Frozen yoghurt is so easy to make – it only has 4 ingredients.  I’ve added banana to give it some sweetness and a little maple syrup, but that is totally optional.  It freezes quite hard so sit on the bench before serving to allow it to soften a little. Substitute the blackberries for whatever you have on…

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This is such as a simple salad and could be made with any tomatoes, but these gorgeous heirloom tomatoes were just too beautiful to walk past.  As you are all probably aware, I make a lot of dishes with tomatoes!  I know H is going to love it and I get so much joy watching him…

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Frittatas are a really great option for lunch or a light dinner.  They are also a great way to use up leftovers or all of those extra veggies in your fridge that need to be used.  Basically all you need are eggs and then add any veggies that you like.  I love the combination of asparagus…

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I have never made skewers for H before but I will say they were a huge hit.  I think like most toddlers/kids he can be a little lazy when it comes to chewing meat.  These skewers however are tiny enough to be toddler friendly and by using eye fillet beef, they were tender and easy for little mouths…

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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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Mascarpone cheese is incredibly easy to make and its a lot of fun.  It only requires two ingredient and about 10 minutes of effort for thick, creamy and delicious mascarpone cheese the next morning.   A lot of recipes on the web call for heavy cream, which in Australia is most similar to pure cream.  Don’t…

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The inspiration for his salad came from a girls night out last weekend.  A girlfriend and I went to the Sydney Opera House to see Stephen Hawking speak and went to a great little Italian restaurant beforehand.  My little man loves lentils and he is a huge fan of goats cheese so I thought of…

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  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…

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  Making raw halva truffles is a great rainy day toddler activity.  They are super easy to make and require no cooking.  H had a great time rolling the balls that I passed to him in either cocoa powder, sesame seeds or coconut.  Be warned however, it is a pretty messy activity, so a nice sunny…

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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…

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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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Salads and toddlers aren’t two words that generally go well together!  But, we love salads, and they are one of H’s favourite things to eat.  The trick is to add ingredients that they love, and then sneak in the rest.   This warm lentil, potato and corn salad has all of H’s favourite things.  I have snuck in…

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I posted this recipe on Instagram a few weeks back and it was very popular, so I’m posting here as well.  We love it, it’s simple and quick to make.   I originally came across a recipe similar to this in a magazine some time ago, but this is my toddler friendly version.  I’m certain the original has tea…

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H and I have been doing a stack of baking lately – homemade bread, pizzas, cakes and muffins.  I think the winter weather has something to do with it!  I’ve experimented a lot with muffin recipes and I have to say, I think I’ve found a winner.  These healthy zucchini, corn and tomato muffins are easy…

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Labneh or yoghurt cheese is so easy to make and it is delicious.  It has a smooth and creamy consistency and a slight tangy taste.  It’s great spread on crackers with a sprinkle of sumac – I also love a sprinkle of good quality sweet paprika and so does H.  I can see this being a staple in my…

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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…

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Broccoli is my favourite green vegetable and H is a pretty big fan as well.  In this recipe the broccoli taste is very subtle because of the huge amount of herbs, but I love that there is another veggie in there. I very quickly pulsed the broccoli in a food processor to achieve a rice like consistency and then cooked…

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Quinoa Granola – It’s a bit of an understatement to say I love this stuff.  I’ve made it so many times now and it never lasts very long.  I eat it as is with yoghurt for breakfast or as pictured here as a topping for chia pudding.  I also love it on top of ice-cream with another drizzle…

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I’m pretty excited to be part of the I Quit Sugar follow friday this weekend – check out an interview I did with them here.  I’m also taking over their Instagram – its happening right now, so be sure to follow along… This hearty soup is featured on the I Quit Sugar website and is packed full of hearty vegetables, beans,…

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Everyone loves fries right?  My little guy certainly does.  I don’t make them often because H will go straight for them, and its often hard to get him to eat anything else, but when I do, I love to add herbs and spices.   These sweet paprika fries make a tasty alternative and being oven roasted they are…

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Strawberries and orange blossom water is a match made in heaven.  Add to that ice cream and you have a huge winner!

This is a simple ice cream recipe that is egg free, therefore doesn’t require you to make a custard.  Simply whisk the ingredients by hand, then churn in an ice cream maker.

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• 250 g punnet of strawberries; hulled
• A sprinkling of caster sugar
• 1 tablespoon orange blossom water

• 1/3 (80g) caster sugar
• 1/2 cup milk
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste

• Place the strawberries in an oven proof dish and sprinkle lightly with caster sugar. Roast in a 180 degree C (350 degrees F) oven for about 30 minutes. They should start to break down and be oozing juice. Once cooked place in a bowl and mash with a fork (I like to leave it a little bit chunky). Allow to cool slightly and add the orange blossom water. Refrigerate until well chilled

• In a medium sized bowl, whisk the milk and sugar for a few minutes to combine. Add the vanilla and cream and whisk to combine. Churn in an ice-cream maker according to your machines instructions. You want to remove it when it is a soft serve consistency so you can stir through the strawberry component. Add the ice-cream to a container and pour the chilled strawberry mixture over the top. Using a knife swirl it through the ice cream and refrigerate again until completely set
• Serve on its own or with fresh seasonal fruit

This recipe doesn’t make a huge amount of ice cream so double the recipe if you like. My ice cream maker isn’t very large so I tend to make smaller quantities

The sous vide cooks apricots amazingly well. They have a beautiful delicate velvety texture once cooked.

