This weekend, I had the honor and privilege of attending a "Cook-Off" where 6 of my students whom I have taught the basics of nutrition and cooking through a program called "Project Lunch Tray" competed with other local schools to see which team could come up with the tastiest recipe that could be served for lunch in public schools. The idea is to teach children from impoverished areas the value of healthy cooking and eating. When we began class, my students did not know how to hold knives for chopping, one student put a 1/4 cup of salt instead of a 1/4 teaspoon into our meat, and another did not know that you do not eat the core of an apple. These are kids who NEVER eat vegetables or home-cooked meals. They did not see the value or importance of it.
Yesterday, I sent them off in to their kitchen at the Smallman Galley Restaurant in the Strip to cook with Chef Jessica of Carota Café. I, along with a colleague of mine, had gotten them to the competition...and now we were expected to back off. We could see them cooking from our place in the audience...and we got to enjoy samples of everything that was being made in all of the kitchens, not just ours. My students looked like they had been cooking all of their lives. My heart was smiling. Their food tasted fabulous. The most exciting part, however, was when I listened to them talking with the judges about why they made the food the way that they did. They had chopped all of the fruits and vegetables up really small, and, when asked why, they explained that most of the kids in our school do not eat vegetables at home, and they are much more likely to eat them if they are chopped up really small and integrated into the main dish.
Moral of the story? If children who don't even know that you should avoid eating the core of an apple can learn to eat healthy....we can do it. In the beginning, it may seem like we are faking it...but, I can tell you, my students were not faking their like for this kind of food when they asked if they could pack the leftovers up to take home.
In Christ,
Gail
PS - I will post their recipes tomorrow when I am at my work PC. Look forward to recipes for "Taco Skillet Stir Fry" with a side of "Apple Salsa" and "Broccoli Melt."
What an incredible story and event! It's amazing what children can learn and do. Look forward to the recipes and to sharing them with my kids!