We’re loving the delicious new book Now You’re Cooking! by mother-daughter duo Jolene and Lily Mae Cox, packed with 70 brilliant recipes that kids can actually make themselves. From clever lunchbox fillers to afterschool snacks and weekend bakes, every dish is written with children in mind – simple, tasty, and seriously fun.
In this extract, Jolene and Lily Mae share two of their most popular recipes: Five-a-Day Lunchbox Muffins and Mini Cheese Scones. Both are perfect for little hands to help make (and even better to eat!). Whether you’re baking together or letting your kids take the lead, these are easy wins for any family kitchen.
Five-a-Day Lunchbox Muffins
Makes 12
Some recipes are stepping-stones to bigger successes! In November 2023, Jolene shared a reel of making snacks for lunchboxes that went viral. These muffins have now appeared in thousands of kids’ lunchboxes worldwide – and they’re just as tasty as they sound!
Ingredients:
- 1 ripe banana
- 1 apple
- 1 carrot
- ½ courgette
- 50g sultanas or raisins
- 2 eggs
- 80g dark brown sugar
- 4 tablespoons vegetable or olive oil (plus extra for greasing if not using paper liners)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 200g self-raising flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon ground ginger
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
Method:
- Preheat oven to 200°C (conventional) or 180°C (fan).
- Line a 12-hole muffin tin with paper liners or lightly grease each hole.
- Mash the banana in a large bowl, then add grated apple, carrot, courgette, and sultanas.
- Mix in eggs, sugar, oil, and vanilla.
- Sift flour, baking powder, ginger, and cinnamon into the mixture, then stir gently.
- Spoon the batter evenly into the muffin tin, filling each hole three-quarters full.
- Bake for 20–25 minutes until a toothpick comes out clean.
- Cool in the tin for 10 minutes before transferring to a wire rack.
- Store in an airtight container for up to four days.
Mini Cheese Scones
Makes 20
These are the easiest, cheesiest scones you’ll ever make. You might need to hide a few for the lunchbox – the grown-ups will definitely try to sneak some!
Ingredients:
- 50g Cheddar cheese
- 200g self-raising flour (plus extra for countertop)
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 100g cold salted butter
- 200g natural Greek yogurt
- 1 egg
Method:
- Preheat oven to 200°C (conventional) or 180°C (fan).
- Line two baking trays with non-stick baking paper.
- Grate the Cheddar cheese.
- Sift flour and baking powder into a bowl.
- Grate cold butter into the flour and rub in with fingertips until it looks like breadcrumbs.
- Add yogurt and cheese, mix into a dough ball.
- Flour a countertop, roll out dough to 2cm thick.
- Cut out mini scones using a cutter, re-rolling leftover dough.
- Brush tops with whisked egg for a golden finish.
- Bake for 20 minutes until golden.
- Cool on a wire rack, then store in an airtight container for up to four days (if they last that long!).
Edited extract from Now You’re Cooking! by Jolene and Lily Mae Cox (Nine Bean Rows, £25)
Photography: Clare Wilkinson
