This recipe is adapted from Movida restaurant in Melbourne and it is so good!  It would make an impressive side dish, light lunch, or even main course.  The rich flavours are balanced beautifully by the sharpness of the quince and although it does take a little time to prepare, I promise it will be worth it…

Quince, pumpkin, eggplant, quinoa salad

1. 1/4 cup olive oil + extra for roasting pumpkin
2. 1/4 cup uncooked quinoa
3. 1 large quince
4. 1 Lebanese eggplant, chopped into 1/2 inch dice
5. 1/4 jap pumpkin, pealed and chopped into small 1 inch dice
6. 1 green capsicum, chopped
7. 1 small onion, diced
8. 1 tomato, diced
9. 3 bay leaves
10. 1 tablespoon tomato paste
11. 1 teaspoon cumin powder
12. pinch of salt
13. Handful of chopped parsley
14. Pomegranate seeds to garnish

1. Preheat oven to 180 degrees C (350 degrees F). Cook the quinoa according to the packet directions and then spread on a tray to cool; refrigerate until ready to use.
2. Wash and dry quince and place on a baking tray, bake for 1 hour, or until soft. While that is cooking, spread pumpkin on a baking tray and drizzle with olive oil, toss to coat, and bake for 20-30 minutes, or until tender (you want it to hold its shape)
3. Heat the 1/4 cup of olive oil in a large frying pan over high heat and cook the eggplant until golden and tender. Using a slotted spoon, scoop out eggplant and drain on paper towel. Now add the onion and sauté for 5 minutes or until soft. Stir in the capsicum, bay leaves, and cumin and reduce heat to low-medium; cover and cook for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.
4. Meanwhile, peel and dice the roasted quince and cut into 1 inch dice.
5. Add the tomato and tomato paste to the capsicum mixture and cook for a few minutes. Add the roasted pumpkin, quince, eggplant, quinoa and parsley and gently mix together. Season to taste, add to a large bowl and garnish with pomegranate seeds
6. Serve warm

1. Increase the cumin to a couple of teaspoons if you enjoy the taste. I kept it very mild for the little dude…

Little Big H http://littlebigh.com/

Chicken Domburi has always been a favourite of mine.  It all happens in the one pot (excluding cooking the rice), so its perfect for a quick week night meal. 

You start by browning the chicken and then cooking the onions until soft.  Add your liquid and the eggs and its all ready once the eggs are set.  Serve with rice and garnish with spring onion and pickled ginger.  It’s also lovely served with asian greens. 

1. 300 – 400 grams chicken thighs (about 4 thighs)
2. 2 medium onions; finely sliced
3. 2 tablespoons oil
4. 4 tablespoons soy
5. 4 tablespoons water
6. 2 tablespoons mirin
7. 5 eggs; light beaten
8. Spring onion; finely chopped on the diagonal
9. pickled ginger to serve
10. Boiled rice to serve

1. Heat half the oil in a frying pan over high heat and cook the chicken until golden and cooked through. Set aside. Add the additional oil and the sliced onions; cook over low heat until tender but not browned. Add the soy, water, and mirin and bring to the boil. Return the chicken to the pan.
2. Lower heat to low and pour in the eggs. Using a wooden spoon, stir it around once to distribute the mixture a little. Cover and cook for 5 or so minutes, or until the egg is set.
3. Add rice to bowl and top with the chicken. Garnish with spring onion and pickled ginger.

Little Big H http://littlebigh.com/

These carrot and walnut muffins are really delicious, and with 2 cups of carrot they are also good for you.  I always like to have a batch of muffins in the freezer, they are super handy for lunch boxes or healthy snack on the run.  

They aren’t overly sweet so if you like things a little sweeter increase the amount of honey or add a good handful of currants or raisins.  Enjoy xx

Healthy Carrot and Walnut Muffin

1. 2 cups self-raising flour
2. 1 cup of whole walnuts + extra to sprinkle on top
3. 2 cups grated carrot
4. 1/4 cup honey (or sweetener of choice)
5. 1 1/2 cups milk
6. 1 egg
7. 150 grams butter

1. Pre-heat oven to 180 degrees (350 degrees F). Chop the walnuts add to a large bowl with the flour and grated carrot; mix to combine.
2. In a small bowl combine the egg and milk and light whisk with a folk. Add the mixture to dry ingredients along with the butter and honey and stir with a wooden spoon until just combined. Don’t over mix or you will end up with a tough muffin!
3. Spray a muffins tins with oil or grease with butter. Fill tin 3/4 full of the mixture and sprinkle with extra walnuts. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes. Test with a skewer, if it comes out clean, they are ready. Serve warm or cold

1. The mixture will make 12 standard muffins plus 12 mini muffins.
2. This muffin isn’t at all sweet, increase to half a cup of honey if you wish or add 1/4 cup of raisins for added sweetness

