I am a chef and two years ago the 1st edition book inspired me so much that I started studying clinical nutrition. Never in my life have I ever come across a book that is so consuming. Every free minute of my day I find myself soaking up every bit of interesting information on each page, each time learning something new and eye- opening. This is truly a nutrition/food bible and every mom should have one. I literally cannot get enough of it, so much so that I have actually been neglecting my studies. Thank you, thank you, thank you.

- Liesl Jansen Van Rensburg

This book is a detailed compendium of all things nutritious and nourishing. A veritable Bible of whole foods, it has everything you’ll ever need to understand what and what not to feed your baby—as well as yourself. The best parts of the book debunk the traditional myths of what to feed your child then re-educate with solid science as to what to do differently—including a glossary of nutrients and many resources teaching you what to avoid. The how includes over 100 creative and delicious-looking recipes made with healthy whole foods and free from dairy-gluten-sugar as well as strategies for introducing your child to the world of “other people’s foods.” Catherine Barnhoorn gives you in-depth tools for raising your baby to be truly healthy, as opposed to the compromised type of health we’ve all come to expect on the average diet. You might just want to be reincarnated as her child!

- Dr. Sally Stone, author of Golden Words: The A-to-Z Toolkit for Changing Your Life One Word at a Time

This is a delightful and well-informed feast of a book that is especially written for children that suffer with food intolerances. Although my son Cassian is able to eat everything, I absolutely devour recipes that are free of the usual culprits like dairy, sugar and gluten. Catherine, the author, is especially mindful of gut health, too. The book comes with some great advice on eating for the soul

- Robyn Smith – Founder & Owner of Faithful-To-Nature.co.za

When I first got my hands on a copy of this book, I must own I did have some expectations. I was looking forward to receiving it, as I had heard good things about it, and was excited to be introduced to a new recipe book with some inspiring ideas in it for me and my daughter. Well I was completely blown away from the moment I opened the parcel (popped corn replaced yucky unrecyclable polystyrene chips in the packaging!) and held this fat tome in my hands. It has many more pages than I expected, and the reason for this is that Mila’s Meals is an incredibly thoroughly and well researched book about nutrition in children and most especially starting FROM THE BEGINNING with a diet that is nutritious and free from all the rubbish that gets put into our food today. Much of this rubbish is well hidden and that’s where Mila’s Meals really shines. This book is an education presented in a beautiful, readable, and FUN way!

- Janet for The Green Family Guide

Catherine’s book is well researched but very practical, which is key for ordinary cooks and newbie foodies out there. Plenty parents find themselves raising a child with food intolerances. So the solutions of sugar-free, gluten-free and dairy-free are very handy. The book also challenges chefs out there to do more than just toss this and that in the pan but to know where the food comes from and more importantly what’s in the food. Menu design must have these requirements catered for if it is indeed to feed with a conscience.

- Nompumelelo Mqwebu, Head Chef at Africa Meets Europe Cuisine & Food Writer for The Mercury Newspapers

A useful, informative guide to help young mothers feed their children healthy food alternatives, food that not only is safe for the child, but looks good and tastes delicious. This is a must study, must enjoy, healthy eating alternative not only for feeding children, but also for feeding ourselves as adults. Everything you could possibly ask about the difficult food industry is answered in this book. Beginning with her own story, Catherine leads the reader through her experiences and sets us up with a course of action: first and foremost, read the labels and be aware of what you are eating. She complements her discussions with concise charts of the good and the bad in different food groups. She lays out the research compiled on the subject of food intolerances and allergies, and she provides a great resource of recipes, from snacks to main course meals to yummy desserts, and all that you could possibly want in between. The glossary is succinct and very thorough and useful. This is a must have guide for all young mothers and for anyone who wants to eat healthily and stay healthy. Well done! A great resource. Love the photos of Mila.

- Emily-Jane Hills Orford for Readers’ Favorite

This massive book is a mother-daughter team work. It shares much nutrition information and tips, plus one hundred recipes. The photography is delightful. This is an excellent book.

- Edouard Cointreau, President of the Jury - Gourmand World Cookbook Awards

This well-researched and masterfully created book is a true gift to aware parents who want to give their children the best start to life.

- Dr Hanna Grotepass (MBChB), Homeopath & Medical Doctor

At last, a wonderfully creative and thoroughly well researched work of immensely helpful and beneficial guidance, for us as parents! Food and health are inseparable. In today’s information age nutritional concepts can be all too confusing, especially when the information is focused on ‘what’ to eat, rather than exploring and understanding the ‘why’. This book introduces important and comprehensible ‘why’s’ of applying food as your medicine, while at the same time, offering truly sumptuous and easy to follow recipes to give our little genetic investments vibrant health and a greater connection to nature, of which we are all an integral part. Toward healing, awareness and peace! Thank you Catherine.

- Dr Jon Morley (MBChB), Holistic Medical Doctor

I highly recommended Mila's Meals - The Beginning & The Basics. Such a brilliantly conceived, carefully planned, beautifully photographed, thoughtful, forward thinking book... I can't praise your book enough. Hooked from your introduction where you make the connection between endometriosis & Candida... Your book hasn't left my reading table since I bought it on Friday. It has tapped very effectively into the future of eating.

- Yemisi Aribisala (@yemisiAA), Author of 'Longthroat Memoirs: Soups, Sex and Nigerian Taste Buds'