You could also make this dish on the stove top if you don’t have a sous vide. The flavour will be the very similar but you will lose the velvety texture.  Little Big H loves the tartness of this dish but it if is too tart for your little one, try adding a banana or some cooked apple.

For an adult version with a lot more sweetness add as slash of sugar syrup along with the rosewater – so good its is a dessert I make often.

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• 8 Apricots
• 1 teaspoon rosewater
• 1/2 cup of water

• Remove the seeds from apricots. Add apricots, rosewater and water to a vacuum bag and seal
• Sous Vide for 25 min on 82 degrees. Discard liquid and serve warm (puree if your baby isn’t used to soft lumps). Freeze remaining mixture in ice cube trays

And just like that H is at school and I’m preparing school lunch boxes. I’m finding it quite fun at the moment – but it has only been a week. I’ll report back in a months time! So with that in mind, I thought it would be nice to include a little sweet treat on…

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Black sticky rice with caramelised coconut and mango is our favourite dessert, but I hear it is most often eaten at breakfast in Thailand. I could definitely get on board with that! On our recent visit to Thailand, H and I ate this everyday – sometimes twice a day!  It’s the perfect balance of sweet…

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Make your own gut healing bone broth at home. So why bone broth? It’s great for your gut, your skin, your hair, your bones, your immune system, plus much more… Simply warm and drink as is or use anytime a recipe calls for stock.  If you suffer from any gut issues it really is a…

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These little parsley and pine nut ricotta pastries would be perfect served as a light lunch or starter at your next party. You may remember my sweet jam filled ricotta pastries? These are a savoury take on them with a no cook filling of parsley, pine nuts, parmesan, garlic and baby bocconcini. The pastry is made using…

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A little bit like a shortbread these delicious little honey and walnut cookies are made using only 5 ingredients and are refined sugar-free. I have never had much luck with sugar-free cookies but these were an experiment gone right. They are also super simple to make; you simply beat the butter and honey and add…

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Amaranth porridge with peach, passion and pomegranate is a new favourite breakfast.  It’s nutritious, has a lovely nutty taste, it’s a good protein source and it’s naturally gluten-free – a perfect way to start the day. Amaranth take 25 minutes to cook on the stove, so for busy morning soak the raw amaranth in water…

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Berry bliss balls are a handy little snack to have in the freezer.  They are raw and made with all good things: berries, coconut, oats, chia seeds and couple of dates for sweetness – that’s it!  They require no cooking, just pulse in a food processor and roll into balls – get the kids to…

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I’m a huge quinoa fan and given the chance I would eat it everyday! I’m lucky that H also loves it, so I make it often.  Sometimes served as a meal, like this roasted pumpkin quinoa salad could be, and other times I will just season it and have it as an accompaniment to another…

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I have mentioned in previous posts that kids will to eat just about anything if you put it on a stick! These lemony salt and pepper prawn skewers are no exception…  H loved them and I loved that they were easy, effortless and ready in 15 minutes. The prawns are sprinkled with a lemony salt and…

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Who doesn’t love a sausage roll…  my little guy certainly does so I was keen to make a healthier version.  These veggie sausage rolls are made using chickpeas, carrots and feta and are super simple to make. Simply add most ingredients to a food processor and then combine the remaining with your hands.  Add the…

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This is the simplest of purees but I wanted to add it to the blog to highlight that the organic apple season in Australia is coming to an end.  Apples top the ‘Dirty Dozen’ list so it is important to buy organic.  Apples are a bit of a staple for adding to other foods therefore I like to cook a big batch so I will have some on hand in the coming months.

Here is a great guide to seasonal fruit & vegetables in Australia.

