The Definitive Guide to Cauliflower Fried “Rice” (5 Tips To Make it Grate)

I had a fork full of food ready to go for the taste test. “What will she think?”  I wondered. I was in my kitchen having just completed the evening’s dinner:  Fried Rice with Chicken and Veggies…and a twist (Of course, you can see where this is heading) My girlfriend took one bite.  “That’s good!” […]

The True Color of Cheddar

Do kids know the true color of cheddar cheese? Sadly, no.  They think it’s orange!  But that’s not true. This Fall our chef teachers will teach kids the truth behind cheddar cheese, how it became orange and how to make a tasty Grilled Cheese with Broccoli Slaw. ==>  Join the cooking class for kids that […]

5 Reflections From Visiting Italy 5 Years Later

I’m writing this Monday afternoon on a train from Venice and off to Rome.  It’s sunny and beautiful outside as the ancient city of Venice disappears into the distance. I leave behind memories of riding gondolas, eating fantastic Risotto con Mare Fristo (Seafood Mix), Pistacchio and Chocolate Gelato cones and, one of the best parts, […]

How To Make My FAVORITE Pasta

Over the course of my culinary career I’ve learned how to make many different sauces to accompany pasta. Off the top of my head here are a few sauces I like: Pesto, Marinara, Alfredo, Vodka, Puttanesca, Aglio e Olio, Creamy Marinara (aka Pink Sauce) and Ragu. But my favorite pasta of all time is, hands-down, […]

A Day at LIFT Enrichment Summer Camp

Tommy, an 8-year-old student who had taken a Lego Robotics class at his elementary school, woke up with a spring in his step.   Camp was about to begin! His mom, Debra, drove him to Santa Monica and parked in front of the First Methodist Church, on 11th Street near California.  Up ahead a sign […]

LEGOs Increases A Child’s Spatial Reasoning

Playing with Legos can improve a developing young mind.  Today we’ll dive into the research study that backs this up. Shouldn’t all kids have access to a Lego Robotics program that will improve their minds? We think so 🙂 A recent study by Jirout & Newcombe of Rhodes College and Temple University titled “Building Blocks […]

Good at building LEGOs? You’re probably also good at math, study shows

        A study from the University of Derby shows that kids who performed well on a Lego building task also excelled in math. The study worked with 96 children between the ages of 7-14.  The kids were given a Lego building task geared toward their age.  Those who did well were found […]

Understanding Gelato Compared to Ice Cream: 3 Key Differences! (Perfect for Summer)

It’s hard to explain what is gelato to those who have not experienced it at its best in Italy.  Gelato means “frozen” in Italian and is comparable to ice cream but there are a few key differences 3 Differences between gelato and ice cream 1)  Gelato has less cream than ice cream.  Typically, gelato has […]

What To Do When You Have Two (Different) Passions

There’s an internal conflict within LIFT Enrichment. For over 7 years in business, we’ve excelled at just TWO things: Lego Robotics and Cooking classes for kids. But those two programs are pretty different, as you can imagine.

3 Tips For How To Make Nachos Without An Oven (plus origin story!)

Can you make nachos without an oven?  If so, how are you going to melt the cheese? Do you have a blow torch handy? If not, read on ahead to find out how we teach kids to make Nachos Especiales in our after-school Cooking class with no oven in site.