Weelicious Cookbook is a Gift That Keeps Giving

Healthy, Easy Multicultural Recipes for Kids

We are all looking for magic bullets, and the truth is, there is none.

If you want to do well in school, you study; if you want to lose weight, you exercise and eat healthy; if you want to be a good piano player, you practice.

So it stands to reason that if you want your kids to eat well, you have to set them up for success.

When kids eat poorly, it’s because we allow them to.

I met Catherine McCord through my friend Dan, the first person I ever hired at my first job out of college. I was a marketing consultant for a small computer consulting company and overworked so it was announced with great fanfare that I was allowed to hire an assistant.

This single hire changed our lives. For Dan, I was the first of a few bossy Asian female bosses that he thrived working under. For me, I hired him twice; once for that first job and then again when my own staffing company was ready to expand to Los Angeles.

The three of us placed Macintosh talent out of a small office in Korea Town back in 1988. Dan was the ambassador, able to relate equally well to both clients and talent. The talent, this being Los Angeles, were musicians who came to the Macintosh computer by way of Midi, aspiring screen play writers (no shortage of those), and graphic designers. The musicians were sent to Hollywood Records, tattoos and all. The Entertainment folks — future Hollywood Reporter 40 under 40 — were sent to Disney with strict instructions to wow the socks off their bosses.

Dan’s gift is that he can make everyone feel comfortable around him. He is  friendly but not flirty. Funny but not mean-spirited. His only character flaw is his obsession with James Joyce causing us to beg him to please stop talking about Ulysses; we didn’t even understand Dubliners! Even so, he did this not in a way to impress or intimidate with his bookish knowledge but simply because he was besotted. He even took a trip to Ireland to retrace his hero’s foot steps.

When Dan became a father, it didn’t surprise me that his son would have a name that referenced Joyce. He met Catherine through their preschool and this is how Auggie came to be happily eating food in her cookbook.

It doesn’t surprise me that he’s friends with Catherine , a model-turned-chef who is gorgeous yet down to earth. Most dads would be intimidated or act goofy or overly interested when confronted with such stunning beauty. But I think it’s also food that connects them.

In any case, I was delighted to meet Catherine through Dan and catch up on his life. New baby girl! And it was nice to finally meet Dan’s friend Catherine, the blogger, that he’s talked so much about! I’d been following her blog since Dan told me about her nearly four years ago. He mentioned that she was in NYC to meet with book publishers what seemed like three years ago. I was happy to see the results of her meeting…

Weelicious: 140 Fast, Fresh, and Easy Recipes by Catherine McCord

What’s wonderful about Weelicious is that, unlike all the other kid-friendly cookbooks out there (and I have a shelf full!) is that she presents multi-cultural recipes as if these options — miso marinated fish, enchiladas, guacamole, edamame salsa and avocado shakes — are just regular food kids love to eat.

But it’s true, kids will eat a wide range of food if it’s delicious and persistently introduced to them. My kids will eat Tapas and Dim Sum, and noodle dishes from Thailand (Pad Thai), Vietnam (Phô), Korean (Chapchae), Japan (Ramen), China (Lo Mein), and the Philippines (Pansit). They also like Cuban, Mexican, Brazilian and Hawaiian food.

Weelicious is an gorgeous cookbook with luscious color photographs and a beautiful clean layout. The recipes live up to their billing; they are fast, easy and fresh. Kids Will Eat Them simplifying mealtimes with food that everyone will enjoy. It makes a lovely holiday gift for both the family cook and kids. By getting kids to eat a wider range of food, this is a gift that gives back!

Move over Martha Stewart! There’s a new sherif in town!

Miso Marinated Fish is a good recipe to try out on kids who won’t eat fish. Inspired by Matsuhisa Nobu’s famous creation, the fish has a sweet and savory flavor coupled with a melting texture that will surely get your kids to love fish.

4 servings

1/2 cup yellow or white miso paste

2 tablespoons honey or agave nectar

1/2 cup mirin (rice wine)

1 1/2 pounds black cod or salmon fillets (or any fish you like)

1) Combine the miso, honey, and mirin in a small bowl and whisk to combine.

2) Place the fish in a glas bowl or dish and pour the marinade on top. Cover, refrigerate and marinate for 30 minutes up to 24 hours or even 2 days for a deep, rich flavor.

3) When you’re ready to cook, preheat the broiler to high.

4) Remove the fish from the marinade and place it on a foil-lined baking sheet.

5) Place the sheet in the broiler and broil for 8 to 10 minutes, until golden and bubbly.

6) Serve in Bibb lettuce cups or on top of brown rice, with steamed or sauteed baby bok choy, sugar peas or any green veggie.

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My books:

 Amazon / Signed or Inscribed by Me

Amazon / Signed or Inscribed by Me

Food for the Future: Sustainable Farms Around the World

• Junior Library Guild Gold selection
• Massachusetts Book Award Long List
• Selected as one of 100 Outstanding Picture Books of 2023 by dPICTUS and featured at the Bologna Children’s Book Fair
• Starred review from School Library Journal
• Chicago Library’s Best of the Best
• 2023 INDIES Book of the Year Awards Finalist
• Green Earth Book Award Long List
• Imagination Soup’s 35 Best Nonfiction Books of 2023 for Kids

 Amazon / Barefoot Books / Signed or Inscribed by Me

Amazon / Scholastic / Signed or Inscribed by Me