© 2008 eleanor hoh

“We really enjoyed ourselves, and it was a great bonding experience for Noah and me, before he leaves for college. I made the vege side dish last night along with a asian style baked fish....yummy....and I got my step son to prep and stir fry...good family fun.” Andrea, TV producer

“Watched your DVD, it was great. I also did beef and vegetables on Sunday, since my first effort with the shrimp and asparagus was such a hit with my family! Thanks so much for getting me started!”
Kristi Krueger, Ch.10 news anchor

“Thank You so much for letting us experience your class.....I learned so much in a short time....I will even start eating veggies....that shocking......I DID IT!!!!!!!!!!!! the stir fry was a success.....I EVEN ATE THE VEGGIES. Can't remember Beth so happy......and just as you said....my 2 little ones watched the whole time....FUN,Fun......Thanks.”
Tom, pro golf player

LEFT- Sam, 14, loves to help his mother prep and is a "Wok Star" in his own right. His favorite food is the fish he catches himself in Tampa Bay.

When I first started giving cooking classes, I was surprised American children enjoyed helping their parents in the kitchen with stir fry dishes. I discovered stir frying is very "interactive" unlike microwaving, which is just "push a button" style cooking that strips all the fun and thought out of cooking. Stir frying requires attentive monitoring of the food with all 5 senses whereas baking from a prepackaged cake mix or following recipes leaves little latitude for experimentation or creativity. Involving children in a cooking activity makes them feel they are making a worthwhile contribution to family activities beyond doing dishes and throwing out trash.

When children are involved with creating their own dinner, they are more likely to enjoy what they prepare. There is a pride in what they have created. A great kid stir fry is to let your children cook a "mini meal". Fry any kind of fruit you like in your wok with a little oil and a pinch of shredded ginger with seasonings like cinnamon or coconut flakes. Serve in a small bowl over yogurt or cottage cheese and top with nuts. This is a great balanced protein/carbohydrate "mini meal" which you can serve as a mid afternoon snack or as a dessert after dinner.

Zack (Left) came to my class with his mother Duba upon the recommendation from his older brother Brandon (who had attended an earlier class with their grandmother). Below is correspondence from Zack and Duba after the class.

“Actually, Brandon called me today and said he wants to start a cooking club at school! Amazing... and he told his teacher to take your class, gave her your card.” Duba

“I was afraid I wouldn't be able to re-create the veggies like you and draw as much excitement out of Zack.  But he was raving about the asparagus last night, and other veggies. The course was worth it for that alone!  Everyone else loved it, too.  I wasn't as deft at pushing around the wok, and I think my seasonings need tweaking, but it all was very good.  The cast iron wok makes a big difference.” Duba, writer

“Your class showed me how much I could love eating vegetables. Normally, I hate asparagus and bell peppers. Now they're my favorite because of you.  My mom made it last night, just like yours, and it tasted fantastic. Now I'm probably going to be a lot healthier because of you and the way you taught my mom how to cook. Love, Zack “  (Duba's son)

When children are involved with creating their own dinner, they are more likely to enjoy what they prepare. There is a pride in what they have created. A great kid stir fry is to let your children cook a "mini meal". Fry any kind of fruit you like in your wok with a little oil and a pinch of shredded ginger with seasonings like cinnamon or coconut flakes. Serve in a small bowl over yogurt or cottage cheese and top with nuts. This is a great balanced protein/carbohydrate "mini meal" which you can serve as a mid afternoon snack or as a dessert after dinner.

As a child, I was never tempted by sweets between meals because I didn't want to ruin my dinner. To this day, I have my mother to thank for not having to struggle with diets. I don't crave junk food because she taught me how to make healthy food taste good!

Valerie is a very busy working mom who has a two year old son, Carter... a VERY picky eater. He has problems with the colors and textures of foods and prefers crunchy fried foods like fish sticks, chicken nuggets and potato chips. (Carter probably gets this from his father, Dean, who used to only eat vegetables if they had cheese on them).

Val tries her best to introduce Carter to new foods, and she was delighted to find out that he LOVES stir-fry asparagus cooked with a little oil and garlic. She thinks it's the crunchy outside. She usually has to force feed veggies, but he shoves in one asparagus after the other as if he were eating potato chips.

If you start your children off young eating veggies stir-fried with a little oil, garlic, ginger and a squirt of tamari, you will have introduced them to a very delicious way of eating their fresh veggies. You can stir-fry most any veggies the same way, cut them about the same size, make sure you shake off as much water as possible. Keep to 2 or 3 veggies per dish with one a contrasting color like red bell pepper or carrot to give it some punch.

Val also wins my "most unusual meal prepared in a wok" award. She uses the wok to reheat her frozen foods instead of microwaving them.

Val really is a "Wok Star." Before she learned to stir fry, dinner was frozen food and take out pizza.

(Below) Val & Carter... Like mother like son

Val's problem is that since she's started cooking fresh prepared meals, she's lost her taste for frozen dinners. But because of her busy schedule, she occasionally "falls off the wagon". So here's a tip for all busy people: when you're prepping your veggies & marinading meat, prepare a little extra and store them in zip loc bags. This way, you'll have all the prepping done for another meal. You'll only have to stir-fry which just takes 5 minutes

“I defrosted 2 frozen meals this week and I'm really over it. They really do suck. I still cook all my veggies in the wok ya know. I cooked turkey sausage and mushrooms in the wok last night for my spaghetti.” Val

Some of my fondest memories of growing up in Hong Kong are the times spent in the kitchen with my 3 sisters and mother. There was lots of giggling and story telling while we helped in the prepping and we were always rewarded with a delicious meal for our efforts.

I can still smell the exotic spices and seasonings we pounded in a stone mortar and pestle. Even today, our family reunions are centered around the kitchen. Recreating those meals bring back all those wonderful childhood memories. I did not realize until I was an adult, the lessons I learned in the kitchen went far beyond meal preparation. It was an attitude, the Chinese call it "kwut tse" (a sort of "feng shui" of food). It's a personal style or or mindset that you apply to any task.