Book Description

A recipe-packed cookbook written especially for vegetarian teenagers

From Apple-Date Dessert to Zesty BBQ Burgers, vegetarian cooking is more varied and exciting than ever before. Here are over 120 recipes for mouth-watering and nutritious meals, snacks, and desserts--including Easy Homemade Granola, Cold Sesame Noodles, Thai Coconut Curry, and Chocolate Coma--that are easy enough for beginning chefs to handle. You'll also find a glossary of cooking terms and unusual ingredients, complete step-by-step menus for meals the whole family can enjoy, and a chapter on college cuisine. So get ready to do some vegetarian cooking--all it takes is a little enthusiasm and the willingness to experiment, and in no time at all you'll be simmering, sauteing, and stir-frying like a pro! ... Read more

Reviews (7)

totally practical
Everything in this cookbook is easy, practical, good, and creative. It gives helpful tips, and a big variety of vegetarian recipes. The recipes also appeal to my non- vegetarian family. This is definetly my favorite cookbook.

a sweet little fun book that is an excellent buy f
i am the mom of 2 teens and i picked up this book for myself at the children's school book fair!!! I am semi vegetarian...and i am trying to watch my diet so this book came in handy without boring me ...it is dog earred already!!! the recipes are kind of 'buried' in the paragraphs which is a little bit frustrating...but you can flip thru the index to find a favorite...it does not have photographs but it does have illustrations in green and black...many of the facts are grouped into easy to find boxes...so this is a easy read...i recommend the book because you will not go broke by running out buying this item or that because many of us have these staple in our kitchen most of the time...you can also improvise on the recipes according to your tastes...who says adults cannot find gems of a book in the children's book section?

My favourite cookbook ever! 5 stars
This book is really really good. The recipes are delicious and it's easy to understand. It also has some useful nutrition information and some other tips. There was a breakfast chapter that I especielly liked cause I think it can be so hard to fin something that's quick to make and that is nutritionus in the morning. But here you can find some good recipes. I recommend this to any vegetarian or vegan. The recipes are vegan but can be made with dairy products and eggs if you like. This is the best vegetarian cookbook I've ever read. Buy it you won't be sorry =)

Recipes that appeal to teens.
Getting teenagers to eat healthy meals isn't always easy and vegetarian teens are no exception. The Teen's Vegetarian Cookbook by Judy Krizmanic provides a good selection of nutritious recipes that will appeal to vegetarian teenagers - as well as those whose teenage years are behind them.
Besides offering a variety of recipes in sections typically found in most vegetarian recipe books, Krizmanic also includes useful chapters on "Easy Pasta Dishes" and "College Cuisine." "The How-To-Get-Your-Nutrients Substitution Chart" and calcium and iron sources listed are informative and helpful as is a "Glossary of Basic Cooking Terms and Unusual Foods." An icon pointing out those recipes that are easy to make is also useful.

The perfect book for teenage vegetarians-to-be
This book has hundreds of recipies. The good thing is that they're not all complicated and full of exotic ingredients. Many of the recipies can be made in under 10 minutes. What I really liked about this book was how chock full of ideas it is. Besides recipies, theres also tips and hints on becoming a vegetarian, short cuts to use while cooking, how to cooperate with a meat-eating family, a glossary of unusual foods, and tons more. There is quotes and ideas from other vegetarian teens to help you get started, too. I highly reccomend it to anyone! ... Read more

Book Description

Make fun and delicious creations with your family!

Packed full of recipes, cooking tips, puzzles, and trivia, The Everything® Kids’ Cookbook serves as an entertaining-and safe-introduction to the sumptuous world of cooking. Dietitian Sandra K. Nissenburg provides tasty recipes that will help you learn the art of cooking-and keep you healthy!

The Everything® Kids’ Cookbook includes information on safety tips, basic cooking tools and terms, and healthy eating to help young chefs of all ages. From fresh blueberry muffins to parmesan chicken fingers, The Everything® Kids’ Cookbook inspires you to be creative and experiment in the kitchen-making meals you can share with the entire family.

The Everything® Kids’ Cookbook is filled with recipes for all occasions including:

-Bananaberry smoothies

-Chocolate peanut butter pudding

-Cinnamon breakfast cake

-Creamy corn chowder

-Mexican quesadillas

-Nutty caramel corn

-Tuna noodle casserole

-Waldorf salad

Also featuring practical cooking tips and nutritional information, The Everything® Kids’ Cookbook will have you-and your parents-licking the bottoms of the bowl in no time. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Fun For Adults Too!
I'm an adult who is learning how to cook, and I grabbed this book because not only is everything relatively easy to do, but the recipes themselves are great. I do the Macaroni and Cheese just about every week. Because the book is geared towards kids, the recipes are pretty quick, which is also a plus. ... Read more

Book Description

Have a taste of what’s cooking in Strawberry Shortcake’s kitchen! With lists of commoncooking terms, rules for kitchen safety, helpful tips from Strawberry herself, and chaptersfor breakfast, lunch, and dinner, dessert, and snack recipes, this book has all ofStrawberry’s favorite recipes and is perfect for young chefs. ... Read more

Book Description

How about a nice dish of Colonial Squirrel Pie with a side of milkweed shoots? If that doesn't grab you, you might think about trying some Garbage Stew, just like they made in medieval England. But if you're feeling a little tired and need a boost, your best bet is roasted spiders. They've got three times the protein of cooked beef. (Is your mouth watering yet?)

