“Owen's severe food allergies mean that he will never be able to eat from his school cafeteria menu, or from most prepackaged lunch meals,” says Owen’s mom, Jeanae.  “He, like most kids, loves fun lunches, with loads of colors, and ways to dip them. He picked his favorite foods and created this meal to rival all prepackaged and cafeteria offerings. The ingredients are all locally sourced, and the dessert was inspired by the Louisiana Peach Festival.”

- Owen Osborne, Age 8, is the 2016 Healthy Lunchtime Challenge winner from Louisiana. 

Makes 6 Servings

INGREDIENTS

For the Chicken:

• 1 ¾ cup vegetable broth
• 1 cup brown rice
• 2 medium sweet potatoes, peeled and chopped
• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus more as needed
• Dried basil, oregano, thyme, Creole seasoning, salt, and freshly ground black pepper (optional)
• 1 pound fresh broccoli florets
• 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
• 4 skinless, boneless chicken breasts, cut into bite-sized pieces
• Barbecue sauce, soy sauce, or salsa, for dipping

For the Fruit Salsa & Cinnamon Tortilla Crisps:

• 1 apple, peeled, cored, and coarsely chopped
• 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• 2 cups strawberries, stemmed and chopped
• 2 cups peaches, peeled, pitted, and chopped
• 4 large whole-wheat tortillas
• 1 tablespoon cinnamon
• 1 tablespoon brown sugar

PREPARATION

1. Preheat the oven to 375°F. In a large stockpot, bring broth to a boil over medium heat. Add in the rice, stir and cover, reduce heat to low. Cook for 25 minutes, or until tender.
2. Meanwhile, on a large baking sheet, coat sweet potatoes lightly with 1 tablespoon olive oil, sprinkle with any seasoning you like, and bake for 30 minutes, or until tender. On a second large baking sheet, lightly season broccoli with lemon juice, salt, pepper, thyme, or any other seasonings you like. Bake on the other oven shelf for 30 minutes, alongside the sweet potatoes.
3. In a large nonstick skillet, warm remaining tablespoon olive oil over medium heat. Add the chicken and cook 6 minutes on each side, or until golden brown.
4. To make the Fruit Salsa & Cinnamon Tortilla Chips: In a large bowl, toss apples with lemon juice. Add remainder of fruit and stir. Place tortillas on nonstick baking tray, sprinkle with cinnamon and brown sugar, and place in the warm oven until slightly crisp. Remove from oven and cut into triangles or strips.
5. To Assemble: Divide the rice, broccoli, sweet potatoes, and chicken amongst the plates. Serve with the Fruit Salsa and Cinnamon Tortilla Crisps.

656 calories 15g fat 77g carbohydrates 53g protein