Darina Allen: Now You're Cooking! with these three kid-friendly recipes

Now You're Cooking's Tropical Berry Smoothie

As soon as Lily Mae Cox was old enough, her Mum, Jolene, propped her up in a highchair so she could watch her cook. 

Just like me, Jolene believes that the kitchen is definitely the heart of the home where all the fun begins. 

She’s super enthusiastic about encouraging kids to get hands-on with cooking and they love it.

In 2020, she launched the Family Cooking Club, a weekly online cook-along for children, to learn the skills to prepare delicious meals that they (even fussy eaters) want to eat.

Seeing Lily Mae enthusiastically talking and cooking on camera got thousands of kids hooked, 

Her enthusiasm is infectious and now there’s the book, Now You're Cooking! It’s got 70 recipes, carefully chosen for kids from 5 to 12.

There have been a myriad of books for children but many ‘talk down’ to kids, but Now You're Cooking! seems different to me.

Jolene and Lily Mae speak directly to kids, sharing tried and tested recipes that provide them with the skills and confidence to cook real food that they really love to eat.

And yes, five-year-olds can cook. 

This book introduces children to the simple basics, how to use knives safely, grate cheese, garlic and onions, lemon zest and ginger without grating your fingers, how to make carrot ribbons, diced peppers, how to chop fresh herbs and test to make sure your chicken is cooked.

Starting with perfectly cooked simple classics, like rice, potatoes and pasta, Jolene and Lily Mae bring everyone along, gently and steadily, sharing recipes like a brilliant energy-boosting crunchy granola for breakfast, simply delicious recipes for lunch, after-school fuel, one-pot wonders, traybakes, ‘can’t wait to tuck into’ dinners, and the sort of sweet treats every kid will enjoy.

Well, Lily Mae, affectionately known as Lils, didn’t ‘lick it off a stone’ as we say in Cork - her mother Jolene, is an award winning food writer and a content creator who has been featured on national TV as well as newspapers and magazines.

Here’s a taste of what you’ll find in Now You're Cooking! published by Nine Bean Rows.

Family Cooking Club's Tropical Berry Smoothie Bowl

Our smoothie bowl recipe is just a guide, so get creative. Add your favourite fruits, nuts, seeds or even chocolate chips. Scatter, drizzle and dollop as much as you like. Just grab a bowl, and remember, the more colour, the more flavour.

Servings

2

Preparation Time

 5 mins

Cooking Time

 5 mins

Total Time

 10 mins

Course

 Starter

Ingredients

• 300g frozen berries

• 100g frozen mango

• 200g natural Greek yogurt

• 1 tbsp milk

• Topping suggestions:

• fresh raspberries and/or blueberries

• sliced strawberries and/or sliced bananas

• hazelnuts, pecans, flaked almonds and/or walnuts

• A handful of granola

• A handful of raisins or chocolate chips

• A handful of desiccated coconut

• Maple syrup or honey, to drizzle

Method

1. Put your frozen fruit, yogurt and milk in a blender (ensure there is an adult present to help). Make sure the lid is on tight, then blend until smooth. Wait until the blender stops before taking the lid off and keep your hands away from the blades. Pour the smoothie into cereal bowls.

2. Now it’s time to have fun! Add your favourite toppings, like fruit, nuts, granola, raisins, chocolate chips or coconut, then drizzle a little maple syrup or honey on top. And remember, the more colour, the better.

Family Cooking Club's Crunchy Granola

Making your own crunchy granola is like stepping into history if you use a pestle and mortar – it’s one of the oldest kitchen tools there is.

Servings

12

Preparation Time

 20 mins

Cooking Time

 25 mins

Total Time

 45 mins

Course

 Main

Ingredients

• 100g mixed nuts (try almonds, cashews, hazelnuts, pecans, pistachios and/or walnuts)

• 300g jumbo oats

• 50g desiccated coconut

• 1 tsp ground cinnamon

• ½ tsp salt

• 180ml maple syrup or honey

• 3 tbsp vegetable oil

• 1 tsp vanilla extract

• 100g mixed dried fruit (raisins, sultanas and/or dried cranberries)

Method

1. Preheat your oven to 200°C for a conventional oven or 180°C for a fan oven.

2. Line a baking tray with non-stick baking paper.

3. To crush the nuts, put them in a pestle and mortar. Press and twist the pestle (the stick) to break them into smaller pieces, but not too small – you still want some chunky pieces. If you don’t have a pestle and mortar, put the nuts in a Ziplock bag, seal it closed and gently bash them with a rolling pin, which is still fun!

