Donna Hay DVDs

DID you know Australian cookbook queen Donna Hay was in my kitchen this week? Are you jealous much?

She cooked me up cheaty chocolate eclairs. Only problem was I couldn’t reach through the television to get a taste of it. However, I was inspired enough to get out the kitchen gadgets and some fresh Tassie produce and give a few of her recipes a go.

What I’ve always loved about Hay’s cooking is its simplicity and her desire to use fresh produce. Her latest DVD, taken from the TV series, encapsulated everything she is as a cook through its title – fast, fresh, simple. As a busy mum, wife, blogger and business owner, this is key for me. She provides some great shortcuts and handy tips for making things easier (which is perfect when little hands always want to help).

The other appeal of Hay for me is how versatile her recipes are – they can be adapted for the family through to dinner parties (if we ever had them, of course). She cleverly brings life to some rather tired meals, like steak and three veg.

Other highlights include:

  • A fresh spin on pasta carbonara
  • Mouthwatering chocolate and cinnamon wontons

This is the perfect gift for the foodie in your life. Especially those keen to relive her 13-part series fast, fresh, simple on the Lifestyle Channel. For those that are already collectors of her books and magazines, it includes recipes from these. You may remember how the castle cake from her latest magazine inspired Holly’s princess castle cake.

Princess Castle birthday cake

Donning the titles of book author, Donna Hay magazine editor-in-chief, newspaper columnist, homewares and food range creator and Donna Hay general store owner, it seems strange this is her first foray into the DVD world. The wait means the quality of this is sublime.


The DVD series retails for $29.95.

To win one of FIVE copies of fast, fresh, simple, on DVD tell us your favourite recipe to cook with your kids. The giveaway closes Saturday, December 10 at 7pm and winners will be drawn randomly and announced on this blog and via Facebook and Twitter. Australian residents only. Limit of four entries.

Want extra entries? Then here’s how you can up your chances in the draw. Each task is worth one extra entry, but must be included as a separate comment (or it won’t count).

  1. Click the Facebook button below and share this giveaway with your Facebook friends. Then leave a separate comment saying something along the lines of “I’ve shared this on Facebook’’.
  2. Click the Twitter button below and share this giveaway with your Twitter followers (Twitter handle is @ThreeLil). Then leave a separate comment saying something along the lines of “I’ve shared this on Twitter’’.
  3. Follow on Google+ and leave a comment telling me you’re now a follower.

**DISCLOSURE: I received a copy of fast, fresh, simple for review. All opinions expressed are purely my own.

Aussie Giveaway Linky
Hosted by Three Lil Princesses

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80 Responses to Donna Hay Fast Fresh Simple DVD review and giveaway (5 copies)

  1. kerry santillo says:

    Thanks for a chance, great giveaway, have shared on facebook 🙂

  2. kerry santillo says:

    Have shared on twiiter @gherkkerry 🙂

  3. kerry santillo says:

    Am a follower on google kha1234, thanks 🙂

  4. kerry santillo says:

    We love cooking mini pizzas!!! The kids gooble them up because they have put all their own toppings on!!!

  5. Sienna and I love to cook soup! She is the best at stirring 😉

  6. Kellie B says:

    My girls and I love to bake cookies together. They get all the cutters out and have lots of fun.

  7. Yvonne Lim says:

    making cookies together:)

  8. Yvonne Lim says:

    shared on fb

  9. Yvonne Lim says:

    followes as tHIrteen through GFC!

  10. Alison L says:

    LOVE making Ganache with the kids!! There is always some serious sampling going on!!

  11. Alison L says:

    Am following on Google and have +1’d 🙂 I think my google name is oozzle.. 😀

  12. Alison L says:

    Have Tweeted @oozzle 😀

  13. Alison L says:

    Have also shared on FB 😀

  14. amie says:

    Big fan of Dh – shared on Facebook

  15. Karina W says:

    How about butterfly cakes. So pretty!

  16. Shelley says:

    I havnt cooked with my son yet but will be this week when we make Christmas cookies! Should be lots of fun!

  17. Caz says:

    We have many but their favourite is still always cupcakes. Cupcakes, Cupcakes Cupcakes!!!

  18. Shelly says:

    Mstr6 loves to make Spinach and Ricotta Cannelloni with me.

  19. Shelly says:

    I’ve shared on Facebook.

  20. Shelly says:

    I’ve shared on Twitter.

  21. Sally D says:

    My eight year old is all Junior Masterchef inspired at the moment and likes to create desserts that involve freezing things 🙂

  22. Gemmie Alliston says:

    My favourite thing to make with my little girl is cookies. The decorating is the best part!!

  23. Gemmie Alliston says:

    I joined you on GFC 🙂

  24. Gemmie Alliston says:

    I’ve shared on fb 😛

  25. Lisa wood says:

    Hi Kel,

    We love cooking with our boys, now days they can get in and cook most dishes! I think that our 10 year old is going to be a chef when he is older, he LOVES food 🙂

    My hubby is the cook in our family, he loves to create. I still remember our second boy telling his kindy teacher how to make a Pavlova (he was only 4years old!) – he was so upset because she used one of those packet eggs, when you are supposed to beat the egg by hand, and have the egg sitting on the bench the night before, because it should be at room temp!! It was so funny hearing her tell me what he said to her in the classroom – gosh that was over 12years ago (time flys!)

    Cheers
    Lisa

  26. Lisa wood says:

    shared on facebook 🙂

  27. Lisa wood says:

    shared on twitter 🙂

  28. Love Donna Hay, her tv series is a must see. Actually my youngest has just started cooking her cheese cake as we speak. It is his favourite.

