Ingredients:

For Filling:

• 1 cup  baked beans in tomato sauce 
• 3 tbsp finely chopped onion
• 2 tbsp finely chopped coriander leaves 
• 1/2 tsp pepper powder 
• Oregano or dried mixed herbs seasoning (to taste)
• Salt (as required)
• 1 cup lettuce leaves 

For topping: 

• 1/4 cup grated cheese  
• 2 tbsp finely chopped tomatoes
• Sour cream - (as required)

Method:

• Preheat taco shells as per instructions on the pack.
• Shred the lettuce leaves.
• Chop tomato, onions, spring onions or coriander leaves finely.
• Grate the cheese and keep it ready.
• In a wide bowl, take 1 cup of baked beans, salt, pepper powder and finely chopped onions, coriander leaves or spring onions.
• Mix everything well and check for taste. Add more spices or salt.
• Take the hot taco and keep the shredded lettuce leaves.
• Above that add 2 –3 tbsp of baked beans mixture.
• Top it with sour cream or mayonnaise.
• Add finely chopped onions, tomato & coriander leaves.
• Finally, add grated cheese.
• Garnish with coriander & chopped tomato pieces.

Hints and Tips:

• Use other vegetables that children can fill their taco up with such as shredded carrot, shredded cucumber, capsicum, corn etc.
• Encourage older children to shred and cut their own vegetables.
• Place each vegetable in a bowl so children can create their own tacos.

Reference: 
Easy Vegetarian Tacos With Baked Beans, Chitra's Food Book

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup of cooked pasta
• 1/4 cup (40 grams) fresh peas
• 1 carrot diced
• 1/2 cucumber peeled and diced
• 1/2 red bell pepper diced
• 1/4 cup (40 grams) steamed corn kernels
• 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 2 tbsp lemon juice optional
• 1/2 tsp salt

Method:

• Cook pasta in salted boiling water for 10 minutes, adding 1 tsp of olive oil to the water.
• Mix the pasta with the rest of the ingredients in a bowl and serve at room temperature or cold.

Hints and Tips:

• Get kitchen safe knives for children and encourage them to cut their own vegetables for the pasta. 
• Have children choose the veggies they want for their pasta. 
• Prepare the cooked pasta for children to mix with their vegetables.
• Give children each their own bowl to create their own pasta salad. 
• Select different vegetables for children to try. 

Reference:
Kid-Friendly Pasta Salad, Little Sunny Kitchen

Ingredients: 

• 250g grated tasty cheese (approx 2 loose cups)

• 2 cups of self-raising/rising flour (If you don't have S/R Flour, you can substitute with plain flour and baking powder. Add 2 tsp of baking powder to each cup of plain flour. Metric cup size 250ml)

• 2 eggs (yogurt and buttermilk are good substitutes for eggs - use one-fourth cup (60 grams) of yogurt or buttermilk for each egg that needs to be replaced)

• 1½ cups of milk

• Small can of corn kernels (125g)

• Half red capsicum

• Large handful of baby spinach

• Salt and pepper to taste

• Fresh basil leaves to add to the mix and on top (optional)

Method:

• Preheat oven to 180°C (356°F)

   

• Sift flour into a large bowl.

   

• Whisk eggs, chop capsicum, spinach (and optional basil).

   

• Make a well in the flour, add in the rest of the ingredients and mix until combined.

   

• Spoon into a greased muffin tray (pop a basil leaf on top of each, optional) and bake for 25 minutes or until the tops are golden brown.

Hints and Tips:

• Mix and match the veggies used in the muffin to create your own favourites. Other veggies that work well are mushrooms, tomato (fresh or sundried), zucchini, broccoli, spring onions, etc.
  
  
• Swap some of the tasty cheese with some crumbled feta cheese for an extra cheesy bite.
• They will keep for up to a week in an airtight container in the fridge.

Reference: 
Cheese and Veg Muffins, Learn To Play At Home

Ingredients:

• 1/2 (500g) small red cabbage, shredded
• 2 medium carrots, peeled, grated
• 1 small brown onion, halved, thinly sliced
• 2 teaspoons horseradish cream
• 1/2 cup whole-egg mayonnaise
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 1 tablespoon dijon mustard

Method:

• Place cabbage, carrot and onion in a large bowl. 
• Toss to combine.
• Combine horseradish cream, mayonnaise, lemon juice and mustard in a bowl. 
• Add to cabbage mixture. 
• Season with salt and pepper. 
• Toss gently to combine. 
• Serve.

