I am very keen on giving children some experience of cooking so today’s recipes are ones that everyone can enjoy, and will give children some kitchen skills.

The peanut butter and banana French toast is very healthy and gives a great energy boost for children and adults alike. Banana and peanut butter are tastes that go very well together.

Instead of wholemeal bread you could use brioche which is nice and sweet. It is worth checking out NutShed.

This business is run in Nenagh by two sisters, Evie and Eliza Ward, and they have a great range of products, including peanut butter, that you can buy online and they will deliver.

These three ice lollies are made with real fruit and without sugar added. Lots of people are foraging these days and there are few nicer ways to spend some afternoon hours that picking blackberries.

You will find the moulds in most supermarkets and once you have them you will use them for ever. I like to keep a few of these in the freezer and you know exactly what is in them and they are full of taste and goodness.

Happy cooking,

Neven.

Recipes

Peanut butter and banana French toast sandwiches

Peanut butter and banana French toast sandwiches. \ Food styling: Janine Kennedy. Photography: Claire Nash

Serves four

4 eggs, lightly beaten

4 tbsp milk

8 slices of wholemeal bread

A knob of butter, for frying

8 heaped tbsp crunchy peanut butter (no added sugar or salt)

2 ripe bananas, peeled and sliced

  • 1 Place the eggs and milk in a shallow dish and whisk to combine.
  • 2 Dip the slices of bread, one at a time, in the egg mixture for 30 seconds on each side. Add the butter to a large non-stick frying pan. Add the dipped slices of bread in batches and cook for 1-2 minutes on each side, until the French toast is golden brown.
  • 3 When half of the French toast is cooked, spread over the peanut butter and arrange the banana slices on top. Cover with the remaining pieces of French toast and then cut each one in half.
  • 4 Arrange on plates to serve.
  • Fresh fruit ice lollies

    Makes four of each

    Watermelon and raspberry:

    ¼ watermelon

    200g (7oz) raspberries

  • 1 Cut the flesh from the watermelon and remove the seeds. Place in a food processor or blender with the raspberries. Blend until smooth, then strain through a sieve into a large jug.
  • 2 Pour into ice lolly moulds and freeze for at least 4 hours. To remove ice lollies from moulds, dip them briefly into hot water to loosen the lollies. Use as required.
  • Blackberry and orange:

    300g (11oz) blackberries

    juice of 2 oranges or 6 tbsp good-quality apple juice

  • 1 Place the blackberries in a food processor or blender with the orange or apple juice. Blend until smooth, then press through a sieve into a large jug. Pour into ice lolly moulds, then freeze and use as described above.
  • Tropical mango:

    2 medium mangoes

    juice of 2 limes

  • 1 Peel the mangoEs and cut the flesh off the stone. Place in a food processor or blender with the lime juice, then blitz until smooth. Transfer to a large jug and use to fill ice lolly moulds, then freeze and use as described above.