  29. Adela says:

    Play dough: so simple and love that the fun lasts long after the cooking is done. They love experimenting with different colours and adding scents/glitter.

  30. I can’t go past making muffins with my daughter. Fruit or savoury, they are always a winner – she loves mixing, adding the ingredients, putting the patty cases in the tin and of course licking the spoon!

  31. Mary Preston says:

    Meatloaf,or let’s keep adding more vegetables loaf, is a great recipe to cook up. We all, chop, peel, dice & get in so much veg. Got to love that.

  32. Cate says:

    I love cooking muffins with my little boy. Lots of fun and beaters to lick!

  33. Miss eight and I make a super easy and super delicious salad:
    rocket or mixed lettuce
    crumbled feta cheese
    microwaved and chopped baby beetroot
    white balsamic vinegar….

    smiles and thanks for the chance to win a prize I know my eldest DD would love!

  34. Laureny says:

    we love decorating our homemade cupcakes!

  35. Rebekah says:

    I must be honest… I love making cookies with the boy! 🙂 So cute! Although he did make a mean chilli with me the other night.

  36. melanie w says:

    Muffins any kind some we even make up as we go along, experimenting in the kitchen is great fun even better when the end result is delicious.

  37. melanie w says:

    Now a follower on google+

  38. Chont says:

    My kids help sift flour and stir, so any cake or muffin recipe is good. They even draw faces on eggs in the fridge then eat them after I boil them. They like retreiving the ingredients out of the pantry too.

  39. Chont says:

    Shared on FB as Chon Ky

  40. jasmine barton says:

    I love cooking with my girls, but my favourite would be every christmas baking & decorating our gingerbread house for Santa <3

  41. Suzi says:

    My son loves cooking gingerbread men. He loves decorating them!

  42. Suzi says:

    Following you on Google (as MardyMax)

  43. Suzi says:

    I’ve shared this on twitter

  44. Alison says:

    Hhhmmm…at 18 months mine is more into messing than cooking! She does like scooping the flour out of my bowl and putting it in the sink, on the bench or on the floor. Gotta start somewhere right. 🙂

  45. Rhianon says:

    We recently found we love to make chickpea fritters. Perfect for a snack, or dinner.

  46. Rhianon says:

    shared on facebook

  47. Rhianon says:

    shared on twitter

  48. Elisha says:

    Nachos ! Its so easy for them – My 12 year old can make it !
    Brown some onion, add some mince, brown… add a tin of crushed tomato’s , some extra tom sauce, some grated carrot, a tin of baked beans, a few herbs ( oregano/basil ) add a dash of curry powder ! Top this on corn chips, add cheese, microwave – add sour cream !! 20 min dinner and its yummo !!

  49. Narelle Rock says:

    we love to cook spaghetti bolognese, the kids grate the carrot and stir the sauce, best part is sprinkling all the parmesan cheese over the top once the bowls are served up!

  50. Narelle Rock says:

    shared on Twitter @narellerock

  51. Narelle Rock says:

    follow on Google+

  52. Narelle Rock says:

    shared on Facebook (Narelle Rock)

  53. cheryle lapthorne says:

    i Love Donna Hays takes pride of place on the shelf amongst the many cook books . I Know Ella has cooked with me when i have my Work Hat on and i love taking ideas from such wonder recipes and adapting them to work with Toddlers . In our house we made a smurf ginger bread house yesterday . i always find something in one her publications that take the fuss out of miss 4’s fussy eating habits and make dinner simple .

  54. Toni hill says:

    At the moment vanilla cupcakes with pink icing 😉

  55. Leila says:

    I love to cook spaghetti with my children, we vary the ingredients depending on what we have on hand and who is helping me cook that night, sometimes we cheat and do it from a jar but it is always made with extra love when it is made together.

  56. Leila says:

    I’ve shared this on Facebook (Leila Matthews)

  57. Leila says:

    I’ve shared this on twitter (@Leimaycherry)

  58. Rebekah says:

    Shared on Twitter! 🙂

  59. Rebekah says:

    Also shared on Facebook!

  60. Melinda says:

    The kids and I always make chicken schnitzel..they love to get their little hands dirty. It drives me nuts!! But it’s exciting for them.

  61. Jacky B says:

    For treats – little butterfly cakes with butter icing. For day to day nothing beats a pancake & the fun of tossing it!

  62. Deb says:

    My best thing to cook with the kids is homemade pizza they can put on whatever they like and because they have made it I know they will eat it!! (mind you I wouldn’t eat what they make sometimes 😮 )

  63. Deb says:

    Also shared on FB 🙂

  64. Eleise Bott says:

    The kids and I love to cook dessert together, one of our favourites is ginger and macadamia sticky date pudding with a butterscotch sauce! Best thing is you can freeze individual portions and you just need to microwave and add sauce for an instant dessert.

  65. Candice says:

    My eldest son and I love to bake cupcakes and slices. He loves to have the job of icing and decorating.

  66. Lisa Blackman says:

    Our favourite recipe is Granpa’s biscuits. They are just gingerbread biscuits but Grandpa’s favourite so also Miss 3’s fav.

  67. Lisa Blackman says:

    Shared on FB

  68. Lisa Blackman says:

    Shared on Twitter

  69. Lisa Blackman says:

    Following on Google +

  70. Sarah D says:

    We love making cupcakes together.

  71. Laura says:

    Donna Hay’s Chocolate brownies Love cooking them with my daughter she always wants to eat the chocolate butter mix!

  72. Laura says:

    Shared on FB

  73. Laura says:

    Shared on Twitter @angelic_lily

  74. Laura says:

    I’m now a follower on Google+

  75. Emma says:

    ooo 🙂 That looks yummy.