Hints and Tips:

• Serve as a side dish with your favourite meal.
• Add dressing before serving, if making it advance.
• Great for a picnic .
• Twist it up: add capsicum, green cabbage, any flavours you would like. 

Ingredients:

• 2 cups self-raising flour
• 1 tablespoon caster sugar
• Pinch of salt
• 60g butter, chilled, chopped
• 1/2 cup buttermilk
• 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 2 tbsp sultanas (optional)
• 2/3 cup mashed cooked butternut pumpkin
• Extra buttermilk, for brushing

Method:

• Preheat oven to 220°C/200°C fan-forced. Line a baking tray with baking paper. Position oven rack in the top half of oven.
• Sift flour, nutmeg,sugar and salt into a bowl. Add butter. Using fingertips, rub butter into flour mixture until mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs.
• Make a well in centre of mixture. Add buttermilk and pumpkin. Using a flat-bladed knife, stir until a sticky dough forms. Turn out onto a lightly floured surface.
• Knead gently until just smooth.
• Using a lightly floured rolling pin, gently roll dough out until 2cm thick. Using a 6cm fluted-edge cutter, cut out scones. Press leftover dough together.
• Repeat to make 12 scones.
• Place scones, just touching, on prepared tray. Brush with buttermilk. Bake for 12 to 15 minutes or until golden and hollow when tapped on top.

Hints and Tips:

• Serve with cream cheese or butter. 
• Add sultanas to the batter as it gives it a sweetness. 
• Omit pumpkin and use grated carrot, or zucchini
• Great for kids to take to school

Ingredients:

• 1 zucchini, grated
• 1 potato, peeled and grated
• 1 carrot, grated
• 1/4 cup onion, grated
• 1, 2 tsp oregano
• 2 egg whites
• salt to taste

Method:

• Combine all ingredients into a bowl and mix well.
• Mould 2 tbsp amounts into rissoles.
• Fry for a few minutes on each side until golden brown or bake in a moderate oven until golden. 

Hints and Tips: 

• Serve with a garden or greek salad and garlic bread.
• Can be added into burgers to make Veggie Burgers.
• Add more vegetables if required.

Ingredients:

• 4 large potatoes, peeled, thinly sliced
• 60ml (1/4 cup) olive oil
• 20g unsalted butter
• 4 onions, sliced into thin wedges
• 1/4 cup shredded carrot
• 1/4 cup peas
• 1/4 cup corn
• 1/4 cup zucchini
• 1/2 cup (125ml) thickened cream
• 1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves
• 2 garlic cloves, crushed
• 2 x 375g blocks butter puff pastry
• 1 egg, beaten

Method:

• Preheat oven to 180°C. Place the potatoes on an oiled baking tray, drizzle with 1 tablespoon oil, then roast for 15 minutes.
• Heat remaining oil and butter in a pan over low heat. Add onion and cook for 20 minutes until soft and golden. Set aside to cool. Combine onion, carrot, peas, corn, zucchini and potato with cream, thyme and garlic. Season and set aside to cool.
• Roll out pastry blocks on a lightly floured surface to 35 x 20cm rectangles. Place one sheet on a lightly-floured baking tray and spread the mixture in the centre, leaving a 2cm border. Brush edge with egg, place other sheet on top and press together, pinching until sealed. (We used a little extra pastry to make decorative leaves.)
• Brush all over with egg. Make 2 air holes in the top and bake for 25 minutes until crisp and golden.

Hints and Tips:

• Add you're favourite mash as an accompaniment.
• More vegetables can be added such as broccoli, capsicum, mushroom etc. 
• Instead of adding pasty to top and bottom to create the pie, this mixture can be added into a baking dish, the roll of pastry can be added on top and seal around the baking dish. 

Ingredients:

• 1 300g (10oz) bag white chocolate chips
• 1 450g (16oz) can premade strawberry cake frosting
• 2/3 cup coarsely chopped pecans

Method

• Lightly add cooking spay or baking paper to a baking tray. 
• Melt white chocolate chips in a bowl over boiling water or in the microwave.  
• Once melted, stir in the strawberry frosting. Mix.
• Add the pecans and spread mixture into the prepared baking tray. 
• Chill in the fridge for 30 minutes or until firm.
• Once firm cut into squares before serving.

