

1. Slice duck and add to a serving plate along with the figs. Drizzle some of the remaining balsamic from the fig pan and top with the date sauce.

For the bonbons

• 150 grams macadamias (about a cup of whole macadamias)
• 3/4 cup coconut
• 2 tablespoons chia seeds
• 2 tablespoons tahini
• 1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste or extract
• 2-3 tablespoons maple syrup / brown rice syrup or your sweetener of choice
• Extra coconut and sesame seeds to roll the balls in

For the toffee

• 2 heaped tablespoons brown rice syrup
• 1 teaspoon unsweetened cocoa powder

1. Add the macadamia to a food processor and pulse til you active a fine crumb. Add the remaining bonbon ingredients and process until combined. Taste the mixute for sweetness and adjust to suit your taste. Add a little more coconut if the mixture is too wet or a tablespoon of water if too dry.
2. Using a tablespoon, scoop out some mixture and roll into balls, then roll in the extra coconut or sesame seeds. Add to a container and freeze the balls for a few hours.

For the toffee

1. Add the syrup to a saucepan and heat over medium heat until the mixture starts to change colour. It will bubble up and change colour very quickly (It burns easily so keep a close eye on it). Once you achieve a nice golden colour, turn off the heat and mix in the cocoa powder. The mixture will become very viscose. Dip your spoon in and run the strands over the frozen bonbons. It will set on impact. If the mixture gets too hard, warm on very low heat until it melts a little again. Serve or put back in the freezer for later.

Will keep in the freezer for months
To add extra sweetness you could add a handful of sultana/raisins/currants etc..

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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