Kitchen

Make 2 servings

15 minutes + overnight chilling

An easy inspired version using cornflakes for crunch, rather than specialist kunafa pastry. Pistachio spreads may contain other nuts.

Ingredients

• 4 Weet-Bix
• 200 ml milk
• 200 g plain yoghurt
• 2 tbsp pistachio spread
• 20 g chocolate, grated
• 2 tbsp cornflakes, crushed

Method

1. Crush the Weet-Bix into two clean bowls and divide the milk between them.
2. Mix the pistachio spread with the yoghurt and spoon over the cereal.
3. Sprinkle over the grated chocolate, cover and refrigerate overnight.
4. Add crushed cornflakes just before eating so they stay crunchy.

Try a swap: Pistachio spread is optional: use a suitable nut or seed spread for a different flavour if it is unavailable.

Check labels and ask your adult about allergies and safe substitutions. Knives, graters and hot appliances need adult help.

Make 2 servings

20 minutes · frying pan

Ingredients

• 2 large wraps
• 3 eggs
• 2 tbsp milk
• 1 tsp butter or oil
• 1 tomato, diced
• 1 cup baby spinach, washed
• ½ cup grated cheese
• 2 tbsp mild salsa

Method

1. Wash the vegetables and ask an adult to help dice the tomato. Beat eggs with milk.
2. Warm the butter in a frying pan over medium-low heat. Add the egg and stir gently until fully set, with no runny egg.
3. Warm wraps following the packet. Divide eggs, tomato, spinach, cheese and salsa between them.
4. Fold the sides in, roll tightly and serve warm. Refrigerate any leftovers within two hours.

Try a swap: Add drained canned beans, or use another washed vegetable you have.

Check labels and ask your adult about allergies and safe substitutions. Knives, graters and hot appliances need adult help.

Make 2 servings

20 minutes · frying pan

Ingredients

• 6 slices bread
• 1 cup fully cooked chicken, shredded and chilled
• 4 rashers bacon
• 2 tbsp mayonnaise
• 4 lettuce leaves, washed
• 1 tomato, sliced

Method

1. Use safely stored cooked chicken. Keep it chilled while preparing the other ingredients.
2. Ask an adult to cook the bacon thoroughly following its packet. Wash and slice the vegetables on a clean board.
3. Toast the bread. Spread mayonnaise on four slices. Build each sandwich with three slices of bread, layering chicken, lettuce, tomato and bacon.
4. Cut into halves or quarters and serve. Refrigerate any leftovers within two hours.

Try a swap: Skip the bacon, or swap chicken for mashed chickpeas.

Check labels and ask your adult about allergies and safe substitutions. Knives, graters and hot appliances need adult help.

Make 2 servings

20 minutes · stove

Ingredients

• 2 packets instant ramen noodles
• 2 eggs
• 2 cups shredded cabbage or baby spinach
• 4 cups water, plus water for poaching
• 1 spring onion, sliced
• 1 tsp soy sauce, optional

Method

1. Wash and slice the vegetables. Bring a separate small saucepan of water to a gentle simmer with adult help.
2. Crack each egg into a cup and slide gently into the simmering water. Poach until both white and yolk are set, about 5–7 minutes; lift out with a slotted spoon.
3. In another pot bring 4 cups water to the boil. Add noodles and vegetables, and cook for the packet time. Use as much of the seasoning sachets as suits you.
4. Divide broth and noodles between two bowls, top with eggs, spring onion and optional soy sauce. Allow to cool a little before eating.

Try a swap: Use tofu instead of egg, or frozen mixed vegetables instead of cabbage.

Check labels and ask your adult about allergies and safe substitutions. Knives, graters and hot appliances need adult help.

