Cause I’m Happy…. Happy…. A Happy Kids Cooking Class gets even happier one on one!
Mom Carol gave her son Andrew a private Chef Marian Cooking Class today.
We took this picture and she turned to me and said: “You are fun”! Well that’s about the best compliment I could ask for.
That and at the end when I asked Andrew what he learned, the fact that heating your pan before you start stuck out in his mind, saving him years and years of grey onions (cause that’s what happens when the pans not hot), really made me the Happy Chef!
WHAT DID YOU TEACH TODAY CHEF?
Well, this was a combo class. I taught about ‘Foods you Roll’, and how to chop and fix food for yourself, combined with a bit about nutrition. How to peel, cut (using your knuckle as your guide) and flip onions on a stove top. Andrew learned the value of using mushrooms in any dish (the soak up the yummy liquids) and how to clean them. We talked about ‘why drink water, what red fruits and veggies do for what part of your body (heart healthy), how a walnut is brain food and even looks like a brain, how green food cleanses, how yellow helps with digestion (banana, lemon), and most important, what food and veggies a 12 year old can learn to cook on his own and entertain.
And if you don’t think I enjoy watching a person discover how easy cooking is …. Well then, you just don’t know my intentions. Andrew may not remember everything, but there are some key things about food and nutrition he did learn. We talked about keeping your body alkaline because disease can’t grow in an alkaline body.
He absolutely ‘gets’ that sugar equals inflammation. I explained why in France they eat salad after their main entrée (to brings their body back to alkaline) and not only did he absorb all that, but on the second try, he nailed making an egg roll, making an apple roll.
So we had rolls and in between we stamped out sandwiches…. Stars, Flowers, Circles. It’s just one more way to have fun in the kitchen.
Our young chef to be was wearing my ‘Hail to the Chef’ apron as he experimented with all kinds of tools I have in the kitchen including a ‘rocker’ to cut pizza. We used it to teach him knife skills, later showing how to hold the tip of a knife down, and rock your way through the cuts.
And one more thing: I showed him how to cut flowers out of carrots.
It always helps when Mom is a foodie and a healthy eater. It was a pleasure working with them both!
If you have some kids and need a repeat of this class, please reach out to mm@chefmarian.com or have them join San Diego Foodies for bigger classes.
And if you think this info was of value, tweet about me, FB, Google+ or do any kind of social media you like, to spread the word that Cooking Classes are now in session!
Happy Eating,