Little Big H http://littlebigh.com/

Well Easter has come and gone and I got away with it for another year.   H still doesn’t like chocolate!   He wanted a kinder surprise bunny and a big kinder surprise egg – its all about the toy inside obviously!  He was a happy boy but had no interest in the chocolate.  I…

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H and I made these little baked custards a few months ago.  They are perfect for babies from 12 months old.  So easy to make and sweetened slightly with maple syrup.  For babies under 12 months omit the maple syrup. We moved house over a month ago now and I am yet to have the internet connected –…

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I’m super excited to be part of the healthy kids community this week on Instagram.  My recipe is this mini egg-free quiche.  It’s really simple to make and great for babies and toddlers that have allergic reactions to eggs.  To replace the eggs I have used tofu.  Not a tofu fan either?  Don’t worry, once…

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I have been a little sweet potato mad lately – but it has to be roasted.   Something really magical happens when veggies are roasted and I can’t get enough of them.   H on the other hand has decided he likes everything served raw.  Now I’m not complaining.  He will happily sit down and eat…

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Parfait’s are a favourite breakfast of mine.  They really are so easy to make and you can fill them with just about anything you have  on hand.  This mango and puffed amaranth parfait is a new favourite combination.  Summery, light and so delicious.  It would also make a great healthy dessert.  Puffed amaranth is available…

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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…

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I have been a little obsessed with labneh ever since I made it myself awhile back.  You can find the recipe here if you want to give it ago.   It’s super simple to make but store bought is fine if you want to skip that step. Labneh is often served in savoury dishes but this time around I’m…

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Happy New Year! I have a nice healthy recipe to start the new year.  Apple chips with an optional rosewater toffee just to spice things up a little.   H prefers his apple chips without toffee so I add toffee to half and leave the other half as is.  I use a food dehydrator to dehydrate…

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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…

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Mango-Rooibos Bubble Tea – healthy, easy and perfect for ages 1 – 100….   During my uni days I drank my fair share of bubble tea.  It was new to my area at the time and I always ordered it with tapioca and pudding.   My version here is very simple.  It’s also healthy, sugar-free…

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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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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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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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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…

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I have been making a version of this dish for years.  It is a perfect mid-week meal – easy to prepare, super tasty, it all happens in the one pot so there isn’t a lot of clean up, and it’s always a hit.   The spices are balanced beautifully with the sweetness of the currants…

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These carrot and walnut muffins are really delicious, and with 2 cups of carrot they are also good for you.  I always like to have a batch of muffins in the freezer, they are super handy for lunch boxes or healthy snack on the run.   They aren’t overly sweet so if you like things…

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Baked ricotta is creamy, lemony, deliciousness.  What more can I say!  The little dude was a  huge fan.  He looooooves dips – or possibly the actual dipping itself, but either way he dipped away with gusto.  Serve as a dip at your next party or I love it served with roasted veggies and crusty bread for a…

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I have been making these delicious bread rolls for years with a range of different fillings.  This kale pesto filling is really delicious as the lemony flavour is balanced beautifully by the sweet bread.  If you want a short cut, store-bought pesto would also work well.   I have rolled the pasty out quite thin,…

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Happy New Year! I have a nice healthy recipe to start the new year.  Apple chips with an optional rosewater toffee just to spice things up a little.  

H prefers his apple chips without toffee so I add toffee to half and leave the other half as is.  I use a food dehydrator to dehydrate the apples but you could also set your oven to very low and achieve a similar results.  

The toffee is make with brown rice syrup which I think is quicker and easier to make than regular toffee, and as a bonus, healthier because it fructose free…

Looking for other food dehydrator recipes?  Try my dehydrated orange dipped in dark chocolate.  My very favourite snack that comes with a warning – Highly addictive.  I can’t stop eating them until they are all gone!

Apple Chips with Rosewater Toffee

1. 2 – 4 granny smith apples – preferably organic
2. juice of one lemon

1. 2 heaped tablespoons brown rice syrup
2. 1 teaspoon rosewater

1. Add a cup of water to a bowl and add the lemon juice
2. Wash the apples really well as we are leaving the skin on. Using a mandolin, slice the apples to about a 2mm thickness. Alternatively slice using a sharp knife. Dunk them in the bowl of lemon water and allow excess to drip off and add to your food dehydrator tray.
3. Drying time will vary according to your model of dehydrator but roughly 12 hours or so and they will be ready.

1. Use above steps but dry with paper towel after dipping in lemon water. Add to a baking paper lined baking tray. Bake at 100 degrees C (225 degrees F) for approximately 2 hours, flipping them about half way through cooking.

1. Add the syrup to a saucepan and cook over medium heat until it starts to bubble up and turn a golden colour (watch it very carefully as it doesn’t take long and can burn very easily). Take it off the heat and stir through the rosewater. Once the syrup cools just slightly it will be very sticky and you can drizzle it over the apple chips. Allow to cook and store in an airtight container.

