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When cookbook maven Parisa Ambwani wanted to publish a volume of healthy recipes for children, “Enticing Tasty Treats,” she decided to populate it with a cast of appealing characters — a monkey dubbed Chef Chew or Chewy, along with a cat, a parrot, a cow and a swan — at the Banana Mansion Culinary School.
“I made them chefs,” Ambwani explained. “It’s so cute. In the book there is a lot of story about these five characters.”
She does not take all the credit for this fanciful tromp through the kitchen. She had a team of consultants: Bay Area youngsters, including her own grandchildren, who live in Pleasanton. Some of them tasted her food and gave her feedback. Others made drawings and paintings to illustrate the book.
Ambwani has produced several other cookbooks, all focusing on nutritious recipes with fresh natural ingredients and each with a spiritual message. She promotes eating fresh produce, wholesome foods, whole grains and foods that reduce toxins.
In her latest book, she ties in the importance of family so including her two grandchildren in the project came naturally. It emphasizes nourishing young bodies and establishing good eating habits.
“Children have to learn from their parents,” Ambwani said, encouraging parents to welcome offspring in the kitchen to prepare meals together.
“Cooking is like a language,” she noted. “It is much easier to learn from childhood.”
She planned “Enticing Tasty Treats” as a gift for parents and grandparents to use with their children. An early page focuses on safety in the kitchen: taking care with knives, peelers, appliances and ovens, and the proper handling of food.
“These recipes are for parents and children as co-participants, to work together as a team for cooking, sometimes even with young children’s ideas,” the introduction states. “This will give children more self-esteem about their cooking and teamwork. They can see and experience taste as the end results of their effort.”
“Enticing Tasty Treats” includes a chart of food groups to show how our Wheel of Life is sustained by proper nutrition. In a section about snacks, Ambwani emphasizes that these mini-meals need to be packed with nutrients as well as made appealing to children, and that healthy snacks should be taken from all the food groups.
“Good eating habits will enhance your physical, mental and emotional condition; it will also enhance your spirit,” Ambwani remembers her mother telling her as she was growing up in Iran.
Ambwani has published four other cookbooks, “Recipes from the Millennia,” “Recipes from the Heart,” “Seeds of Celestial Love and Peace” and “Human-Unity (Humanity),” which all contain her philosophy as well as wisdom about nutrition.
“Nourishment for the body and sustenance for the soul is the vast philosophy behind my writing,” she explained.
“Enticing Tasty Treats” sells for $32.95. Although its focus may be on children, the recipes are for everyone. Some of the more exotic ingredients, such as hickory liquid, Himalayan salt, almond meal, Arabic gum and chia seeds, as well as the tips and glossary, make the book an interesting read — and an inspiration to experiment with new ways to cook and eat healthy.
Ambwani will be selling and signing her book from 12-2 p.m. Oct. 18 at Whole Foods in San Ramon.
For more information, visit www.enlightenedrecipes.com.
Wholesome Banana Cookies
* 2 medium-size ripe bananas, peeled, cut into small pieces
* 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
* 1 cup rolled oats, slightly toasted but uncooked
* 1 teaspoon rice syrup
* 1/4 cup walnuts, coarsely crushed
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper.
Place bananas in blender; run blender for 30 seconds until bananas are pureed. Place bananas in mixing bowl; add vanilla, rolled oats and rice syrup. Mix gently to make soft dough and fold in walnuts. Form dough into eight balls, place on cookie sheet. Bake cookies for 8-10 minutes or until toothpick inserted into center comes out clean. Remove from oven. Cool before serving.
— Recipe from “Enticing Tasty Treats”