Recipe for Success

I had the privilege of working with the after school program for Recipe for Success at MacGregor Elementary School in Houston, TX last week. What an amazing afternoon I had. First, the kids' enthusiasm for cooking is so encouraging. It reminds me that by taking the time to talk about what great foods are out there and how to utilize them you can build a lifelong relationship with food that is healthy and delicious. The kids were making aguas frescas (a blend of fruits, seeds, sugar and water, traditionally from Latin America). They used different ingredients from their garden as well as local fruits. Some of my favorite combinations were mint, lemon, strawberry and papaya and there was a fantastic basil, strawberry and orange drink. I brought in agave nectar to substitute for the sugar. I love seeing how creative everyone is with the same ingredients to choose from. There were no two drinks alike. I learned a new trick from one of the budding chefs...he took papaya and pressed it through the handheld juicer...it got the juice out and made the pulp easy to stir into the drink! I'm really excited to return at the beginning of March when the kids put on their Spring Fling. They will be cooking and serving a full meal to their families and teachers.