None of the students knew quite what to expect of this week’s cooking project: Moroccan stew. As Elias D. read the ingredients, Christopher V. read them in Spanish from his translated cookbook. And Hermione G. held each ingredient aloft, like a game show hostess.

Many had never tasted squash, one student said she had never had any of it, though I think she might have had tomatoes and carrots before. None of them had tasted quinoa.

“It looks like dog food,”said Christopher.

Well, he wasn’t wrong. Quinoa does not look terribly appealing in its raw form. But I assured them it doesn’t taste like dog food, and it’s packed with nutrients, and it’s a great source of protein.

It’s important to be open to trying something new, I told them, or you might miss out on something really great, not just in cooking but in life.

I asked the kids if they had ever thought they weren’t going to like something and then were surprised they did.

Sofia G. said she didn’t think she was going to like playing basketball, but she likes it so much, she has been playing for four years.

Ms. Belinda said she didn’t think she was going to like having a dog, but she fell in love with her first dog, and has had dogs for 40 years!

We spoke of Middle Eastern geography to give the students an idea of where Morocco was located, and all the spices in the recipe that are so popular in that part of the world. Elias knew that it was in North Africa. And Hermione said “It’s near where those triangle things are,” meaning the pyramids.

As they smelled all different spices in the stew, Elias immediately identified the cinnamon, and they all recognized the ginger.

They are truly budding chefs, taking great interest in the ingredients, and this week, making quick work of chopping the onions, carrots and garlic and then getting the veggies simmering on the stove.

“Mmm, that smells so good,” said Elias. “I’m hungry already!”

Once all the spices were added, the tomatoes and squash and quinoa cooked, and stirred in, it was time to add the beans, the cilantro and the slivered almonds.

“It looks so colorful!” said Ivan.

Once it was served, the students all deemed it to be “good,” but not as much as the other dishes we had made.

Ivan said he had never had quinoa or slivered almonds before and he liked them both.

“The important lesson that I learned so far,” he wrote in her journal,” is that you should always try something new. You never know if you like it or not, unless you try.”