Illustrated by the wildly-creative Eric Brace, It's Disgusting -- and We Ate It! is a fascinating look at culinary creations from all over the world! ... Read more

Reviews (7)

Just Eat It!
An excellent little book with sensational illustrations. This book explores some of the foods from around the world which different cultures enjoy, but which may seem disgusting to us. Everything thing eaten is not in here but there is a good selection. What was eaten throughout history around the world is also included.

My favourite section is part three - Strange Stories from your own Kitchen which explains what cows eat and how that food gets turned into the milk which we drink. There is also similar information on how bees make honey.

There's also a few recipes and 19 poems as well. I am not really into poems so they didn't do much for me but if you are into poetry then this may well be a bonus for you. The illustrations in this book are sensational though, and worth the price alone.

Amazing what human beings will eat, even if not on a TV show
If you thought that after watching the tribe members on "Survivor" trying to eat local insects and assorted delicacies the past few years there was nothing left to turn your stomach at the dinning table, then this book will quickly set you straight. "It's Disgusting and We Ate It!: True Food Facts from Around the World and Throughout History" has author James Solheim and artist Eric Brace giving young readers a taste of what can be done with seaweed, squirrels, spiders, earthworms, maggots, birds' nests, violets, and even mammoths (Hey, it could happen: remember the episode of "Northern Exposure"?).

The book is divided, like Gaul, into three parts. The first looks at the exotic tastes found around the world, the second looks at some of the more interesting dishes in history, and the third is an eye-opening look at some of the facts behind contemporary American favorites, such as the hot dog. There are a few recipes, mostly having to do with things you could actually cook today with some effort and parental guidance, along with poems, charts, tables, stories, and a map. The big question is whether or not the idea that something "tastes like chicken" (e.g., grilled guinea pig) is a universal goal. I mean, if it tastes like steak or lobster, would that be a bad thing?

"It's Disgusting and We Ate It!" is also educational (spiders having more protein than beef made my day though why the giant ones from New Guinea taste like peanut butter is beyond me), even if you decide never to try python in vinegar, horse blood, or cicadas fat with eggs (even if Aristotle did recommend it as an after school snack). But mostly it is just involves the fun of thinking that in another time or another place people actually ate these things, which will just make the information go down easier.

Totally Gross! And That's COOL!
I've got to meet this author! He's got a wonderful sense of humor and is able to capture the "just gross enough" aspect of human nature. If you have a child who loves to pretend he's eating real worms in front of his little sister just to gross her out, you NEED this book. I love it, cover to cover.

and you thought chocolate covered ants were bad!!
Anyone for some soup made with birds' nests?? How about "1,000 year old eggs" aged in mud?? Live maggots?? I've got it, seaweed!! What?! You want to eat HAMBURGER?!? HOW REVOLTING!! :)

Food cuisine from around the world and the strange things people have found to be delicacies is the topic of this fun book. While most American children wouldn't eat cooked spiders for a million dollars, they may be interested to find that spiders, grubs and other insects are considered not only cruncy delights in other countries, but pound-per-pound they have more nutritional value than most snack foods we eat in the states!

"It's Disgusting" is a well researched, well illustrated book that I would file in the 'expand your horizions' section. We easily forget that not everyone is like us or likes the same things we do. Hindis would be revolted, shocked and offended if we ate hamburger in front of them. Asian cultures find soup made from birds' nests a delicy (the nest itself is largely made of the birds spit) as well as sun dried jellyfish. Closer to home, at one point in history in the US turkey was once considered a food that would make you stupid and tomatoes were once considered poisionous. The passenger pigeons of yesteryear who used to blacken the sky by the millions were made extinct in part because of people's desire to eat them.

Meanwhile, today many food thickeners are made from seaweed or the hooves of animals (carageenan and gelatin, respectively), and some colorings are made from the carapaces (exoskeletons) of insects. However, no one seems to be worrying about horse hooves and bug juice in their yoghurt these days...

The book is written well so that even intermediate readers will be able to make their way through and become enligtened about the foods other cultures fancy. The authors strive to keep any bias out of their writing and simply state the facts: while WE may find this food gross, other people find it a delicacy and vice-versa--there's stuff WE regularly eat that other cultures would quickly push aside. Peppered with fun poems and bright illustrations (including some fun bar charts of the nutritional value of various foods, like bugs), this book may get a chorus of "ewwww!!"'s, but it will also expand the horizons of it's readers!

Now, pass the chocolate covered ants...

