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…

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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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  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.  

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 like… xx

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

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

• 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.
• 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).
• 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.
• 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.
• 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.

• 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.

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

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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Yellow split pea dhal is the ultimate comfort food and it makes a nourishing meat-free meal that the whole family will love.  This variation is flavoured with mild spices and is incredibly simple to make. You simply cook the lentils in water with garlic and chili and cook away for 45 minutes or until the lentils…

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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…

Read More »

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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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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G’day everyone, how are you all?  I’m sorry for the lack of recipes lately but I have been concentrating on my little family and haven’t had the motivation.  My beautiful little boy lost his daddy a few months ago and it came as a huge shock to all.  H is still so little and has…

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Super easy to make, these fish cakes with potato and dill are ready in no time, and if you have a little helper – even quicker! Not counting the extra time to clean up the all the mess of course… They are made with a classic flavour combo of potato and dill and make a healthy lunch or…

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If you live in Sydney then you would have been melting along with us in the heat over the past few weeks.  These healthy Avocado Chia Popsicles are just what we needed.   They are so good for you that you could eat them for breakfast…  They contain avocado, coconut milk, chia seeds, honey and strawberries…

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Breakfast…  I was never into it before having H, but now it is one of mine and Harry’s favourite meals of the day. It’s always quick to prepare and usually made up of whatever we have in the fridge.  It is the one meal I usually let H decide on so regardless of what he decides,…

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I used a combination of purple and green asparagus here.  H and I were at the green grocer when he spotted purple asparagus and got super excited – like jumping up and down excited, I wish I could have recorded him.  It was super cute and me loving his enthusiasm for good food ended up buying…

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Hi everyone.  Sorry I haven’t been blogging lately. We have recently moved house and I have only just had the internet connected!  I thought I would post a few photos – that I never got around to posting, taken on the front balcony of our old house.

Little Big H is wearing:

Dinosaur top: Seed Heritage.    Jeans with braces: Minoti.     Shoes: Tip Toey Joey