Cooking, Baking, Measuring - An Art of Mathematics and Chemistry; Added bonus! Gross and Fine Motor skills

Basic to Mastery (A matter of practice!)

Make small amounts as you build proficiency - then learn how to make variants on a theme and quantity adjustments. For children who show an interest in cooking, you can start with the staples you make everyday and let the child navigate into areas that draw them. For children who are new to the concept or for caregivers who are weary of the topic of cook or food - try making things that really spark the imagination, show chemical reactions, allow for mistakes in the smaller quantities and talk about it! What will we try next time? What did we learn?

The levels

is easy to make, quick results - organized breakfast, lunch and dinner
easy to make but takes patience (either waiting for results or repetitive movement) - more fundamental
middle level difficulty
Challenges

LEVEL ONE: Instant Gratification

Help your child strengthen fine motor skills. Pouring, spreading and rough chopping - all to be strengthened with fun activities you can eat!

Breakfast

Why make this? It takes getting used to but the fact is that most breakfast cereals are not actually healthy... too much sugar, not enough fiber (refined grains are easier to chew but means you have removed the bran and germ of the grain which is the healthiest part)- alternative? Non-processed oatmeal, the slow cooking kind, (hot) or Muesli (cold).

Oatmeal (ratios)

Processed oatmeal (the fast cooking kind) is thinned and partially cooked, then dehydrated - lowering the fiber quantity. Don't like the taste of oatmeal? Try alternatives: Quinoa, amaranth, farro, barley, brown rice, buckwheat, or teff porridge
Presoak - Oatmeal/ buckwheat / brown rice/ farro/ barley (in a container with a lid, place grains of choice, cover with water, close lid, place in refrigerator overnight). Cook in a ratio of 2 parts liquid (water/ milk/ milk substitute / combination) 1 part grain of choice -- You can always add more liquid! Simmer in a pot until it reaches the desired consistency Optional - consider trying a savory version (especially with the other grains - add broth instead of milk, add vegetables and or chicken)/ fruits / nuts and seeds/ peanut butter or other nut butters

Muesli (measuring, mixing)

Ingredients: 2 cups rolled oats (large and or small) 1/2 cup chopped nuts (almonds, peanuts, etc.) Be aware of nut allergies! 1/2 cup chopped dried fruits (raisins, cranberries, chopped dried apples, etc.) 1/4 cup sunflower seeds 1/4 cup pumpkin seeds 1/4 cup shredded coconut (optional) 1/4 cup mini chocolate chips (optional) 1/4 cup puffed grain (quinoa, amaranth or millet) (optional) 1/4 cup chia, hemp and or flax seeds (optional) 1/2 cup wheat or bran flakes (optional) Optional spices: vanilla extract, ground cinnamon, nutmeg, cardamon, ginger powder, cocoa powder and or turmeric
Measure out the ingredients and pour into a large bowl. Mix it together. Place in a clean sealed jar, label and date. Store in a pantry for 1 - 2 weeks. Serve 1/2 cup per person. Add (optional): fresh fruit slices, yogurt, milk Try it hot! Add milk and heat for five minutes (stove top).

Lunches

Sandwich Making (spreading, rough chopping) Have your child make sandwiches for lunch or for a picnic -

Spreads to try: peanut butter, hazelnut chocolate spread, mayonnaise, mustard, jam, honey
Chop fruit roughly, try: berries, bananas, tomatoes
Add: slices of cheese and or meat, egg (hardboiled, fried or scrambled)
Lettuce? Combine in various ways.

Vegetable Carriers (rough cutting, spreading, scooping)

Cut or let child try to cut some vegetables that the child likes - cucumber and carrot circles, celery sticks, tomato bowls (let child scoop out insides of halved tomatoes), lettuce (iceberg usually works best because it has no flavor).
Give peanut butter and/ or cream cheese to spread on the vegetables
Add sprinkles, small circular chocolates (like m & ms) and/ or raisins to peanut butter spread

Tortilla Pizza (rough cutting, spreading, sprinkling) Place all the ingredients on the table and let child

Spread tomato sauce on the tortilla
Sprinkle cheese
Rough cut and place on cheese: olives, tomatoes, corn, bell peppers, pineapple Bake in air fryer 350°F (180°C) (6-10 minutes), toaster oven 400°F (200°C) (5-7 min), or oven 400°F (200°C) (5-7 min)

Smoothies (measuring)

Rough cut different kinds of fruit
Choose one or two and freeze the rest.
Add ice cubes 1/3 c milk, 2 tbs yogurt, 1 tsp honey and handful of fruit to a blender and blend.
Taste and adjust - if not smooth enough add milk or water. If not sweet enough, add sugar or more honey.
When making with frozen fruit, no need to add ice.
Keep track of what kinds of mixtures you have made - which were successful and which not so much!
What else could you add? (Peanut butter, nuts, seeds, oats, leafy greens, spices)