Make 4 servings

About 1½–2 hours · adult-led oven cooking

Ingredients

• 1 fully defrosted chicken, about 1.5 kg
• 4 medium potatoes
• 3 carrots
• 2 tbsp oil
• 1 tsp mixed herbs
• 2 cups frozen peas
• Gravy granules and water, following the packet

Method

1. Heat the oven to 190°C conventional (170°C fan). Wash and chop vegetables with adult help. Keep chicken and its utensils separate; do not wash raw chicken.
2. Place chicken in a roasting dish. Rub with 1 tbsp oil and herbs. Roast following its pack guidance, allowing roughly 90 minutes for a 1.5 kg bird, but use temperature rather than time alone to decide when it is safe.
3. Toss potatoes and carrots in the remaining oil on a separate tray and roast for about 50–60 minutes, turning halfway. An adult must check chicken reaches at least 75°C for 30 seconds in the thickest breast and thigh, away from bone; keep cooking if needed.
4. Rest chicken for 10 minutes. Cook peas and make gravy following their packets. An adult can carve the chicken. Refrigerate leftovers within two hours.

Try a swap: Use chicken pieces and follow their pack cooking times, checking the same safe internal temperature.

Check labels and ask your adult about allergies and safe substitutions. Knives, graters and hot appliances need adult help.

Make 4 servings

35 minutes · stove

Ingredients

• 300 g dry pasta
• 400 g boneless chicken breast, diced
• 1 tbsp oil
• 1 onion, finely chopped
• 1 cup frozen peas
• 200 ml cream
• ½ cup water from the cooked pasta
• ½ cup grated cheese

Method

1. Ask an adult to help prepare chicken and onion, keeping raw chicken utensils separate. Cook pasta following the packet; save ½ cup pasta water before draining.
2. Heat oil in a large pan. Cook onion for 3 minutes, add chicken and cook, turning, until it reaches at least 75°C for 30 seconds in the thickest pieces.
3. Add peas, cream and reserved pasta water. Simmer gently for 5 minutes until peas are hot; do not let the sauce boil hard.
4. Stir in pasta and cheese. Serve warm and refrigerate leftovers within two hours.

Try a swap: Use mushrooms and drained canned beans instead of chicken, or a suitable dairy-free cooking cream.

Check labels and ask your adult about allergies and safe substitutions. Knives, graters and hot appliances need adult help.

Make 6 servings

About 2 hours · adult-led steaming

This recipe needs an adult throughout because of boiling water, steam and the heavy hot basin.

Ingredients

• 100 g softened butter
• ½ cup sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1½ cups self-raising flour
• ½ cup milk
• 3 tbsp golden syrup
• 2 cups ready-made custard

Method

1. Ask an adult to grease a 1 litre heatproof pudding basin and spoon golden syrup into the bottom. Beat butter and sugar, then beat in eggs.
2. Fold in flour and milk alternately. Spoon into the basin, leaving room to rise. Cover with a pleated sheet of baking paper and foil; secure with string.
3. An adult should place the basin on a trivet in a large pot and add boiling water halfway up its sides. Cover and steam gently for about 90 minutes. Check water regularly and top up carefully so the pot never boils dry.
4. An adult must lift out the hot basin, remove the cover away from faces and check a skewer comes out clean; steam longer if needed. Rest 10 minutes, turn out carefully and serve with custard heated following its packet.

Try a swap: Use jam instead of golden syrup for a different pudding.

Check labels and ask your adult about allergies and safe substitutions. Knives, graters and hot appliances need adult help.

Make 10 servings

55 minutes + cooling · oven

Ingredients

• 125 g softened butter
• ¾ cup sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1 tsp vanilla essence
• 1½ cups self-raising flour
• ½ cup milk
• 1 cup icing sugar
• 1 tbsp softened butter for icing
• 1–2 tbsp milk for icing

Method

1. Heat oven to 180°C conventional (160°C fan). Grease and line a 20 cm round cake tin.
2. Beat butter and sugar until pale. Beat in eggs one at a time and add vanilla.
3. Fold in flour alternately with milk. Spoon into the tin and bake for about 30–35 minutes until a skewer comes out clean.
4. Cool completely. Mix icing sugar, the extra butter and enough extra milk to make spreadable icing, then ice the cake and cut into 10 slices.