The best!!
My daughter absolutely loves this book. She checked it out from the school library and cried everytime it came due, checking it out over and over till we finally bought one. This book looks at things that kids love - gross and disgusting things from everyday life. I only wish Mr. Solheim would write a sequel. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Taste the World!
Many of my family's favorite foods are "ethnic" so we thought we'd dive right in and discover what else the world is eating that we haven't tried yet. Just looking through the pages makes you want to start cooking! We'll be better prepared now, to dodge the familiar "What's for dinner?" with an enthusiastic response and a taste adventure. Children of all ages can prepare most of the dishes, and there are activities and trivia from several countries represented in the book. We decided to buy it after briefly looking through a library copy.

A great introduction to international food for young people.
Ms. Cook obviously put a lot of effort into this compilation of recipes and facts. She interviewed children around the world to find out about the things they eat, and pictures of some of these children are shown throughout the book. The book is divided into regions of the world by continent, and the recipes are rated for difficulty with spoons- one spoon is the easiest, and three spoons requires at least moderate adult help and supervision. Many of the foods turn out to be familiar dishes with different names (like Sherpa Popcorn and Ox-Eye Eggs), and there are ideas for theme parties (after-ski breakfast, ice cream buffet, etc.) throughout the book. I originally bought this book for my then-10-year-old sister, who was just beginning to show an interest in cooking, and now that she is 13 she still uses this book. A lot of these recipes are easy and quick enough to be used in a classroom or school cooking club. I bought a copy of this book for myself and think it is truly neat! ... Read more

Book Description

The comforting flavors of fried chicken, mac ’n’ cheese, collards, and other home-cooked treats fill the fifth title in the World Snacks series. But it’s the gorgeous quilting that nearly steals the show in this celebration of two all-American traditions.Includes glossary of soul foods. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

great addition to the series
After being a little disappointed with Yum Yum Dim Sum, I was so happy to read through A Little Bit of Soul Food. My kids love it too. We just moved to the South from California....the sushi and Mexican food depicted in Sanger's earlier books were familiar to us and we enjoyed reading about our favorite foods. Now we have another book of familiar yummy foods to read about!

The backgrounds are inspired by Gee's Bend quilts, a treat for the fiber-art lovers out there. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Chez Panisse, a restaurant in Berkeley, is the brainchild of renowned chef Alice Waters. Fanny is Alice Waters's daughter and Fanny at Chez Panisse is a collection of 46 recipes that are simple, delicious, and fun to make. The first third of the book tells the story of Fanny's adventures at Chez Panisse and introduces many of the people who work and dine there. There is Bumps, a family friend who lives on a boat and makes special bread; Carrie, the florist who supplies Chez Panisse with its bouquets; and Jean, a customer who prefers to eat in the kitchen rather than the restaurant because "That's where the food and my favorite people are." Through Fanny's eyes, the reader glimpses the inner workings of a quirky, wonderful restaurant and the people who run it. (Fanny says she's not sure who runs Chez Panisse--"I think Chez Panisse runs Chez Panisse.")

The rest of the book is taken up with Fanny's favorite recipes divided into sections such as "Carrots, Cucumbers, and Bell Peppers," "Corn," "Garlic," "Fruit," and more. Recipes range from raita to Peach Crisp and Roast Chicken with Herbs, and are easy to follow with some adult supervision. Though Fanny at Chez Panisse is primarily aimed at children, the recipes in it are delicious enough for adults to enjoy as well. And remember, the family that cooks together has a really great meal to show for all that togetherness! ... Read more

Reviews (2)

A book for all ages...a jewel in my collection.
This book is written as Fanny telling about her life with her mom, the fantastic chef Alice Waters(she wrote the book). MyDaughters & I share in our love of this book, to read it...enjoying the pictures which are wonderful to the eye. then the bits on cooking and the pleasure of food & preparing it along with flavor is shared in such a great way. Allow yourself to sit down and get lost in the spirit of this book.

Read this early on the weekend so you can cook later!!
Alice writes in the voice of her daughter about her daughter's favorite recipes and adventures at the restaurant. Wonderful reading and DELICIOUS recipes. At first looks a little like a children's book, but great for adults! ... Read more

Reviews (5)

Children love this story...
I am student teaching and used this book in the classroom for a lesson pertaining to the overall theme of Thanksgiving and the Indians. The children were on the edge of their seats through the entire story. I used an activity after the book where students had a piece of paper with a grid on it. In each box, there was a number (1-10) that students had to trace. Then, they glued the popcorn kernels in the grid with the corresponding number. There are so many ideas and activities that can accompany this story! I encourage all teachers to use it...no matter what age level! (I used this in 2nd grade).

The Popcorn Book
I really liked the book. The author was very creative with his illistrations. The reason I chose this book was because my favorite food is popcorn! Tomie de Paola must of had to do alot of research for this book. I would recommend The Popcorn Book to any lower-grade teacher.

Wow !
When I was a kid we regularly got this book on our weekly library trips because we loved it at bedtime so much! The historical notes were great, and I was particularly fond of the illustrations.

I'm so glad to find that it's still in print. I'm going to add it to my wish list right now!

Its so good you could eat it all up!!
The popcorn book is a great book. It makes you laugh and makes you hungry for popcorn!! I reccomand this for children of all ages. ( and for children who like popcorn!)

