There is always a pot of basil by the kitchen sink that I lovingly tend to. We pick the leaves to use in a mozzarella and basil salad, which is one of the children’s favourite dishes. Last weekend, Felix fancied pasta for lunch, so we decided

Makes 8You can use fromage frais or natural yoghurt. By using little fromage frais pots as moulds, you make lollies that are just the right size for small hands. As fruit tends to become less sweet when frozen, we’ve added a little honey to make the lollies more appealing to youn...

Serves 4 adults or 8 childrenMake sure you use a really good short sweet pastry; it may be crumbly, but it tastes divine. For a sweet little twist, I add a teaspoon of cinnamon to the filling. Ingredients75g (23/4oz) butter6 royal gala apples

These yummy muffins can be made with bits of bacon or small chunks of roasted pumpkin if children find goats’ cheese too strong. Or try with slices of black olives and sun-dried tomatoes.Makes 12 muffinsIngredients250g (9oz) self-raising flour21

Makes 6 Younger children will probably prefer the taste of the milk chocolate, but for older ones use dark chocolate with a high percentage of cocoa solids as it’s full of antioxidants.Ingredients2 bananas, peeled150ml ( 1/4 pt) milk75ml (21/2fl oz

Makes 12 little piesLovely as a teatime treat or a fancy-looking pudding, these pretty little delights are light and fruity and easy as, well, pie. My children love to help making these, carefully placing the berries on top.IngredientsNon-stick 12

Ingredients350g (12oz) ready-rolled, short-crust pastry10 apples peeled, cored and cut into eighths250g (9oz) blackberries100g (31/2oz) butter, cut into 2cm cubesA pinch of salt100g (31/2oz) caster sugar1 egg yolkDouble cream or custard (optional)MethodPreheat the oven to 220°C/4...

Serve warm to fuse the flavours together.Serves 1IngredientsFor the pesto2 handfuls of pine nuts75g (23/4oz) Parmesan1 clove of garlicBunch of fresh basilHandful of fresh wild garlic leaves (optional)2 tbsp of olive oilSqueeze of lemon juiceFor the panini1 small ciabatta loaf, cu...

Breakfast by Jody Vassallo (Thunder Bay Press, £7) features a mouth-watering selection of 65 breakfast ideas from across the globe that include nutritious recipes such as sheep’s milk yoghurt with a swirl of strawberry purée, as well as more filling treats, such as huevos rancher...

Makes 8 skewersIngredients2 large chicken breast fillets, cut into 32 cubes24 cherry tomatoes6 cap mushrooms, cut into quarters2 garlic cloves, crushedZest of 1 lemon, grated2 tbsp lemon juice2 tbsp olive oil1 tbsp oregano leaves, choppedMethodSoak eight wooden skewers in water f...