This past weekend beijingkids helped organize an event with Element Fresh at their Sanlitun location. By help, we mainly just did what we do best and brought the people, but due to it being a free cooking class, where they were explaining the TLC that goes into making their Cobb Salad, this event took little convincing. All we had to do is throw out the news that this was happening to two, maybe three WeChat groups and wait. Element Fresh provided all of the ingredients for a fun kid-friendly event that also promoted healthy nutritional habits.

It started with the kids gearing up in cute pink or blue aprons and cooking hats, so as not to make a mess on their weekend attire and then continued with a bilingual explanation of all of the components that make a perfect Cobb Salad. The laughter and playfulness of the children quickly took its course and very soon after there was a table of little people diligently preparing their meal.

It was interesting to check out how the recipe was slightly altered by each kid in attendance to best suit their tastes, with some of the final products essentially becoming cheese salads. Can you blame them though? Cheese is delicious!

Finally, the kids and parents were both able to enjoy the fruits of their labor, and an all out salad party quickly ensued. Every parent knows that it isn’t an easy task to get your kid to eat veggies, but maybe we are going about introducing kids to their greens in the wrong way. We watched pleased as everyone in attendance were not only enjoying their salad but leaving with the ability to build one of their own at home. It’s possible that if we just allow our kids to contribute to making supper, by putting them in charge of building a salad every evening, filled with things they like, then they will be more inclined to eat it without protest. Everyone wins!

Thank you Element Fresh for the enlightening experience, and we hope that there will be more opportunities for kids in the future to learn about whipping up easy but healthy things in the kitchen, as it is essential for these dining habits to be developed early on.

Photos: Nate Ren

Weekends we seem to be spending more time looking for fresh, cool air, that’s why me and my daughter headed to Solona mall last weekend to shop around and take a look at some of the new stores. I wanted to have brunch at a restaurant that wasn’t only healthy, but also child-friendly, which led us to Element Fresh.

Every time I ask my daughter if she wants brunch she thinks we are going to EAST Hotel, Beijing for half a day filled with playing and food. It was time to show her that brunch is served in different ways and at different locations. The kids menu at Element Fresh is great with food prices ranging between RMB 30 and RMB 55. The menu has something for all little taste buds like pasta, tuna melts, and pizza. These are all packed with hidden veggies for the fussy toddler.

My daughter had the kids pizza and I had a salmon and avocado sandwich from the brunch menu. They accommodate kids with special chairs and coloring accessories. I have been to several Elements Fresh around town but have not seen one with a play area, which is a pity as it would definitely result in me hanging out longer with my daughter. The pizza arrived and devoured in record time. The sandwich required some waiting but was great none the less.

For a fuss free family lunch, Element Fresh is one of the options at Solona Mall, or their various other locations about town, and is always a safe bet as they have an English menu and at least one waiter that will speak English. For locations and more information take a look at their website here.

Pictures by Pauline and Pixabay

Want millions of people to debate your very own dish at a popular local restaurant? Have that desire to share those delicious fall/winter recipes? Then Element Fresh wants you to help create their upcoming fall/winter menu with your very own recipe. The family friendly restaurant chain with branches in Beijing and Shanghai collaborated with China’s Grand Slam Champion, LiNa on a number of dishes since last year. These are a must try for anyone who hasn’t. We personally like the salads and smoothies (the avocado coconut smoothie is a healthy delight that rescues the sweet and savory areas of your tongue from the blandness of all other everyday smoothies).

If you wish to win RMB 10,000 cash and have a tasting with the champ then scan the QR code in the above image and start working. The recipe will have to use superfood ingredients for tingling the tastebuds and prove nutritious. Follow the instructions on the submission site and start promoting on your wechat to convince friends and fiends to vote for your dish. The competition deadline is June 6, 2016.

Good luck and hopefully, we can get at taste of your dish in the new menu very soon.

Photo: Courtesy of Element Fresh

Two names associated with a healthy lifestyle, recently retired tennis star Li Na and Shanghai-based restaurant chain Element Fresh, are serving up a new spring/summer menu called the Element Fresh & Li Na Vitality Series.

“I am more than an athlete, with many roles to play. I love the challenges, the diversity of my life and I love fresh food, the source of vitality!” Li said of her new turn in the kitchen.

The first three entrees in this series are: Blue Cheese, Chicken and Apple Salad (an American-style chopped salad featuring grilled chicken breast, blue cheese, California raisins, apple, crispy bacon, chopped lettuce, and honey-mustard dressing); Warm Spinach Salad and Salmon Fillet (flash sautéed fresh spinach, carrots, edamame, green lentils, and yellow bell peppers with seared salmon, finished with grilled cucumber flowers and lemon-tarragon dressing); and Fire and Ice Tuna (spicy ahi tuna grilled medium rare, ice greens with cucumber, jicama, and wasabi vinaigrette, and kombu potato salad with shiso and sesame).

Li, who is expecting her first child this summer, is also touting two fresh shakes: the Red Dragon (a combination of orange and red dragon fruit); and the Avocado-Coconut Smoothie (fresh avocado, coconut milk, bananas, spinach).

Wait, avocado, coconut milk, and spinach?

We stopped by Element Fresh in Tai Koo Li Thursday night to taste that last item. The mix of coconut and avocado made it probably the creamiest smoothie we’ve ever had. While the green color speaks of avocado and spinach, the taste is all coconut. It’s a pretty nice addition for the warm-weather menu.

The Element Fresh & Li Na Vitality Series menu items are incorporated into the Element Fresh Spring/Summer 2015 menu, look for the distinctive red logo to try them.

This post first appeared on thebeijinger.com on April 3, 2015.

Photos courtesy of Element Fresh

Seen on Beijing Exchange: The Indigo branch of Element Fresh has a new play area for kids! If you’re not familiar with this healthy Shanghai chain, click here for a review from our January/February 2013 issue.

For a guide to the area in and around Indigo Mall, check out our What’s Fun In article from March 2013.

Photo by Saskia Bowers via Beijing Exchange