A Terrific Science & History Story!
I read this book to my 8-year-old son yesterday. What a treat! Popcorn is his favorite snack food. Scientific & historical facts are presented in a very hip way by a fantastic writer/illustrator. Even though it contains a lot of information it moves at a very fast past. A must read book!! ... Read more

Book Description

Introduction to bread machines, tools, ingredients and measuring.Bread machine recipes developed by kids for kids.Family favorites like pretzels and cinnamon rolls along with special holiday breads.Step-by-step photos to turn dough into edible art.A whole chapter devoted to themed parties using the bread machine.A fun experience for the whole family!!!!!! ... Read more

Reviews (6)

Electric Bread for Kids
I love it! It has recipes for every occasion and is extremely creative. It is the only bread book I use out of the twenty that I own.

Easy, fun and tasty recipes for the entire family
I had never baked bread or used a bread machine before I got this book. I have made the white, french, honey wheat, oatmeal and dinner roll recipies and each of them turned out great!

I recommend this book to anyone regardless of age because it is well written, fun and easy to understand.

(Thanks Ann)

A fantastic book!
My eight-year-old son now makes fresh bread for the whole family! Electric Bread for kids is a great book - the recipes are fun and really, truly delicious! It's also a terrific book for groups of kids at sleepovers or other parties. This book makes a wonderful gift!

Excellent children's cookbook for beginning cooks!
This is a beautiful cookbook with easy to follow recipies and lovely illustrations. It will appeal to children and adults. A great gift.

Tasty variety of bread-related recipes and projects
Electric Bread for Kids offers a bread adventure for any part of the day -- Cinnamon Rolls or Sweet Pullaparts for breakfast, plenty of bread recipes to give sandwiches new life , and Savory Breadsticks, Cheese Pinwheels or the edible bread Soup Bowl with dinner. Favorite snacks my kids have tried and loved include the Peanut Twisters reminiscent of peanut butter cups, Pretzels that can make you swoon if they're still warm from the oven, a filling and innovative Egg in an Egg and Lunch Pockets -- a welcome twist in the lunchbag. The photos, descriptions and directions are slick, and creative party ideas inviting. We've pulled out our copy of Electric Bread for Kids for snowdays and sleepovers and never been disappointed with the results. It has made Maine's long winter just abit more energizing. ... Read more

Book Description

Little House on the Prairie, Laura Ingalls Wilder's heartwarming story of a pioneer girl named Laura and her family's covered wagon journey to Kansas, is one of the most beloved children's books ever written. Ever since her story was first published sixty-five years ago, readers have clamored to know more about Laura and her real life on the prairie.

Now, in this beautifully illustrated volume, you can experience life as it was in the little log cabin. Discover how Laura's real life was both similar to and different from the life she described Little House on the Prairie. Find out what it was really like to homestead land, cook over an open fire, and build a prairie cabin. Make Mary's and Laura's star headbands, cook Ma's stewed blackberries, and plant your own prairie garden. You can even sing the songs that the Ingallses sang to the sound of Pa's fiddle!

For anyone who has ever treasured Little House on the Prairie, Inside Laura's Little House brings Laura's world vividly and remarkably to life. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

A wonderful read for all Laura fans!
This is another great book by this team of authors who really know how to present information in a lively, easy to read format, with wonderful illustrations! Book features new crafts revolving around themes from the books and the period, time lines of events happening in the world during Laura's time, information about the real life stories of the Ingalls and Wilder families. An enjoyable book for child or adult readers with lots of projects that can be done together. If you have not read the other Collins / Eriksson books, I highly recommend searching though Amazon for the others, they are all fantastic! ... Read more

Amazon.com

Imagine a lamb with a cauliflower body. A baby mouse made of radishes. Ayellow-pepper bunny and a lemon bear cub. Yes, Saxton Freymann and JoostElffers--the creators of How Are YouPeeling?, DogFood, and more--are back, this time constructing baby animalsout of fruits and vegetables. Each page featuresa crisp photograph of an adorable baby creature creatively crafted fromproduce, contrasted with a bold, solid-color backdrop, and identified byname (puppy, kitten, baby alligator, etc.). Children will learn theunusual names of various baby animals (kangaroo joey, seal pup,spiderling, owlet) while they're giggling at the notion of an onionkitten or potato duckling. You'd have to be made of a very hardvegetable indeed to deny the charms of a tiny peanut owl or a kiwimonkey. Irresistible! (Baby to preschool) --Karin Snelson ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Lover of kid's books
If you love the humor of How are you Peeling? you are't going to be able to resist the adorable baby animals in this book. I plan on buying this book for all future babyshowers and 1st birthdays. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Mix It Up, Eat It Up
The popular publishing house Pleasant Company created the American Girls book series for young girls over a decade ago. Since then, they have branched out, creating fiction and non-fiction books for kids of all ages.

The Mix-It-Up Cookbook introduces children to various basic recipes, such as pancakes, milkshakes, burritos, pizzas and macaroni. The colorful illustrations and straightforward instructions are both eye-catching and informative. The recipes are simple and the meals are healthy, not to mention yummy. Each recipe offers various ways to "mix it up." For example, prepare some scrambled eggs, add them to a warm flour tortilla and voila - you have a breakfast burrito all ready to go.

