This week as part of our Exploring through Food series, we are learning the letter ‘P’. The summer is a great time for the kids to party! Family is in and out of town, and no one has to wake up early for school. Learning can and should still continue even though school is out. So party with the letter “P” this summer! Continue Reading
Kids Cooking
C.A.K.E. by Chewsy Lovers – Culinary Arts for Kids Empowers!
Last year we helped our daughter “Koko” participate in the Great American Bake Sale. She was watching TV and a commercial came on about the sale and how the proceeds feed hungry children and she immediately asked if she could have her own bake sale to participate. She did really great and raised $80! We have not yet organized another one but she has expressed this is something she wants to do every year. 
Cooking with our children has allowed us to teach them so many things beyond the food itself. Helping Koko with her bake sale was a lesson in philanthropy, time management, creativity, social skills, and math fundamentals! We love to teach the kids and allow them to explore life through food. When we lived in Florida their friends loved to come over and cook with us too. 
We talk about it all the time,especially here on the blog, but a few weeks ago the question came up amongst ourselves that stopped us dead in our tracks. “What are we DOING about it?” So now it’s time to DO! Our hearts desire to take these same principles, knowledge, and activities that we use on our own children and bring them to children who live in areas where such programs either do not exist or are too costly. We believe that we can empower kids through culinary arts to excel in school and excel in life. 
This past weekend at the barbecue stand we brought back Koko’s Konfections, but this time for a new cause… our C.A.K.E. (Culinary Arts for Kids Empowers) program. All proceeds from the Brown Sugar Pound Cake and Banana Pudding we sold went directly to our fund to begin this program.We have so many plans for this initiative from after school programs, summer enrichment programs, to job training, sustainable gardens, and so much more! We are just filled with excitement about this project and we can’t wait to see it blossom into something awesome! Please email us at for more information about our program or if you would like to help. You can also make a donation here.
Thank you for your support! Your donation today will directly help us launch our C.A.K.E. program empowering kids in underprivileged populations through culinary arts education.
M.W.A.H.,
Chewsy Lovers
Exploring through Food Series – The Letter A (Free Printable)
Our exploring through food series has begun! Today we are sharing a great printable as we explore the letter ‘A’. You will find some food facts, foods beginning with ‘A’, a recipe to try, and also some activities to do with your little one. At the end of each activity in pink you will find the skills learned through each activity. Continue Reading
EXPLORING THROUGH FOOD SERIES – TEACHING SCHOOL READINESS SKILLS
Whip up a meal or a healthy snack with your children and become an active part of their learning. When the end of the school year approaches I always have a little anxiety about the summer. I love for the kids to enjoy their summer break but I’m one of those parents that feels like education doesn’t stop just because school does. Continue Reading
Asian Pear Crisps
One thing we love to do is cook with our children. Cooking has allowed us a unique avenue to reinforce what the kids are already learning in school, teach them new things, and spend time as a family. The kitchen is The Lady’s classroom and real lessons go on in it. We thought it might be cool to share one of our lessons here today, in case you have little ones who love to cook, or you want to get them interested in it. We pick an ingredient or a theme, and we just go with it. This lesson’s ingredient is the Asian Pear.
First we discussed what an Asian Pear is. Asian pears are also known as “apple-pears” or “Nashi pears.” They grow on trees found mostly in Asia but they are grown in Australia and New Zealand as well. They have the texture of a pear, but are round and have a similar taste to apples. Like apples they are pome fruits having a core with tiny seeds in it. They are much juicier than apples, or pears. Then we talked about the continent of Asia where it is, some countries in Asia, and some ingredients that are used frequently in their cuisine such as peanuts, and Chinese 5-Spice Powder. Since Asian pears are a lot like apples, and crisps are one of our favorite desserts, we took a chance at making Asian Pear Crisps.They turned out great!
The main ideas enforced in our ASIAN PEAR CRISP lesson: Ingredient Identification, Asia, Counting, Following Directions, Creativity
Asian Pear Crisp
Serves 4.
2 Asian Pears, peeled and sliced
½ c. Sugar
½ c. Brown Sugar
2 tbsp. Flour
1 tbsp. Chinese 5-Spice Powder
¼ tsp. Salt
1 tsp lemon juice
½ Stick of Butter
Topping:
4oz. (1/2 c.) Peanuts halved, or chopped
3/4 stick of butter diced small (cold)
2oz. (1/4 c.) flour
½ c. Brown Sugar
¼ c. Sugar
1tsp. Cinnamon
¼ tsp. Salt
½ c. Oatmeal
Preheat oven to 350. Place pears in a clean bowl. Add sugars, 5-Spice, salt, flour, and lemon juice, and mix until the pears are covered evenly. Melt butter in a skillet on medium heat and sauté pears for about 5 minutes. Spoon the pears into ramekins or other oven-safe dishes evenly. Mix all ingredients for the topping in a separate bowl and top each dish. Bake until topping is golden brown, about 15-20 minutes depending on your oven. Top with whipped cream or serve with ice cream. Enjoy!
Do you cook with your kids? What are some fun things you do to incorporate learning in the kitchen?