Recipes can be simple. They don't have to have weights and measures. They can be as easy as a recipe for your favourite sandwich or what fruit you would like in a fruit salad.

If you are using a new recipe try it out before you introduce it to the class.

Children can adapt recipes, for example by adding more fruit or vegetables, or multiplying all the quantities by two to feed a greater number. (Be very careful about adapting cake recipes, though, as they are quite temperamental!)

When looking at recipe ideas bear in mind the Balance of Good Health (See info bank 3). Choose recipes based on starchy foods or fruits and vegetables with meat and dairy products in smaller proportions.

You can get recipe ideas from:

• Children and parents - ask them what their favourite foods are
  
• Magazines, newspapers and leaflets
  
• The internet - make sure you are looking at a UK based website - many sites give out recipes using American measures. A good place to start is the BBC recipe database at www.bbc.co.uk/food/recipes. The vegetarian society is also another good source of recipes www.vegsoc.org/cordonvert/recipes as is the Kids Cookery School, www.thecookeryschool.co.uk.

Cauliflower Cheese
Serves 4. Takes 20 minutes

Ingredients
1 cauliflower
300 ml semi-skimmed milk (1/2 a pint carton or a large mug)
2 heaped teaspoons cornflour
100g cheddar cheese
(about half a small packet)

Equipment
Large mug
Large saucepan with a lid
Sharp knife and a chopping board
Serving dish
Grater Two forks / slotted spoon
Wooden Spoon

1. Pour a large mug of water into a large saucepan and bring it to the boil.
2. Trim the cauliflower and break or cut it into about 12 pieces.
3. Add the cauliflower to the boiling water and cover with a lid. Reduce to low heat and simmer for 9 -12 minutes until the cauliflower is just tender.
4. Meanwhile mix the cornflour with a little milk to a smooth paste in a mug.
5. Grate the cheese using the course side of the grater (mind your fingers!)
6. Lift the cauliflower pieces using two forks or a slotted spoon into the serving dish. Turn the grill on to heat up.
7. Add the remaining milk to a saucepan and stir over the heat until it is just about to boil.
8. Remove from heat and add cornflour paste. Return to the heat and stir constantly until the mixture boils and thickens. Add half the cheese and stir until melted.
9. Pour over the cauliflower and sprinkle with remaining cheese. Grill until golden and bubbling.
10. Serve at once with bread, jacket potatoes, rice or pasta or with the pizza slice recipe.

Good things to add to cauliflower cheese: Grated nutmeg, mustard, black pepper Frozen peas (put them in the water at the last minute) Left over roast potatoes Broccoli (cook with the cauliflower) Cooked bacon or ham cut into little pieces Red peppers or courgettes (cut into small pieces and fried in a little oil) Chopped tomatoes (mix in with cauliflower before adding sauce

Minestrone Soup
Serves 4. Takes 35 minutes

Ingredients
1 tablespoon vegetable oil 1 onion 1 large carrot 1 celery stick 1 can of tomatoes 1 can of red kidney beans a handful of dry pasta shapes 1 cup of other vegetables 1 litre of vegetable stock ( use a cube)

Equipment
sharp knife and a chopping board vegetable peeler saucepan with lid wooden spoon

1. Peel the onion and carrot.
2. Cut the onion, carrot, celery and any other large vegetable used into small cubes.
3. Heat the oil in the saucepan.
4. Add the onions, carrot and celery and cook over a low heat for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally (make sure the onions don't burn!)
5. Add the tomatoes, and stock and bring to the boil.
6. Add the pasta, other vegetables and beans and cook for 12 minutes.
7. Serve with parmesean cheese, if you like it, and garlic bread.

Good things to add to minestrone soup: Potato, swede or celeriac (cook with onions) Peppers, mushrooms, sweetcorn, broccoli, cabbage (add with the beans) Cooked bacon or ham cut into small pieces (add with the beans) Hot pepper sauce or fresh parsle

Pizza Slice
Serves 4. Takes 25 minutes

Ingredients
175g plain flour (brown or white) 2 teaspoons baking powder Pinch of salt 2 tablespoons of soft margarine or butter 100g cheddar cheese 1 can of tomatoes Your choice of toppings
Milk

Equipment
Bowl Grater Baking sheet Sharp knife and chopping board Oven gloves

1. Preheat the oven to 230°c / 450°F/ Gas 8
2. Put flour, baking powder and salt in bowl.
3. Add margarine and rub in until it resembles breadcrumbs.
4. Grate the cheese and add one quarter of it to the flour, mix in with a fork. Pour in enough milk to bind the mixture into a soft dough.
5. Grease the baking tray with a little margarine.
6. Tip the dough onto the tray and spread it out with your hand into a circle 22cm across.
7. Bake for 5 minutes.
8. Chop the tomatoes and mix with their juice (if you use economy tomatoes, drain the juice away and add two tablespoons of tomato puree instead.
9. Remove pizza base from the oven and spread with tomato.
10. Arrange toppings and scatter on the rest of the grated cheese.
11. Bake on top shelf for 15 minutes. Serve cut into wedges with salad, coleslaw or as a snack.

Fruit and veggies to put on pizza Mushrooms, sliced Red pepper, cut into rings Fresh tomatoes, sliced Sweetcorn Spring onions, chopped Courgettes cut in slices Spinach (frozen or tinned) Pineapple (tinned or fresh)

Coleslaw
Serves 4. Takes 10 minutes

Ingredients
¼ large white cabbage· 2 large carrots 1 eating apple Dressing (see below) Pinch of salt Pinch of sugar

Equipment
Vegetable peeler Sharp knife and chopping board Grater Large bowl Spoon

1. Remove damaged leaves from the cabbage and peel carrots.
2. Shred cabbage finely and grate carrots and apple.
3. Mix together carrot, cabbage, apple and dressing and seasonings in a large bowl.
4. Eat with sandwiches, bread, pizza slices or jacket potatoes.

You can shred all kinds of raw vegetables to make coleslaw: try celery, courgette, cucumber, beansprouts or red peppers.

Dressing Options
Traditional - 2 tablespoons of mayonnaise.
French - 3 tablespoons vegetable oil, 1 tablespoon wine vinegar or lemon juice.
Low fat - small carton plain yoghurt.

Other Good Things to Add Handful of sultanas or raisins Handful of sunflower seeds Handful of sprouting seeds A can of tuna fish A gherkin cut into small pieces A can of red kidney beans

Apple Crumble
Serves 4. Takes 45 minutes

Ingredients
5 dessert apples 1 teacup flour (brown or white) 2 heaped tablespoons of soft margarine or butter 1 teacup oats 3 tablespoons brown sugar

Equipment
Sharp knife and chopping board
Mixing bowl and fork
Pie dish
Oven gloves

1. Preheat the oven to 190 °c / 375°F/ Gas 5.
2. Place flour and margarine in a bowl and rub in until it resembles breadcrumbs. Add oats and one tablespoon of sugar.
3. Peel, core and chop apples and place in pie dish with one tablespoon of sugar.
4. Cover with crumble mixture and sprinkle over one tablespoon of sugar.
5. Bake for 30 minutes and serve with custard or yoghurt.

Good Things to Add to Apple Crumble Handful of raisins Teaspoon of cinnamon Blackberries Apricots Raspberries Peaches Plums