The book is also spiral-bound, meaning that it will lay flat on the countertop while you cook. This leaves both hands available to cut, mix and stir. Rather than trying to balance ingredients, bowls and utensils in one hand while propping the book open with the other hand, show kids that both hands should be available to cook. That will further reinforce kitchen safety.

From tossing a simple salad to setting the table, there are many ways to include all family members in mealtime. Get your kids in the kitchen and teach them how to be safe, how to follow instructions, and how to cook. Encourage them to make up their own fun dishes (within reason, of course) and you may soon turn your reluctant helper into a willing kitchen aide. Who knows -- you might have a future chef on your hands and not know it.

Now, if you are feeling really adventurous, have your munchkins help you prepare next week's grocery list!

Fun in the Kitchen
I bought this book to take with me babysitting. The section on basic cooking tips is written in an easily understood manner and is very informative. It opened a lot of discussion on cooking techniques and kitchen safety.

The cookbook has many basic and easy to follow recipes for main courses, side dishes and desserts. Then there is the "mix it up" part - along with the recipes are lists of items that can be added to the dishes. You can take your regular pancakes and mix them up into apple pie pancakes or petal pancakes (one of my favorites!).

Every time we've used the Mix it Up Cookbook, we've had a lot of fun. The girls I babysit enjoy making their own food and being creative in what they can add in. This book is sure to give them a nice cooking foundation.

Be careful though, you might get addicted to the Girlie-Swirlie Shakes! :o)

Review by Tiffany Ann ... Read more

Book Description

Designed especially for kids ages 9 and up, The Kids Cookbook is packed with kid-friendly recipes-and great photos to match.Each recipe includes an equipment list and all instruction young cooks need to have a great time whipping up something delicious. (Super-easy recipes are flagged, so kids can choose their challenges. ... Read more

Reviews (6)

An amazing must have cookbook!
This cookbook has easy to follow instructions, complete with lists of ingredients and utensils necessary to make the recipe. The end product is terrific!! Although the recipes are a little rich, you can always adapt the recipes to your needs! If you are looking for a cookbook for a kid, you need this book!

The User Friendly Cook Book!!!!!!!!!
From it's color pictures, measurement glossary, to its list of tools and ingredients, how could you have trouble using it. To top it off the recipies are delicious and easy to make. This is my favorite cookbook, and I guarantee you'll love it!!!!!!!!!! How could you not!!!!!!!!

Great for all kids!!!!!
One great kid's cookbook! It has just enough details and is explained clearly. This cookbook tells kids what cookware you will need to make each recipe. This book is definately #1 on my list and I'm sure it will become one on yours as well!

Excellent Cookbook for Kids!
This cookbook for the younger reader is wonderful. This book is easy to understand, filled with many pictures, that not only gives recipes, but also teaches various cooking techniques. Williams Sonoma has a wonderful way of creating cookbooks for the younger people that have not only creative recipes, but recipes for foods that we eat every day. I highly recommend this cookbook for your young novice cook!

The best cookbook ever!
My kids just loved this cookbook! We had so much fun this weekend trying out all of the recipes. The recipes aren't too challenging for young kids and it's written so that kids can have fun while they're cooking. My thanks to the author for a great book! ... Read more

Amazon.com

Ever separate an egg with a funnel? Ever make a grilled cheese and broccoli sandwich? Ever follow your kids into the kitchen and help them with recipes they have chosen to prepare?

Mollie Katzen makes all this and more ever so painless. She wrote Pretend Soup for preschool cooks after working with young kids in a preschool setting. Honest Pretzels is the next step. These are more advanced recipes demanding more advanced techniques for children ages 8 and up. It's a kid's cookbook for a more sophisticated palate--those ready for Not-from-a-Box Macaroni and Cheese or Spunky Chili. All the recipes in the book are vegetarian.

Typically, each recipe is introduced with a list of ingredients, the amount of time it's going to take, a list of tools, and a note about where a child might want to ask an adult for help. The actual directions are broken out into separate "cards," many of them illustrated. At no time and in no place is the language patronizing.

Skills your child will develop include making and handling yeasted dough; making filled, shaped, healthy pastries; slicing, mincing, and grating; seasoning with herbs and spices; sautéing, pureeing, measuring, layering, assembling; dividing, estimating, timing, deciding; separating eggs, beating egg whites, folding a puffy batter; making simple, standard sauces; and basic kitchen safety and common sense.

That's quite a list. How did you measure up when you were 8--let alone now? Here's a good chance to give your child a leg up in the kitchen, while staying out of the way. --Schuyler Ingle ... Read more

Reviews (7)

An honest cookbook
It was pretty frustrating looking for a kids' cookbook for my nephew. After looking at a few, I had seen about eight recipes for peanut butter on celery, and not a lot else.

Then I found this book. I agree with its premise, that children are not all idiots. This is the only book I found treats the young reader with respect. It's about real food, the kind that has a place at the supper table.

My nephew knew the difference, too. We made a few of the recipes, and had to scold his mother for eating too many of the cupcakes.

