"At science class, we did an awesome project. We had to keep record for a week of all the food we ate at breakfast, lunch, and dinner, and also the snacks,” says Karla. “That made me more aware of the importance of eating healthy. Since I am a fan of salmon with white rice, I am making a variation and replacing the rice with salad. The salmon is so easy to prepare that I do it myself. For the salad, I help my mom in the preparation to make sure there are no secret ingredients." - Karla Gonzalez, age 10, Puerto Rico

Makes 2 servings

Ingredients:

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 2 4-ounce salmon fillets
• ½ teaspoon low-sodium salt
• ½ teaspoon white ground pepper
• ½ teaspoon parsley, optional
• 1 head of lettuce, shredded
• ¼ cup diced tomatoes
• ¼ cup shredded carrots
• ¼ cup corn
• ¼ cup tortilla strips
• ¼ cup shredded low-fat mozzarella and cheddar mix
• 2 teaspoons lemon-and-herb vinaigrette or healthy dressing of your choice

Preparation: 

1. In a large sauté pan, warm the oil over moderate heat. Season the salmon with salt, pepper, and parsley and cook for 5 minutes, then flip over and cook for 4 more, or until golden and firm.
2. In a large salad bowl, add the lettuce, tomatoes, carrots, corn, tortilla strips and cheese. Drizzle with the dressing and toss well. When the salmon is ready, put each fillet on a plate with half the salad and serve.

425 calories; 26g fat; 18g carbohydrates; 31g protein

More information about the Kids' State Dinner:

• Check out the other winning 2014 Kids' State Dinner Recipes here.
• Learn more about Kids' State Dinner here.