Here is two more recipes from their booklet, which has lots of ideas for good, tasty and nutritious meals for children at that important stage in their development. You can find out more at www.first1000days.ie.

This sauce is a classic Italian recipe, associated in particular with spaghetti bolognese.

It is a perfect stand-by for converting it into dishes such as moussaka, cannelloni, chilli con carne, lasagne, cottage pie and to us as a filling for pancakes and jacket potatoes.

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I make it in batches and freeze it. It may seem a little crazy to cook it for so long, but it makes all the difference to the flavour. Be sure to get lean meat from your butcher.

The frittata is like an omelette and it is packed with protein. It is ideal for lunch, or supper, as you can put almost anything you like in it. Ham and cooked chicken are great.

Look out for the semi sun-dried tomatoes, which you will get in any deli or supermarket. I find the fully sundried ones to be a bit too chewy for this recipe.

Happy cooking.

THIS WEEK'S RECIPES

Ragu Sauce

Serves 10

1 tbsp of rapeseed oil

25g of butter

1 onion, finely chopped

2 carrots, finely chopped

2 celery sticks, finely chopped

2 garlic cloves, crushed

225g of button mushrooms, sliced

100g of rindless, smoked, streaky bacon, finely chopped

350g of lean minced beef

1 tbsp of tomato purée

400g can of chopped tomatoes

300ml of beef stock

1tbsp of chopped, fresh basil

freshly ground black pepper

1 Heat up the butter and oil in a large sauté pan, with a lid, until you hear it sizzling.

2 Add the onion, carrots, celery, garlic, mushrooms and bacon and sauté them over a medium heat for 10 minutes, stirring frequently, until the vegetables have softened and everything is lightly browned.

3 Reduce the heat and add the minced beef to the pan. Cook it for about 10 minutes, until it’s well browned, stirring with a wooden spoon and breaking up any lumps.

4 Mix in the tomato purée, canned tomatoes and half of the stock and bring the pot to the boil, stirring, to combine all the ingredients.

5 Reduce the heat under the pan, half cover it with the lid and simmer the sauce, on a very low heat, for about 2 hours, or until the meat is meltingly tender. Occasionally give the pot a stir and add the remaining stock, bit by bit, as the liquid will be absorbed while cooking.

6 Add the basil to the sauce and give the pot a good mix. Then simmer uncovered for another 30 minutes until the sauce has reduced and thickened, stirring frequently.

7 Season it with ground black pepper and serve it with pasta.

Sun-dried Tomato Frittata

Serves four

6 sun-dried tomatoes

1 small onion, finely chopped

4 tbsp of olive and flaxseed oil, mixed to taste

6 eggs

50g of grated, fresh parmesan

salt and pepper

1 pinch of dried thyme

1 tbsp of roughly chopped parsley

1 Soak the tomatoes in hot water, just enough to cover them, for 15 minutes. When finished, remove the tomatoes from the water (keep the water), pat them dry with kitchen paper and cut them up into fine strips.

2 Fry the onion in the oil until it’s soft and brown, then add the tomato strips and thyme. Cook for a further two minutes, stirring constantly. Season to taste with black pepper.

3 Beat the eggs into a bowl, stir in three tablespoons of the tomato water and the parmesan.

4 Raise the heat under the pan. When the oil starts to sizzle add the egg mixture. Give it a quick mix, then let it cook, untouched, on a low heat for about 15 minutes, or until the base is golden and the top is puffed.

5 Place a plate over the pan, turn the pan over and let the frittata land on the plate. Using a second plate turn the frittata golden side up and slide it back in the pan for one minute, so the other side can get some colour.

6 Cut the frittata into bite-sized wedges and serve, hot or cold, scattered with chopped parsley to garnish.