Parts of the Plant through Cooking

After reviewing each part of the plant, and looking at foods that we eat which ARE that part of the plant, I've tried to pick recipes to help us get more hands-on exposure.

Bulbs:
onion, garlic
We made the Butternut Squash Soup from The Waldorf Book of Soups.

Roots:
carrot, ginger
We made Gingered Carrots with Cumin and Basil (divine).

Stems:
leek, celery
We are making Chilled Celery Soup.

Lots more parts of the plant to go, but it is so fun to see the children exploring and becoming more familiar with these foods as we prepare them. This week is Stems so I could also bring in rhubarb, asparagus, Swiss chard.

Cooking also brings so much warmth to the classroom. Each child feels like a special helper, and having the smell fill the room is wonderfully cheery. We have a hot plate so I am grateful for that. There are also two ovens upstairs. Tonight my middle daughter, who is in tap class, invited her older sister for Bring a Friend to Dance Class Week and so they are off tapping up a storm and I get to be with my youngest. She and I made Ginger Pumpkin Bread (this recipe is easy and very kid friendly) and then she read me -- and her stuffed elephant -- The Story about Ping. It was so sweet! And now my house smells super yummy.