“The recipe I made is a family recipe. It represents my ethnic heritage, both the Italian and Chinese sides,” says Luca. “It also represents my home state of Hawai’i. I have made this recipe with my mom ever since I was in preschool. My mom says this is my favorite way of eating lots of spinach! The Tuscan Kale Salad is really yummy because of the garlic and the Parmesan cheese.” - Luca Casano, Age 11, Hawaii

Makes 8 Servings

Ingredients:

For the Pot Stickers:

• 1 tablespoon sesame oil
• 1 large onion, peeled and chopped
• 1 pound ground chicken breast
• 1 pound chopped frozen spinach
• 3 tablespoons ground flaxseed
• 1 large egg           
• 48 pot sticker wrappers
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 2 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce

For the Kale Salad:

• 1 bunch Tuscan kale, stems removed, leaves torn into bite-sized pieces
• 3 garlic cloves, peeled and minced
• Juice of 1 large lemon
• ¼ cup olive oil
• ¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese
• Salt and pepper to taste

For the Sorbet:

• ½ pineapple, peeled and cut, plus 1 slice cut into quarters for garnish
• 1 papaya, chopped, plus ½ papaya for serving
• Juice of ½ large lemon
• ¼ cup honey

Preparation:

1. To make the pot stickers: In a large sauté pan heat the sesame oil over medium-high heat. Add the onion and sauté for 3-4 minutes, or until softened. Add the chicken and cook, breaking the meat up with a wooden spoon, for about 10 minutes, or until cooked through. Squeeze out the excess water in the spinach then add to the pan. Add the flaxseed and egg and cook for another 5 minutes.
2. Place a tablespoon of the mixture on each pot sticker wrapper, fold in half, and seal the edges with water. Gently pleat the sides of the dough round to create a crescent shape.
3. In a nonstick frying pan, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Place a layer of pot stickers in the pan and cook, allowing the bottoms to crisp, for 3 minutes. Add ½ cup of water and steam for another 7 minutes. Repeat with the remaining pot stickers. Serve with a small dish of soy sauce for dipping.
4. To make the Kale Salad: Place the kale in a large bowl. In a small bowl, combine the garlic and lemon juice. Gradually add the olive oil, whisking until combined. Drizzle the dressing on the kale, add the Parmesan cheese, season to taste with salt and pepper, and toss to combine. Serve with the pot stickers.
5. To make the Sorbet: In a juicer or blender, process the ½ pineapple and the papaya (you will net about 2 cups of juice). Add the lemon juice and honey and blend. Add the mixture to an ice cream machine and process according to the manufacturer’s instructions (or scoop into muffin tins, cover with plastic wrap, and freeze for 1 hour). Scoop out the soft mixture and freeze until firm, at least 1 hour. Serve a large scoop of sorbet in a papaya half. Garnish with quartered slices of pineapple.

292 calories; 10g fat; 35g carbohydrates; 18g protein

Learn more:

• Check out highlights from the each Kids’ “State Dinner”
• View the 2015 Healthy Lunchtime Challenge & Kids’ “State Dinner” Cookbook