Hints and Tips:

• Very easy for children to prepare! 
• Instead of white chocolate use dark chocolate.
• Use peanuts or cashews instead of pecans.
• Add lollies for extra sweetness. 
• Try with vanilla or chocolate cake frosting.

Please Note: 

• This recipe does contain a lot of sugar so you should only use "occasionally" and as a special treat.
• For childcare centres in Australia and nut free zones you can omit the pecans and replace it with an alternative such as dried or fresh fruits.

The aim of this recipe is for children to participate in a simple cooking activity that they can complete themselves and not to be used as part of a child's regular diet or even to be served in a childcare setting menu. Please use your best judgement when making this recipe.

Ingredients:

• A box cake mix and ingredients to make the cake
• A can of frosting (any flavour of your choice)
• Cooking chocolate (white/brown/dark - any choice)
• Lollies, sprinkles, candies, sugars (anything for decorating)
• Lollipop sticks
• A Styrofoam block 

Method:

• To begin making cake pops, follow the direction on a box of cake mix. This is the easiest way to make cake pop and since there are so many flavoured cake mixes available the flavour of the cake is completely up to you. You can also make your own home made cake!
• Once you bake your cake, let it cool completely. 
• Crumble the cake into fine crumbs by either using your hands (cut off the cake edges first) or using a food processor (pulse it into fine crumbs). Move cake crumbs into a large mixing bowl. 
• Add a small amount of frosting (1 tbsp) to the cake crumbs and mix together using your hands. Keep adding frosting until the crumb mixture becomes the consistency of clay.
• Once you have created your cake dough, it's time to roll your cake balls. An ice-cream scoop works well. 
• Take a scoop of dough and roll the mixture into your hand to create a round ball.
• Set your cake balls onto a baking tray (lined with baking paper) and chill them in the freezer for 15 to 20 minutes.
• Microwave cooking chocolate in a bowl and melt (stirring every 10 seconds), until the chocolate is smooth in consistency. If you are using white and dark chocolate add these to separate bowls before microwaving. 
• Remove cake balls from freezer and let them sit for a few minutes. 
• Dip the end of a lollipop stick into the melted chocolate and then gently push it into a cake ball until the stick is about half way through the cake ball. Set your cake balls in the fridge to chill for dipping. (You can also turn your cake ball upright and set it in your Styrofoam block). 
• Once chilled dip each cake ball straight down into the melted chocolate coating until the cake ball is completely covered with chocolate. Remove the cake pop from the melted chocolate by pulling it straight up. Turn the cake pop at an angle to gently tap off any excess coating. 
• Set your cake pops in your Styrofoam block and while the coating is still wet use sprinkles, candies, lollies, sugars and more to decorate your cake pops.

Hints and Tips:

• This recipe is great for children to get involved and help out. By crumbling the cake, creating balls and even decorating their own cake pops.
• Make a bouquet of cake pops (5 or 6) by placing them in a Styrofoam block and arrange them like flowers by using cellophane and ribbon.
• When adding frosting to cake crumbs to form the dough it's best to start off with a small amount then add more frosting when needed.
• This recipe makes an average of 30 cake pops but you can create more in this single batch depending on how big you roll your cake balls. The smaller the cake balls the more you'll create in a batch. 

The aim of this recipe is for children to participate in a simple cooking activity that they can complete themselves and not to be used as part of a child's regular diet or even to be served in a childcare setting menu. Please use your best judgement when making this recipe.

Ingredients:

• 1 sheet puff pastry
• Vegemite
• Grated cheese

Method:

• Preheat oven to 180 degrees.
• Semi defrost puff pastry.
• Spread with a generous serve of vegemite (depending on taste).
• Sprinkle grated cheese on top of vegemite spread.
• Roll puff pastry lengthways.
• Bake in oven on tray 10 – 15 minutes until golden brown.
• Cut into desired slices.
• Enjoy!

Hints and Tips:

• These can be pre-cut once rolled lengthways before baking in the oven.
• More cheese can be sprinkled on top of the pastry before baking.
• Add other fillings such as tomato paste, cheese and dried herbs.