Most telling, his grandparents visited the week after I gave him the book. He insisted on making breakfast for them - pancakes from this book - by himself. They were impressed, and so was I when I heard about it. Not bad for age 7.

Mom of 3
We love this cookbook. How wonderful to have a cookbook that my kids love that features healthy food! I can't say enough good about it. Not only is the food healthy, it tastes great and the instructions are super easy for my 9 yo to follow all on her own.

Buy it today, you won't be sorry!

Great cookbook
I'm an 11 year old kid. You might think I'd not like cooking, but I do. This cookbook is great. I love it. Great for any kid.

Great Fun-
I decided to have my son (5) help with the cooking. Each week I let him choose one recipe from this (or Pretend Soup) and we cook together. He is eating much better, has learned a few kitchen skills, and tried new dishes. Her pictures are easy for even the younger kids to understand, but adults will still have to help with these recipes for the little ones. We now make pizza from scratch, and have more fun in the kitchen than we ever did before.

Adventurous Taste Buds
My 6-year-old used this book in a baked-art, art-baked afterschool class at school last year. Everyone had fun tasting new dishes!As a result, we chose to donate this book to our school library and have given it as birthday presents to everyone on our list! Even hard to please kids will eat something new when presented in a fun way and made together with their parents. Teaches math and science in subtle, yummy ways. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Clare Crespo's delightful debut, The Secret Life of Food will spark children's imaginations in the kitchen and give playful grownups a host of ideas for hip and colorful concoctions to serve at their next dinner party. In the quirky tradition of Play with Your Food and the whimsical work of "Surreal Gourmet" Bob Blumer , The Secret Life of Food presents 46 fun recipes--including Tarantula Cookies, Monkey Pops, and Spaghetti with Eyeballs--destined to be hits on the children's birthday and Halloween party circuit.

Some of the recipes are amazingly simple: Caterpillar Cake calls for 10 Hostess Sno Balls, two google eyes, and a handful of artfully arranged pipe cleaners; the Football Meatloaf is--you guessed it--a football-shaped meatloaf with onion slices for stitching. Standouts include Pond Pie (a plastic frog resting on the surface of a mint-green vanilla pudding pie with assorted fresh herbs peeking over the chocolate-cookie-crust perimeter), Jell-O Aquarium (a small fishbowl with Berry Blue Jell-O "water," Swedish fish, and fruit cocktail "gravel"), Flower Pot Cakes (chocolate cake baked in individual terra cotta pots, each with a single long-stemmed flower poking through the "dirt"), and Sushi Cupcakes (green Fruit Roll-Ups for seaweed, coconut frosting for rice, and dried mangoes for ginger).

Eric Staudenmaier's colorful photography and Lisa Barnett's artful food styling really makes this book sing. But would the Cherry Roses look as tempting sitting on a dessert plate as they do peeking out of a real floral bouquet? Probably not. And, granted, many of the recipes are intended as blueprints for your imagination, but more detailed instructions would have been helpful in some recipes. ("Shape the dough into insect shapes and decorate with small candies or mixed nuts" is miles away from the fanciful finished Candy Bugs flittering in the photograph on the opposite page.) Overall, though, Crespo's collection will provide hours of culinary exploration for kids and grownups alike. --Brad Thomas Parsons ... Read more

Reviews (15)

Very Fun.
If you are a creative person you might be able to come up with some of these recipes on your own. Also, some of these are listed on her webpage with the same name.

So, if you are looking for just one cute idea to take to a party, you might skip the book and visit the author's website.

If you teach young children or stay at home with them, you might find that this book is a true winner. My son loves looking at htis book. We have made some of these recipes. They are very easy to make and require mostly on hand ingredients. Some do require things we don't normally have on hand (like pink marshmellow coconut cakes.)

Everything is very easy to make. Some of the items are made from already prepared foods and just arranged to look like something else.

Very creative, very fun.
Enjoy.

Parents must have this book!
This book is yummy fun for anyone trying to coax young ones to eat - and it's fun for parents who are dying of boredom from boiled hotdogs and instant mac-n-cheese. With three kids under four years of age, I'm looking for all the inspriation I can get - and this book is it! It's a great gift for the birthday party circuit as well. Crespo has done a great job.

Food, Art and Fun.....
As Clare Crespo tells us in her introduction: "...For me, food is an art supply. I hope that these recipes will be an inspiration. Don't be afraid to come up with your own food art pieces. When you are reading a recipe, be creative. Let your cooking tell the world who you are..." Each of these 46 recipes not only offers a tasty treat, but also a feast for the eyes. Try the simple and inventive Caterpillar Cake for birthday party fun, or the Spider Web Soup on a cold or rainy night. Make lunchtime extra fun with Handwiches or Burrito Presents, and dinner more exciting with Football Meatloaf or Mutant Chicken. Kids will go gaga for Chocolate Moose, Monkey Pops, Licorice Records, Fruit Pizza, and Jell-O Aquarium. Each recipe includes a list of ingredients, simple step-by-step instructions, and marvelous photographs that are sure to whet the appetite, and get your creative juices flowing. Great for holidays, parties, and especially family fun, The Secret Life Of Food is an adventurous, no-holds-barred cookbook that makes a wonderful gift, and will delight not only the diners, but the cooks as well.