4. Put the crushed nuts, oats, coconut, cinnamon and salt in a large mixing bowl and stir together.

5. Put the maple syrup or honey, oil and vanilla in a separate small bowl or measuring jug and whisk together. Pour the wet ingredients over the dry ingredients and stir everything together.

6. Spread the mixture evenly onto the lined baking tray, then press it down firmly with a spatula.

7. Put the tray in the preheated oven and bake for 15 minutes. Using oven gloves, carefully remove the tray from the oven and put it on a wooden chopping board or on the hob to protect your countertop. Use a spatula to stir the granola, then spread it back out in an even layer and put it back in the oven to cook for 10 more minutes.

8. Use oven gloves again to remove the tray from the oven and put it on a wire rack. Let the granola cool completely, then add the mixed dried fruit. Use clean hands to break up any big clumps of granola and mix in the fruit.

9. Put your granola in an airtight container. It will stay fresh for up to two weeks.

Family Cooking Club's Meatball Subs

With the perfect blend of herbs, these meatballs turn into flavour bombs. Stick those flavour bombs into a sub, smother them in tomato sauce and top it with melty cheese, and just like that, you’ve got the ultimate after-school feast.

Servings

4

Preparation Time

 20 mins

Cooking Time

 25 mins

Total Time

 45 mins

Course

 Main

Ingredients

• For the meatballs

• 500g beef mince (at least 8% fat)

• 50g Parmesan cheese

• 1 garlic clove

• a few sprigs of fresh basil or 1 teaspoon dried basil

• 1 tbsp dried oregano

• 1 tsp onion powder

• ¼ tsp dried chilli flakes

• Salt and pepper

• For the subs

• 4 hot dog rolls or mini baguettes

• 1 x 125g ball of fresh mozzarella

• 150g classic tomato sauce

Method

1. Preheat your oven to 200°C for a conventional oven or 180°C for a fan oven.

2. Line two baking trays with non-stick baking paper.

3. To make the meatballs, put the beef mince in a large mixing bowl and make a well in the centre.

4. Grate the Parmesan, then add it to the well. Peel the garlic, then grate it straight into the bowl.

5. Pick the basil leaves off the stems, then tear the leaves into the well (or add the dried basil if you’re using that). Add the oregano, onion powder, chilli flakes and some salt and pepper, then mix everything together using your clean hands.

6. Divide the mixture into four equal portions, then divide each portion in three to make 12 portions in total. Roll each one into a ball, then put the meatballs on one of the lined baking trays.

7. Put the tray in the preheated oven and cook for 15 to 20 minutes, until the meatballs are fully cooked. To check, cut one in half to make sure there is no pink meat in the middle. If there is, put them back in the oven and cook for 5 more minutes, then check again.

8. Put your rolls or baguettes flat on your chopping board and put your hand on top to steady the bread. Use a serrated bread knife in a gentle sawing motion to cut each one horizontally through the centre, going all the way through. (Some hot dog rolls and mini baguettes come pre-sliced, so keep an eye out for those.) Put the split rolls on the second baking tray, cut sides facing up.

9. Tear the ball of mozzarella into pieces, then put one-quarter of the cheese on the top half of each roll. Spread some tomato sauce on the bottom half of each roll. Put the tray in the oven for the last 5 minutes of the meatballs’ cooking time to warm the rolls and melt the cheese.

10. Using oven gloves, carefully remove the tray of meatballs and the tray of subs. Put one tray on a wooden chopping board and one tray on a clean tea towel to protect your countertop.

11. To serve, put three meatballs on the bottom half of each roll, then sandwich together with the top half.

Seasonal Journal

Registration is now open for the Autumn 2025 A Recipe For Food Tourism Success – Sustainable Food Tourism Experience (Sfte) Development Programme.

Taste 4 Success Skillnet, one of 70 Skillnet Ireland business networks nationwide, is designed to support food and drink businesses, farmers, tour guides, and experience providers to build profitable and sustainable food tourism offerings.

An accessible online format over nine weeks, with four live webinars focusing on sustainability, collaboration, pricing, and marketing.

• The programme begins on 16th September 2025. Places are limited, see taste4success.ie

Waterford Harvest Festival

A special date for your diaries, don’t miss the Waterford Harvest Festival returning from the 5-7th September 2025.

Now in its sixteenth year, the festival takes place in venues across Waterford city with food demos and talks, honey-making, storytelling, fine dining experiences, food offerings from local restaurants and live music.

• waterfordharvestfestival.ie