Butterfly Lemonade (pouring, stirring, squeezing)

To brew the tea, steep 1 cup of dried butterfly pea flowers in 3 cups of hot water for 10-15 minutes. Strain the tea and let it cool completely. Meanwhile, prepare a classic lemonade by combining 1/2 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice (or more to taste) with 1/3 cup sugar and 3 cups of cold water in a pitcher. Stir until the sugar dissolves and adjust the sweetness or tartness to your preference. Now for the captivating layers: Fill a glass with ice cubes. Carefully pour the cooled butterfly pea flower tea (around 1 cup) over the ice, allowing it to settle at the bottom. Squeeze a splash of fresh lemon or lime juice to the top layer of the tea. Finally, slowly pour the lemonade over the back of a spoon to create a distinct layer on top (about 1 cup). You can also carefully tilt the glass while pouring to achieve the desired separation.

Instant Ice Cream (measuring, scooping, pouring)

Ingredients: Heavy cream Sugar Vanilla extract Ice Salt Ziploc bags (small and large) Mix cream, sugar, and vanilla in a small bag. Place this bag inside a larger bag filled with ice and salt. Shake vigorously for about 5 minutes. The mixture will solidify into ice cream.

Edible Glass

Ingredients: Sugar Water Light corn syrup Cream of tartar Combine all ingredients in a saucepan. Heat to 300°F (hard crack stage), stirring constantly. Pour onto a silicone mat and let cool. Once hardened, break into pieces for a glass-like candy.

Color-Changing Pasta

Ingredients: Cooked pasta Red cabbage juice (boil chopped red cabbage in water and strain) Lemon juice Baking soda solution (mix baking soda with water) Three bowls Soak cooked pasta in red cabbage juice until it turns purple. Divide the pasta into three bowls. Add lemon juice to one bowl (turns pasta pink), baking soda solution to another (turns pasta blue/green), and leave the third as is (remains purple).

Slushy

It's ALIVE!

Ginger Bug Kids love soda, right? What if you made your own??? How about a carbonated drink made with ginger? A ginger bug is a natural starter culture used to create delightful fermented drinks. To make your own, simply

combine 1 tbsp unpeeled, grated ginger (organic preferred), 1 tbsp sugar, and 2 cups filtered water in a non-reactive glass jar (around 1-quart size), stirring until sugar has dissolved.
Cover the jar with cheesecloth or a breathable cloth.
Secure it with a rubber band to keep out insects and dust
Place the jar in a warm spot, ideally between 68-75°F (20-24°C). Avoid direct sunlight.
Stir the mixture daily. This helps aerate the culture and promotes fermentation
After 5-7 days you will see bubbles - this means you bug is ready to use!
Keep your bug alive -Continue feeding your ginger bug daily. Add 1 teaspoon each of grated ginger and sugar to the jar, stir well, and reseal.
Once mature, your ginger bug can be used to make various beverages

ginger-ale

ginger-ale-variant-log.pdf

Whey and Cottage Cheese cheese-making To make things like yogurt and some other cheese you will need whey - so make this simple cottage cheese of which a by-product is whey - Two for the price of one! Take one or more cup of milk. Heat but don't let it boil (around 190°F or 88°C). Remove from heat. Add a tablespoon of lemon juice or vinegar. Let sit, undisturbed, for 30 minutes. Strain into a bowl, (if the curds are big you can use a sieve or colander; Smaller curds will need a cheese cloth) the yellowish white water is whey! Keep it in a sealed jar in the fridge for later. The reason this recipe is so great is if it doesn't work you can do things to fix it! No curds form? You either didn't heat it enough or didn't add enough acid. You can reheat, but not to boiling, and add another tablespoon of acid. If it works - strain. If not, try again. You only need two or three tablespoons of whey to make yogurt - consider freezing the whey in an ice cube tray, measuring each cube to be one tablespoon (for easy measurements later). When defrosting the whey - place in fridge over night to defrost slowly, so the bacteria is not effected. DO NOT defrost at room temperature (might grow toxic bacteria). DO NOT refreeze the whey (changes the texture).

FRESH cheese-making.pdf

To make aged cheeses you will need 1) rennet, which is easiest purchased online or at a specialty store. Otherwise you would need either the fresh stomach lining of calves, lambs or kids. It needs to be cleaned thoroughly and cured with salt for several weeks to preserve it. Or you can buy or forage fig leaves (fresh) or nettle leaves - both of these contain the enzymes needed for cheese making. Clean the leaves thoroughly and soak in brine or whey at least 1-3 days. 2) Mesophilic cheese culture is a strong bacteria that is used in the aged cheese making process. You can buy this product online or at a specialty shop. When you are ready to take your cheese making skills to the next level, the initial process is similar to fresh cheese making, but after you separate the curds from the whey, you have to process the cheese, press it and age it in a cool humid place.