Try a swap: Use lemon zest instead of vanilla, or leave the cake uniced.

Check labels and ask your adult about allergies and safe substitutions. Knives, graters and hot appliances need adult help.

Make 6 servings

15 minutes prep + about 2 hours · slow cooker

Ingredients

• 1 cup self-raising flour
• ½ cup sugar
• 2 tbsp cocoa for batter
• ½ cup milk
• 50 g butter, melted
• 1 egg
• ½ cup brown sugar for sauce
• 2 tbsp cocoa for sauce
• 1½ cups boiling water

Method

1. Check your slow cooker manual permits this recipe and grease a 3–4 litre slow cooker insert. Mix flour, sugar and the batter cocoa in a bowl.
2. Mix milk, cooled melted butter and egg, then stir into the dry ingredients. Spread the batter in the insert.
3. Mix brown sugar with the sauce cocoa and sprinkle over the batter. An adult should slowly pour boiling water over the back of a spoon onto the top; do not stir.
4. Cover and cook on HIGH for about 1½–2½ hours, checking from 90 minutes. It is ready when the cake top is set and a skewer in the cake layer comes out clean. An adult should lift the lid away from faces. Serve warm with sauce from underneath.

Try a swap: Use a suitable plant milk. Appliance cooking times vary; cook until the cake is done rather than relying only on the clock.

Check labels and ask your adult about allergies and safe substitutions. Knives, graters and hot appliances need adult help.

Make 6 servings

50 minutes · oven

Ingredients

• 6 slices bread
• 40 g softened butter
• ¼ cup raisins or sultanas
• 3 eggs
• 2 cups milk
• ⅓ cup sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla essence
• ½ tsp cinnamon

Method

1. Heat oven to 180°C conventional (160°C fan). Grease a medium ovenproof dish and butter the bread.
2. Cut bread into triangles. Layer in the dish with raisins or sultanas.
3. Whisk eggs, milk, sugar, vanilla and cinnamon. Pour over the bread and leave for 10 minutes to soak.
4. Bake for 30–35 minutes until the custard is set with no liquid egg and the top is golden. Cool slightly to serve; refrigerate leftovers within two hours.

Try a swap: Use sliced banana instead of dried fruit, or leftover plain bread rolls.

Check labels and ask your adult about allergies and safe substitutions. Knives, graters and hot appliances need adult help.

Make 12 servings

35 minutes + cooling · oven

A homemade oat bar, not a copy of a packaged brand.

Ingredients

• 2 cups rolled oats
• ½ cup plain flour
• ½ cup desiccated coconut
• ½ cup raisins or chopped dried apricots
• 100 g butter
• ⅓ cup golden syrup
• ¼ cup brown sugar

Method

1. Heat oven to 170°C conventional (150°C fan). Line a 20 cm square tin.
2. Mix oats, flour, coconut and dried fruit in a bowl.
3. With adult help, melt butter, golden syrup and brown sugar over low heat. Mix into the dry ingredients and press firmly into the tin.
4. Bake for 20–25 minutes until golden. Leave to cool completely in the tin so it firms up, then cut into 12 bars.

Try a swap: Use chopped dates instead of apricots, or swap coconut for extra oats.

Check labels and ask your adult about allergies and safe substitutions. Knives, graters and hot appliances need adult help.

Make 4 servings

20 minutes · no heat

Everyone can make and enjoy this sharing board.

Ingredients

• 150 g crackers
• 150 g cheese, sliced
• 100 g chilled sliced deli meat
• 1 cup hummus
• 2 apples
• 1 cup grapes
• ½ cucumber

Method

1. Wash fruit and cucumber. Ask an adult to slice apples, cheese and cucumber.
2. Arrange crackers on a clean board or platter and put hummus in a small bowl.
3. Add fruit, vegetables, cheese and chilled deli meat in small sections; use separate utensils for different foods.
4. Serve straight away as a sharing board. Keep perishable food chilled until serving and refrigerate leftovers within two hours.

