Meg White merged her passion for food with her love of teaching to create Cooking 4 Kids in 2014.
Cooking 4 Kids inspires children between the ages of three to 17 to discover, create and master their cooking skills while learning about healthy food choices and preparation.
Children at the Berwick cooking studio cook their own individual recipe from scratch – weighing, measuring, mixing, creating and cooking everything themselves.
“It helps to build their confidence and gives them a sense of ownership and achievement upon completing a class,” Meg said.
“Cooking is more than just the production of food, it aids children in enhancing their maths and literacy skills, co-ordination, independence, confidence, exploration of flavours, cultural awareness, nutritional understanding, imagination and creativeness.
“Educating children is having an effect on the families associated with Cooking 4 Kids.
“The family dynamic associated with food preparation, eating habits, lifestyle choices and environmental sustainability is filtering into these families, creating a ripple effect into the wider community.”
To learn more about Cooking 4 Kids phone 0455 552 000, email cooking4kids@outlook.com.au or visit www.cooking4kids.net.au, Facebook Cooking4KidsAu or Instagram cooking_4_kids_au.
Meg White’s recipes:
Italian grape cake
Ingredients
2 egg
2/3 cup caster sugar
60g butter
6 tbsp olive oil
8 tbsp milk
Splash vanilla essence
200g plain flour
1 tsp baking powder
Pinch of salt
Pinch lemon zest
Pinch orange zest
300g grapes, washed
Icing sugar, to dust
Method:
Step 1
Preheat oven at 170C. Grease a 23cm cake tin with canola spray and line with baking paper.
Step 2
Measure butter into a heat proof bowl, place into the microwave and heat until melted.
Step 3
Combine egg and caster sugar in a large bowl. Using electric beaters, beat until pale in colour.
Step 4
Add the melted butter, olive oil, milk, vanilla, lemon zest and orange zest to the bowl. Beat briefly until ingredients are just combined.
Step 5
Sift flour, baking powder and salt into the mixture. Use a wooden spoon and stir until just combined.
Step 6
Add three quarters of the grapes and gently stir to combine.
Step 7
Pour all of the mixture into the prepared cake tin.
Step 8
Scatter over the remaining grapes.
Step 9
Bake in the oven for 20-30 minutes or until firm to touch in the centre.
Step 10
Allow to cool in the cake tin for five to 10 minutes.
Step 11
Carefully remove from the cake tin and dust with icing sugar to serve.
Chargrilled Japanese meatball skewers
Ingredients:
200g chicken mince
100g pork mince
1/4 cup panko breadcrumbs
1 shiitake mushroom
1 tsp grated ginger
1 tsp dark soy sauce
1 tsp cornflour
2 spring onions
Vegetable oil
Sesame seeds
Wooden skewers
Sticky glaze sauce:
30ml soy sauce
30ml mirin
1/2 tsp grated ginger
Splash brown rice vinegar
Method:
Step 1
Place a sheet of baking paper onto a baking tray. Combine chicken, pork and panko crumbs in a large bowl.
Step 2
Chop mushroom into very small pieces, add to the meat bowl.
Step 3
Add the ginger, soy sauce and cornflour. Remove the green section of the spring onions. Cut the green section into small pieces, add to the meat bowl.
Step 4
Using hands, combine all of the ingredients well to combine. Roll into 3cm sized balls, place onto the prepared baking tray. Place the tray into the fridge to rest for 15 minutes.
Step 5
Sticky glaze: Combine all of the ingredients, except the vinegar in a small saucepan. Heat over a medium-heat, heat until a glaze forms in three to four minutes. Add the vinegar and stir well to combine.
Step 6
Cut the white section of the spring onions into small batons, 1.5cm in length. Thread the meatballs onto skewers with a spring onion baton separating each meatball.
Step 7
Heat a chargrill pan to a medium high heat. Brush meatballs lightly with oil, turning occasionally until cooked through. Brush with glaze and cook for 30 more seconds, being careful not to burn the glaze.
Step 8
Transfer to plate, pour over extra glaze. Sprinkle with sesame seeds to serve.
