Real Food, Real Fast Paperback – 2 Oct. 2006

Great book, ideal for teaching kids to cook - my 11 year old stepson Ciaran started off on the 5 minute recipes, and is up to the 20 minute ones now. Can't recommend the treacle bread highly enough - we weren't sure at first(very different from the white sliced we were having!) but then tried it toasted, and now he's having it instead of cake and biscuits. His favourite recipe so far is the Bubbling baked eggplant - I'm gobsmacked that he's actually wanting to eat aubergines!!! We have all of Sam's books, and they get used. A lot.Give it a try - you might even find your kids want to do more of the cooking, which can't be a bad thing ..............

Really surprised. I bought this as a Chanukah gift for my teenage son. When it arrived my partner didn't want me to give it to him because he thought he wouldn't like it. Eventually, short of a gift on one of the last days of Chanukah I gave it to him - he loved it and uses it all the time. Really recommend it. My son is 14 and is keen on independence ... The home alone section which has things like cheese on toast is really good.

I bought this book in the hope of encouraging my teenage children to experiment more in the kitchen. They have tried out a few of Sam's recipes - but i have tried even more. Definitely a useful addition to my cookery book collection.

I really liked the idea of this book, and hoped the photos of cool looking teens having parties, hanging about with mates and cooking food would inspire my son. Unfortunately, as with all recipe books, you only want to make a small number of the dishes. For my reluctant chef who can't do cheese on toast, the dishes were just too avant garde - avocado and pear combo (5 minutes), smoked fish pate with melba toasts (10 minutes), couscous salad (15 minutes), huevos rancheros (20 minutes) and homemade salmon fishcakes (30 minutes). but, hooray for spaghetti Bolognese, two types of risotto and chicken fajitas. My son says "Why isn't there a cookbook that just shows me how to do basic stuff like spag bol, chilli, carbonara sauce, cheese sauce, lasagne". And I agree. But thanks for trying, Sam, as this concept was excellent.

Bought this for a 16 year old boy who has started to get an interest in cooking and eating healthily. This book has different sections for 5,10,20 minute cooking ideas with everything from smoothies, toast toppings, pizzas, salads and much more!

Bought this for a friends son starting to universtiy. He is very please with it.

I bought this for my 13 year old son who wanted a cookbook which wasn't just cakes (his speciality). This looked just the ticket and largely meets expectations. My main criticism is that there are way too many photos of sam and his mates and not enough of the dishes, which is what most people want to see to cook something.

Cracking first cook book. Easy to follow with some great tips.

Sehr anschaulich und übersichtlich - spricht Jugendliche und junge Erwachsene an !Ansprechende Bilder und die Erklärungen sind - trotz englischer Sprache - gut verständlich !

I am an avid collector of cookbooks and especially love children's cookbooks - meals are usually tasty and easy to prepare. But this book really floored me - written by a teenager for kids his age, how good could it be? Absolutely excellent! It rivals anything Martha Stewart could make and is so much easier!You'll find an amazing assortment of easy to prepare meals that can be made in 5-30 minutes, all using easy-to-find ingredients.* 5 minute meals include little plates that can easily pass for hors do'ouvres: bread, olive oil & olives; prosciutto & mozzarella with special dressing; light meals using salmon, avocado and shrimp, with simple but tasty dressings. Fruit, yogurt and assorted toppings that make for simple yet elegant breakfasts. Eight smoothies and shakes using fruit and milk. Plus all seven toppings for toast - from cinnamon sugar butter to tomato and garlic.* 10 minute meals include sandwiches such as greek salad pita, Portobello arugula and balsamic, French toast with hot fruit, spreads and dips (hummus, guacamole), assorted salads, omelettes.* 15 minute meals include steak with four variations (pepper, teriyaki, lemon and rosemary, chili mustard), sautéed chicken breasts with different sauces (salsa verde, middle eastern style), grilled fish and sauces, roasted vegetables, noodle dishes, couscous, tabouli, and fruit crepes.* 20 minute meals include all types of burgers (beef, chicken, pork, vegetarian), an amazingly easy but complex-tasting Bolognese sauce, mashed potatoes with variations, stir fries, granola bars and cookies.* 30 minute meals include two soups (lentil and tomato, cheese and watercress), pizza (basic, thin crust, deep crust), kebabs (meat, chicken, vegetarian), tex mex meals (homemade tortillas, chicken fajitas, tosatadas, quesadillas), risottos, chicen kiev, salmon fish cakes, cassoulet, cheese soufflés, savory crepes (chicken, ham and cheese, spinach, mushroom, etc), assorted curries, and desserts (molten chocolate cake, fruit crumble, among others).* Finally, there is a section on "Leftovers" which surprisingly is for making them: recipes for making roast beast, roast chicken and ham roast, for when you have loads of time.You can't go wrong with this cookbook, if you're looking for a gift for a young beginner cook, a college student living on their own, or for healthy, tasty meals to make for your own kids.

I have to admit I have not cooked from this book. I bought it for my 13 year old niece and told her she had to invite me to a meal that she made. I looked it over before I gave it to her and found it to be very colorful, with clear directions, and real food. It explained basic processes which is really important as my niece is the daughter of a non cook. I can't wait to go for a meal!! I will update this review then.

Great

I'm the grandma, I looked at this cook book and found it to be what my grandson needs. Now if I can get him to open it and try it he will be all set. He's stubborn.