Cooking with kids made fun with Annabel’s Kitchen

There is nothing quite as satisfying – or as messy – as cooking with your children, that’s what ITV’s new show Annabel’s Kitchen is all about.  With the help of Jimmy the Penguin’s zany gadgets, and Pearl Penguin’s knack for finding just the right recipe for the occasion, Annabel Karmel and some young helpers take us through a series of fun, easy recipes and ideas for meals, party food, and healthy snacks.

There is truly something for everyone, from a Bagel Snake even a toddler can help make, to homemade ravioli and cornish pasties that the older children can prepare. There’s even a delicious lamb biryani made from leftovers, a great recipe to inspire families to use their leftovers more creatively rather than letting them go to waste.

[button link=http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/mpd/permalink/m3W1FDDNOFBCN0/ref=ent_fb_link]Watch the trailer[/button]

A positive relationship with food

Celebrity chef Annabel Karmel’s ethos is that we as parents need to help give our children a positive relationship with food, and that means letting them get stuck in so they can be involved in planning and preparing their food, and even having fun with it.

On top of some great ideas to get families cooking together, Annabel takes a lighthearted but practical look at sneaking healthy food into even the fussiest child. For example, in Episode 5, homemade Chinese Fried Rice and Sweet and Sour Chicken is cleverly disguised as a take-away for a little boy who insists he doesn’t like home cooked meals, and in Episode 10 vegetables are transformed into funny animals. The team even manage to convert a fussy penguin into a fish lover with the help of Annabel Karmel’s Salmon Lollipops with orange maple glaze (with a cute orange jelly sailboat for dessert!).

With its fun storylines, easy recipes and zany characters, there’s no doubt that Annabel’s Kitchen will help families feel inspired to step into the kitchen together and get cooking.

[button link=http://www.itv.com/itvplayer/video/?Filter=annabelskitchen]Click here to watch Annabel’s Kitchen on ITV Player[/button]

Don’t forget to head over to the Annabel’s Kitchen website for an interactive recipe book, games, and to collect awards for each recipe your kids complete.  You’ll also find Annabel’s Kitchen: My First Cookbook a very welcome addition to your kitchen.

Up for a challenge?

Have a go at making the Pig Watermelon (page 72 in the book, or follow the instructions on the website!), and post a link to your creation below or on our facebook page and we’ll share them with Annabel! You can also check out MummyTips’ video to see her girls making their fabulous little piggy, or read about how not to do it over on my personal blog.