Blue Ribbon Winner
I loved this book. It helped my 10 year old friend win hir first ribbon in a county fair. She was able to do the recipe all by herself. Have bought 2, am buying more for my grandchildren.

way cute!
the author must be fun to be around- shes got tons of imagination and adorable ideas. perfect for anyone with children, or who works with children...also a great book to have on hand when planning a party for children OR adults.
the recipies are very clear and concise, with large photos and easy instructions. most recipies involve shaping food into some sort of animal, anatomy, home thing, etc.
i like this book becasue i take care of kids who won't eat without a lot of coaxing and if they sait and make soemthing with me, they are very likely to eat it (and play with it) However the only drawback is alot of the food is dessert type stuff, but there are some great entrees and vegitables too. ... Read more

Book Description

Make Delicious Foods from Many Lands and Discover Something about Different Culture

What do kids in Jamaica eat for breakfast? How can you make a delicious loaf of challah bread? Who created the first chocolate chip cookie? Let your curiosity—and appetite—run wild while you learn how to make scrumptious delicacies from cultures across the globe.

Kids Around the World Cook! takes you on a taste-bud-tingling tour to lands far and near with a fun assortment of trivia and lots of safe and easy-to-make recipes. Begin your meal in Ethiopia, as you sample the thin, pancake-shaped bread called injera, then take off to Japan, where you can make the mouthwatering traditional dinner called kushiyaki. Visit India on a hot summer day and enjoy the yummy taste of lassi, a sweet yogurt drink, and finish off your meal in Egypt with baklawa, a flaky pastry made with nuts, coconut, and butter.

Kids Around the World Cook! is a fabulous blend of fascinating facts and delicious recipes. Impress your family and friends and, best of all, sample all of the tasty results of your exciting excursions. ... Read more

Reviews (3)

Kids around the world (and in Boston) cook!
I gave this to my first grader for the holidays, and he has been glued to it for the past several months. He loves learning about all of the cultures and talking with his foodie parents about cooking. A picky eater who is trying to change his ways, he now wants to try several of the recipes after we successfully made the mac and cheese (which was delicious).

A Fun Way for Kids to Learn
This neat cook book for kids is filled with interesting recipes from around the world and is loaded with historical information about the cultures featured in the book and their foods. Want to know how the hot dog got it's name or when people first enjoyed an ice cream soda? Well, it's in this book. I've already tried a number of recipes including the nutmeg cookies from Norway, the potjiekos from South Africa, and the coconut bread from Jamaica. All were delicious! I would recommend this book to teachers, parents and kids who love to learn about different cultures through cooking. A great way to inspire youngsters and pass along a love of cooking!

Kids Around The World Cook
I enjoyed this book for several reasons. Although there are other multicultural cookbooks around, I enjoyed the way Ms. Braman was able to combine the historical and cultural facts as well as the recipes. "Cooking Up Some History" provides information such as how the ice cream soda was invented back in 1874. "Culture Link" discusses information such as how the people in Denmark make a rice pudding that is eaten at the end of Christmas dinner. In addition, she added "Tasty Tidbits" and "What's In A Name?" that further provides information about the countries and their foods. Ms. Braman's writing style flows well, the book is easy to read and the recipes are written so that children will be able to make them with minimal help from an adult. I would recommend this "tasty" book to anyone, child or adult, who enjoys cooking/historical facts. ... Read more

Reviews (12)

I love this cookbook! Great for teens and other beginners.
As a young adult librarian, and an amature cook, I have nothing but good things to say about this cookbook. I found it to be well designed, fun to read, and highly informative, but never intimidating. I've been pushing it every chance I get, and plan to buy a copy for my teenage brother...plus as a graduation gift for my cousins. The illustrations are wacky, but not childish. My favorite detail is the collection of icons used to show what catagories recipes fall into. This book is the perfect combination of entertainment and useful information!

Teens? Try College + !
This book IS fantastic! My best friend brought it over to my house and together we created a fantastic, elaborate cheesecake -- from scratch! I can make frittatas and burritos, soups and salads. This is a great cookbook for people of ANY age. We're both college seniors and love to cook, and this book is a way to make it all fun for others.

So Much Fun
One of my best friends and I love this book. We love to bake, and this book is so great. It is so much fun to read it and to cook with it. I am going to buy myself one today!

a great place to start
i bought this cookbook in junior high and i have loved it since. evelyn raab wrote the recipes in a way so that they weren't intimidating for a beginning cook. in fact it's much like receiving advice on cooking from a trusted friend. she wants you to succeed and writes in a way that makes you feel like you really can. it helped me get started with my cooking and four years later i'm still using it regularly. i highly recommend this book whether you're just starting or you've already amassed a large collection of cookbooks. no collection would be truly complete without this one.