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• As few or as many apples as you like. I’ve used 2 kgs so I can freeze a big batch to have on hand
• 1 vanilla bean

• Wash the apples very well (I like to leave the skin on. If you don’t have a blender that will handle pureeing the skin then peal). Dice the apples and add to saucepan. Cut vanilla bean down the middle and scrape out seeds with a knife and add to saucepan along with the vanilla bean
• Add water to the pan so it comes approximately half way up the apples. Cover and cook until tender.
• Discard vanilla bean and puree in a blender

My healthy-ish ricotta pancakes are made with just a few simple ingredients: wholemeal spelt flour, eggs, milk, fresh ricotta, and baking powder. That’s it! I haven’t added any sugar because, let’s be honest — if you’re going to smother them in maple syrup (like I did), you really don’t need it. But if you prefer,…

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Ciao from Isolation 🥴… words I never thought I’d be writing — but more on that later. First, the food. Today I’m sharing a classic French quiche recipe. Quiche is one of those wonderfully versatile dishes that’s surprisingly easy to make. For this version, I’ve used caramelised onions, perfectly ripe tomatoes, and for a little…

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It may be getting cold here in Firenze but the city is more beautiful than ever. The Christmas lights are up all over the city, there are idyllic Christmas markets with mulled wine and delicious treats, and Harry said to me yesterday that he loves Florence. This made me so happy! Harry and I have…

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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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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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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…

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Guacamole is the perfect toddler food.  No cooking required, it’s healthy, full of flavour and makes a great healthy snack that the whole family will love – and they can almost make it entire on their own! I chopped all the ingredients and put them into tiny bowls.  H mashed the avocado and assemble all the…

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H and I have been doing a stack of baking lately – homemade bread, pizzas, cakes and muffins.  I think the winter weather has something to do with it!  I’ve experimented a lot with muffin recipes and I have to say, I think I’ve found a winner.  These healthy zucchini, corn and tomato muffins are easy…

Read More »

  Making raw halva truffles is a great rainy day toddler activity.  They are super easy to make and require no cooking.  H had a great time rolling the balls that I passed to him in either cocoa powder, sesame seeds or coconut.  Be warned however, it is a pretty messy activity, so a nice sunny…

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  I’m excited to show you a little of where I grew up and spent most weekends as a teenager.  The beautiful beaches of Newcastle.  My girlfriends and I would catch the train every weekend in to town and go to the beach.  My family still live in Newcastle so I go back home often….

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Puffed amaranth is an ingredient that I stumbled upon at my local health food store recently and I love it.  It is great to add to dishes like muesli bars and on your breakfast.  I love to add it to yoghurt.  It sort of melts into it and make it very fluffy.   I have…

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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.

These yummy little balls were inspired after a recent attempt at Jamie Oliver’s no bake vegan slice. It turned out to be a winner and really satisfied that afternoon chocolate craving (mine of course not Little Big H’s!).  They are raw no bake balls suitable for toddlers (although they do contain lot of nuts, so if…

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• 2 teaspoons olive oil
• 1 garlic clove , crushed
• 150 g French green lentils
• A sprinkle of cinnamon powder
• zest of 1/2 orange
• 250 ml (1 cup) chicken stock
• salt & pepper to taste

• In a saucepan, heat oil and sweat the garlic and cinnamon until fragrant.
• Add lentils, orange zest and chicken stock. Season and cook at a gentle simmer until lentils are soft, approximately 15 minutes

Serve hot or cold, suitable to freeze
For vegetarians, substitute vege stock or water for chicken stock

Salads and toddlers aren’t two words that generally go well together!  But, we love salads, and they are one of H’s favourite things to eat.  The trick is to add ingredients that they love, and then sneak in the rest.  

This warm lentil, potato and corn salad has all of H’s favourite things.  I have snuck in some kale, which I have blanched and chopped finely as I know he wouldn’t eat otherwise – you can leave it raw if you like.  I also added some mint and a yoghurt dressing that has a hint of spice.  I think it’s delicious and would makes a lovely side to your main meal or serve it as a healthy lunch as I did.

Enjoy xxx

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• 3/4 cup green lentils
• 2 ears of corn
• 6 stalks kale; leaves only , discard stalks.
• 3 potatoes
• 1/4 cup finely chopped mint
• Juice of 1/2 – 1 lemon
• Olive oil
• Salt and pepper

• 3/4 cup natural yoghurt (or plain greek yoghurt)
• 1 teaspoon honey
• 1/2 – 1 teaspoon cumin
• 1 – 2 teaspoons lemon juice
• small pinch salt

• Add the lentils to a saucepan with 2 cups of water and bring to the boil. Cover and simmer for about 15 minutes or until tender, add more water if necessary – they should still be firm though. Peel and chop the potatoes; add to a saucepan and cover with water. Cook until tender. Remove potato from the pot and set aside. Using a the same water if you wish, cook the kale and corn for a couple of minutes, remove and allow to cool slightly. Slice the corn kernels off the cob and set aside. Finely chop the kale.
• In a large bowl, combine the lentils, potato, corn, mint, a good few glugs of olive oil, lemon juice and salt and pepper.

• Combine all the ingredients together in a small bowl.
• Serve the salad with the yoghurt dressing on the side

Serves 4 -6 as a side. Lovely served warm or cold.
Add more or less cumin to suit your taste. I only use 1/2 teaspoon so it isn’t too strong for the little guy. The kale can be left raw. I cook it and chop if finely so it easier for the little guy to chew.