Whey and Yogurt Heat 2 cups of milk to 180°F (82°C), not boiling. Watch for bubbles forming at the edges. Let milk stand and cool to 105°F - 115°F (40°C - 46°C) - this is so the bacteria that makes yogurt doesn't get killed by the heat of the milk. Whisk into the milk 2-3 tablespoons of whey. Pour into a jar and place the lid on loosely so that air can go in and out - this bacteria needs oxygen. Wrap the jar in a towel to insulate it, keep it warm, and let stand for 6-8 hours (until it is the desired thickness). To check, tilt the jar. If it is set it's won't separate. Once it is set, refrigerate for at least 4 hours, more is better (more flavor). An alternative to whey is two tablespoons of store bought yogurt - best without added flavors or fruit. It has the bacteria needed and works well following the same procedure.

kombucha

This fermented tea drink is made with a symbiotic culture of bacteria and yeast (SCOBY). The SCOBY ferments the sugars in sweetened tea, producing organic acids, vitamins, and a slightly fizzy, tart beverage.

Kimchi

This spicy Korean staple is made by fermenting napa cabbage and other vegetables with Korean chili flakes, garlic, ginger, and other seasonings. Lactic acid bacteria contribute to the kimchi's sour taste and signature spiciness.

Other Fermentation:

Live microbes play a crucial role in many fermentation and food preservation techniques! Here are some common examples:

Sauerkraut: Shredded cabbage is fermented by naturally occurring lactic acid bacteria, which preserve the cabbage and create its tangy flavor and crunchy texture.

Bread: Yeast, a type of fungus, ferments sugars in bread dough, producing carbon dioxide which causes the dough to rise. This process also creates flavorful byproducts that contribute to the taste and texture of bread. Sourdough starter: This natural leavening agent used in sourdough bread is created by capturing wild yeast and lactic acid bacteria from the air. These microbes slowly ferment flour and water, creating a starter culture that can leaven bread dough.

Tempeh: Tempeh is a fermented soybean cake made with a mold called Rhizopus oligosporus. The mold binds the soybeans together, creating a firm patty with a nutty flavor and increased nutritional value.

Natto: This traditional Japanese food consists of fermented soybeans inoculated with Bacillus subtilis bacteria. The fermentation process gives natto a strong,納豆 ( nattō ) (pronounced nah-tto) and slimy texture, and a unique flavor that is an acquired taste. Beyond fermentation:

Cultured buttermilk: Live bacteria cultures are added to milk to thicken it and give it a slightly tangy flavor, similar to buttermilk produced from traditional butter churning methods.

Level 3:

Spherification
Need sodium alginate Boba
Hot Ice Cream
Make Your Own Marshmallow
Challenges

Peanut and other Butters

Love peanut butter? Consider, what other kinds of nuts (or other things) can you make? What about making butter itself?

Egg challenges

Some say there are a hundred ways to make eggs! Try these egg challenges:

Flours

You think there is only one flour - white, flammable and delicious when baked - but behold!

Bowls, Plates, Spoons - You Can Eat!

Challenge yourself to think of HOW food gets from the plate to your mouth

Known: Potatoes/ bread as bowls/ fufu Cookie/ chocolate Spoons flat bread/ lettuce as plate

Breads

Learn a new bread making method from Tapi Tapi - Stove top!

Flavored Bread Challenge: from Tapi Tapi who has a distinct South Africa flavor, but you should take the challenge and learn to make this bread - later making your own flavors with your culture in mind.

Summer

summer Ice cream, the beloved food has the ability to be transformative - follow the TAPI TAPI story - create ice cream flavors that inspire you to be the best you

Heritage Challenge

heritage Consider that like traditional practices, some foods will disappear if not - 1. Never heard of 2. Never made 3. Never incorporated into modern foods. If you are Indian (from any part of India), join the Kindness Meal trying to raise awareness for food traditions being lost in India. ** If you know of other projects like this, please email us Or start your own project for your own culture

Food Pyramid Challenge

Look at the revised food pyramid from the Washington Post-

washington-post-food-p

Create 5 recipes that utilize the perimeters in the new pyramid.

Food Aesthetic Challenge

aesthetic A lot of food culture is based on appearance, as much as flavor. If you have ever been to a really fancy restaurant you might have noticed how much effort goes to making things look good. Take the challenge! The UGLY food challenge! Consider a common food you might eat regularly. Start your challenge by making a beautiful version and an ugly version. Make at least two portions and have someone help you taste the two version to see if there is an effect on the taste. What makes a food beautiful to eat? What makes it 'ugly' and how much power do the eyes have on the taste?