My 2 copies stolen by my daughters!
I had my first copy taken by my daughter when she married and then the second copy taken by my other daughter when she moved off to college. I love to cook (as do my daughters) and have quite a cookbook collection, but this is the best basic cookbook I had - I am ordering another one for myself today. ... Read more

Book Description

Written by two teens who know what teens do and don’t know about cooking, TEENS COOK is an instructional cookbook that teaches young adults how to make great meals—and be confident and independent in the kitchen. Authors Megan and Jill Carle are teenage sisters with nothing much in common when it comes to food—except that they both know how to cook really well. One buys ingredients she likes and figures out what to make when she gets home; the other follows every recipe to the letter. One is a vegetarian who’s drawn to ethnic food; the other prefers all-American comfort food. Together, they’re a dynamic duo who have created and mastered more than 75 recipes for breakfasts, snacks, sides, family meals, dinners for one, and desserts. In TEENS COOK, the Carle sisters also share their kitchen know-how on averting and fixing disasters, dealing with cookbook math (fractions and metrics—ugh!), deciphering culinary vocabulary (all those terms we kind of know, but not really), explaining chemistry (why and how stuff goes right and wrong in the kitchen), and avoiding accidents (can you say "grease fire"? oops!). For teens (and tweens) who are tired of eating what their parents decide to fix, TEENS COOK offers foolproof advice for whipping up some tasty home-cooked meals of their own. ... Read more

Reviews (9)

okay book,but not brilliant.recipes are high in fat
this book claims to teach kids about healthy eating but most of the recipes it contains are of either high fat eg macaroni with LOTS and LOTS of CHEESE!!or full of SUGAR eg the chocolate desserts.
kids LOVE some of these recipes basically because theyre full of fat,one recipe we did enjoy however was the apple and cinnamon muffins,they did taste real good and one of the salads was also good(not the ceasar salad though,yuck!!)
my son(whos eight) did make the pasta and cheese dish and wouldnt eat it because he said it tasted too cheesy.he did like the slush dessert though
call me strange but i believe that a cookbook which it amined at children shoul have low fat and healthy recipes.most of the recipes here are either high in fat or high in sugar.this is a disappointment for me and my family

The best for kids
I've never come across a better book to get kids going on learning to cook... My son made us a scrumptious meal the first night he had the book! I recommend highly.

My nephews loved this cookbook!!!!!
I bought this for my young nephew for his birthday and it made him feel so grown up!! With my sister's help all three of her kids were able to easily have lots of fun making these recipes that are especially designed with kids in mind - things kids love to eat, lots of pictures, easy to follow. The kids were so eager to make dinner for the whole family!

One of the better Children's Cookbooks
This is one of the better Children's Cookbooks out there. This one reminds me of the old Betty Crocker style children's cookbooks that I grew up with. This book has a nice section on tools of the kitchen, preperation methods all fully loaded with pictures. The recipes can be prepared easily, and best of all they taste really great. The book has a wide variety of recipes too, some easy things, and some more advanced recipes so that children of all ages will be able to enjoy this one.

a great book
I bought this book for my 8 year old daughter, who loves to be with me in the kitchen. What a pleasure it has been to see her so excited about meal planning and preparation. On her very first meal, she prepared pasta in a broccoli cream sauce with orange-lemon slush for dessert. Her 4 year old brother (who rarely finishes his first helping) went back for seconds. She invited her best friend to share her meal, and she received rave reviews. She already wants to know when she can cook again. The beautiful pictures are a real plus, so kids can see what it should look like when it's finished, as well as enticing them to try new dishes. Kids Cooking covers a wide range of basic techniques and ingredients, and it is, I believe, and excellent book. ... Read more

Reviews (6)

Its True!
This book shows children that we may all be from different cultures, but in the simplest ways we are very much the same. It is a good first day of school book, or good multicultural education book!

Want Your Kids to Eat Rice?
Read this story to them. Then photocopy the recipe pages. Eating and preparing international rice recipes then become playacting, for this book is all about how, in a multicultural neighborhood, in one delightful evening, all of the households prepare special, spicy and indigenous dishes with this one simple staple. It is a story of our differences. It is a story of our similaries. Moreover, it is a celebration of how rice is the canvas upon which we paint our works of culinary imagination.

Palatable
As a story, this did not hold anyones interest for very long. However, the use of food-- rice, as the common ground for families in this multicultural neighborhood, has an understanding appeal. Simple recipes make it an ideal tool to use at home as well as in the classroom.

Hey, there are recipes!
"Go call your brother to dinner!" So starts an adventure that bridges cultural diversity as the older sister goes from house to house in her neighborhood trying to find her little brother. In each house we meet lovable neighbors, each from different parts of the world, and as the title explains, each family is preparing dinner with - - - RICE! Can you imagine why little brother is not really very hungry when he gets home?

My sons and I enjoy the colorful pictures, the contrasts in each home, and have actually used the recipes to prepare meals that we share.

Great for the multi-cultural classroom
Tihs book is a great tool to use in a multi-cultural classroom. The book teaches that although people all look different, they are also the same. When the child is sent through the neighborhood, she discovers that everybody eats rice, just in different ways. So really, everyone is the same. I read it to my class, and they loved it! :-) ... Read more