Try a swap: Use extra hummus or cooked beans instead of deli meat, and choose whatever seasonal fruit you have.

Check labels and ask your adult about allergies and safe substitutions. Knives, graters and hot appliances need adult help.

Make 8 servings

30 minutes · oven

Ingredients

• 2 cups self-raising flour
• 50 g cold butter, cubed
• 1 cup grated cheese
• ¾ cup milk, plus a little for brushing
• ¼ tsp salt, optional

Method

1. Heat oven to 220°C conventional (200°C fan). Line a tray. Rub butter into flour with clean fingers until crumbly.
2. Mix in most of the cheese and optional salt. Add milk and stir just until a soft dough forms.
3. Pat onto a lightly floured board about 2 cm thick. Cut into eight pieces, place on the tray, brush with milk and add remaining cheese.
4. Bake for 12–15 minutes until risen and golden. An adult should remove the tray; cool on a rack before eating.

Try a swap: Add 2 tbsp chopped chives, or use a suitable dairy-free cheese and milk.

Check labels and ask your adult about allergies and safe substitutions. Knives, graters and hot appliances need adult help.

Make 4 servings

15 minutes + chilling

Ingredients

• 2 black tea bags or caffeine-free rooibos tea bags
• 2 cups boiling water
• 1 can peaches in juice (about 410 g)
• 2 cups cold water
• 1 tbsp lemon juice
• Ice to serve, optional

Method

1. An adult should pour boiling water over the tea bags in a heatproof jug. Steep for 3–5 minutes, then remove bags.
2. Reserve ½ cup peach juice. Mash or blend half the peaches; save the rest for another meal.
3. Stir peach purée, reserved juice, cold water and lemon juice into the tea. Let it stop steaming, then refrigerate until cold.
4. Stir and pour into four glasses with optional ice. Keep any remaining tea covered in the fridge.

Try a swap: Choose caffeine-free rooibos, or use fresh peaches and a little honey instead of canned fruit.

Check labels and ask your adult about allergies and safe substitutions. Knives, graters and hot appliances need adult help.

Make 2 servings

15 minutes · stove

Ingredients

• 2 cups milk
• 1 tbsp cocoa
• 1 tbsp sugar, or to taste
• 30 g chocolate, chopped
• 2 tbsp cold milk for the cocoa paste

Method

1. Mix cocoa, sugar and the extra cold milk into a smooth paste in a small saucepan.
2. Add the 2 cups milk gradually, stirring to prevent lumps.
3. With adult help, warm gently over low heat. Stir in chocolate until melted; do not boil.
4. Pour carefully into two mugs and allow to cool to a comfortable drinking temperature.

Try a swap: Use a suitable plant milk and chocolate, or a pinch of cinnamon for extra flavour.

Check labels and ask your adult about allergies and safe substitutions. Knives, graters and hot appliances need adult help.

Make 2 servings

10 minutes · no alcohol

Alcohol-free: no spirits, liqueurs or alcoholic mixers.

Ingredients

• ½ cup canned peaches, drained
• ½ cup frozen berries, thawed
• ½ cup orange juice
• 1 cup chilled sparkling water
• 1 tsp lemon juice
• Ice, optional

Method

1. Mash the peaches and thawed berries in a bowl, or blend with adult supervision.
2. Divide fruit between two glasses and add orange and lemon juice.
3. Slowly top up with sparkling water and stir gently; do not put fizzy drinks in a sealed blender.
4. Add optional ice and serve immediately.

Try a swap: Use apple juice and plain cold water if that is what you have.

Check labels and ask your adult about allergies and safe substitutions. Knives, graters and hot appliances need adult help.