Little Big H http://littlebigh.com/

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

Citrus salad with fennel and walnuts

1. 2 blood oranges
2. 1 orange
3. handful of cumquats (optional); sliced
4. 1 baby fennel
5. 1/4 cup walnuts
6. A couple of sprigs of chervil to garnish (or use the fennel fronds)

1. 1 tablespoon olive oil
2. 1 teaspoon maple syrup
3. 1 teaspoon orange blossom water
4. Salt and pepper

1. 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.
2. Using a mandolin to slice the fennel as fine as you can. Alternatively use a sharp knife to slice as fine as possible.
3. Arrange the fennel on a plate and top with the oranges, cumquats, walnuts, and garnish with the chervil.
4. For the dressing, combine all ingredients in a small bowl and combine. Drizzle over the salad. Serve, or refrigerate until ready to serve.

1. 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.

Little Big H http://littlebigh.com/

I have been making these delicious bread rolls for years with a range of different fillings.  This kale pesto filling is really delicious as the lemony flavour is balanced beautifully by the sweet bread.  If you want a short cut, store-bought pesto would also work well.  

I have rolled the pasty out quite thin, so I ended up with smaller sized rolls that are perfect for little hands.  Go ahead and make them as large or as small as you likeā€¦ xx

1. 3/4 cup water
2. 1/2 cup milk
3. 60 g (1/4 cup softened) buter
4. 1/4 cup honey
5. 1 egg; lightly beaten
6. 4 cups flour (approximately)
7. 4 teaspoons instant yeast
8. 1 heaped teaspoons salt

1. 3/4 of a large bunch – approx 4 big stalks
2. 1 bunch of basil
3. 1/2 cup walnuts
4. 3/4 cup parmesan cheese + a little more to sprinkle on top
5. 3/4 cup of olive oil
6. Juice of 1 lemon
7. salt and pepper

1. Heat water, milk and butter in a saucepan over low heat until the butter is melted. Add to a mixing bowl and allow to cool to lukewarm. Add honey and 1 1/2 cups of flour and lightly whisk until smooth. Add the eggs and yeast and stir until smooth.
2. Allow to sit uncovered for 15 minutes. Mix in salt and another 1 1/2 cups of flour. Knead the dough adding the extra cup of flour until it no longer sticks. (I used a kitchen aid and dough hook but it works just as well kneading by hand).
3. Add dough to a lightly greased bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Allow to double in size – about an hour. Punch down the dough and roll out to an approx 12x 24 inch rectangle. Spread a good amount of the pesto over the bread, leaving a 1/2 inch around the edges. Fold over the long edge and roll and secure the seam with a little water.
4. Using a sharp knife cut into about 20 portions. Add to baking paper, cover in plastic wrap or a tea towel to rise again for about an hour.
5. Pre-heat oven to 180 degrees C (350 degrees F). Once risen, sprinkle with extra parmesan and bake for 15-20 minutes or until golden. Allow to cool slightly and serve.

1. Remove stalks from the kale. Blanch kale in boiling water until it is wilted. Refresh under cold water. Squeeze out excess liquid and add to a food processor with the remaining ingredients and pulse until the desired consistency is reached.

1. The recipe make more pesto than is required. Freeze what remains and add to pasta for an easy dinner.
2. I like to blanch the kale but it is fine to use completely raw if you prefer.

Little Big H http://littlebigh.com/

BRIGHTON BEACH, MELBOURNE

Little Big H wearing:

T-Shirt: Indie Kids, Chino Pants: Country Road, Military Hat: Eeni Meeni Mini Moh

These macadamia bonbons are super healthy, they contain macadamia nuts, chia seeds, tahini, coconut, vanilla and I have sweetened mine with maple.  If you want a sugar-free alternative use rice malt syrup.  

I was pretty excited when my toffee idea came together.  I put brown rice syrup in a  small saucepan and heated it over medium heat until it bubbled up and started to turn a golden colour.  I then mixed in a little unsweetened cocoa powder for a yummy sugar-free chocolate toffee – winning!  

The balls themselves are quite soft so the toffee adds a lovely crunch – I keep them in the freezer, they thaw in no time or are soft enough to eat straight from the freezer xx

macadamia bonbons with chocolate toffee

1. 150 grams macadamias (about a cup of whole macadamias)
2. 3/4 cup coconut
3. 2 tablespoons chia seeds
4. 2 tablespoons tahini
5. 1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste or extract
6. 2-3 tablespoons maple syrup / brown rice syrup or your sweetener of choice
7. Extra coconut and sesame seeds to roll the balls in

1. 2 heaped tablespoons brown rice syrup
2. 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.

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.

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

Little Big H http://littlebigh.com/