Joyful Eating
Feel safe and confident using a knife, the stove top, and the oven, and learn how to think like a chef!
Recommended for kids ages 6-10. (Not sure whether it’s right for your kid? Just email me!)
Three weekly 75-minute lessons. All lessons are live and conducted over Zoom - join from your home kitchen! Groups are capped at 6 students.
Students will prepare a hearty snack each week to eat and share; the final dish can be the main course for a family meal. Recipes include buttermilk biscuits with berry topping, cheesy black bean quesadillas with fresh salsa, and sesame tofu with crispy broccoli.
You’ll receive: A recipe binder and an apron. Printed recipes, tip sheets, and activities. Weekly ingredient list for class. Lifetime access to the Student Portal with supplemental links and extras. Lots of individual support and guidance in our small group.
You’re responsible for: providing kitchen equipment (nothing fancier than a cheese grater) and ingredients (I’ll send you a weekly ingredient list), and making sure your child is safe in the kitchen.
Price: $100. All courses are sliding scale, no questions asked.
Joyful Eating will meet on Saturdays at 1 PT/2 MT/4 ET. The class dates are: 4/23, 4/30, and 5/7.
Recordings and make-up classes available for those who have to miss a live class.
“My favorite part of the course was observing Dottie's excitement as she prepared for the class, we could all tell how much fun she was having. She was buzzing with anticipation while assembling the ingredients and preparing for the lesson. I loved watching her confidence grow as she used the oven, stove, knives, and other cooking instruments. She's now making quesadillas for us for lunch each week!” - Jamie, Stir The Pot Parent
Lesson 1: Food and the Five Senses
In this introductory lesson we will talk why we eat, how to use all five senses in the kitchen, and how to use descriptive food vocabulary. We will practice measuring and mixing and learn some dough basics as we bake fluffy buttermilk biscuits, and we’ll use the stovetop to make a berry topping (there will be extra for toast, pancakes, or whatever pairing you can dream up).
Recipe: Buttermilk Biscuits with Homemade Berry Topping
Handouts: Food and the Five Senses mindful eating activity; Food Vocabulary illustrated print; Food Poetry worksheet
Lesson 2: Your Unique Palate
In our second lesson we will talk about what a “palate” is and how to tune into our own unique tastes and preferences — as well as how to explore new flavors and expand our palates. We will discuss how we can transform the texture and flavor of ingredients with cooking techniques, and will practice seasoning, layering textures and flavors, and working with heat as we make some cheesy black bean quesadillas. We will also practice knife skills to prepare a fresh salsa.
Recipe: Cheesy Black Bean Quesadillas and Fresh Salsa
Handouts: My Palate: Adventures in Flavor activity
Lesson 3: Putting It All Together
In our final lesson we will make our most ambitious dish: crispy oven-roasted tofu and broccoli with a luscious sesame sauce. We’ll practice knife skills, working with tofu, safely cooking vegetables on the stovetop, and how to create a balanced sauce to add flavor and tie recipe components together. (If you cook up a batch of rice or noodles, this can be part of your family meal!)
Recipe: Crispy Sesame Tofu and Broccoli
Handouts: Think Like A Chef: Create Your Own Recipe