Posted by Emma Schramm on July 7, 2015
“I made this recipe because I L-O-V-E, love, pasta, and salmon is my favorite fish,” says Emma. “I made the garbanzo bean sauce because my dad used to make garbanzo beans frequently when I was four. I am always open to trying new things.” Emma serves this with a banana-strawberry smoothie. - Emma Schramm, Age 9, New Jersey
Posted by Ana Bernazzani on July 7, 2015
“When my mom immigrated to the U.S. from Venezuela with her parents, they had little money and making healthy meals for not too much money was hard. So my mom told me that they always ate beans—black beans and lentils were her favorites. And that is why I want to show you how to make our own special lentil soup—it is one of my favorite ones to make with my mom and it has a special meaning to me as well. It reminds me (and my mom) of all we, as a family, have accomplished in the U.S. and it tastes yummy too!" - Ana Bernazzani, Age 8, New Hampshire
Posted by Jack Newkirk on July 7, 2015
“My dad is my favorite person in the world. This year he is not only my dad but also my 4th grade teacher,” says Jack. “A few years ago my dad was diagnosed with Type II diabetes. Since then we have tried to change our eating habits and embrace a healthier lifestyle. Before his diagnosis, one of his favorite dishes was always Eggplant Parmesan. My mom and I decided to try to make a healthier version of this dish that we all could enjoy without feeling an ounce of guilt.” - Jack Newkirk, Age 9, Nevada
Posted by Grace Brown on July 7, 2015
“My family loves spending time together outdoors camping and fishing. We have lots of fresh produce in our garden and our dad is a really good fisherman,” says Grace. “The best thing about these fabulous fish tacos is they use all the food groups. We use whole-wheat tortillas as a grain, the fruit and vegetables add lots of nutrients, and the Greek yogurt is a great source of calcium. We've tried the recipe many times, adjusting the peppers to suit everyone.” - Grace Brown, Age 8, Nebraska
Posted by Colton Kuka on July 7, 2015
“My grandma told me about this contest and I thought it would be fun to create a recipe and to have the opportunity to dine with the First Lady at the Kids' "State Dinner,” says Colton. “I read a story about the Native American “Three Sisters.” I liked how the boy in the story came and picked the “Three Sisters” and how the corn supports the beans, and the squash helps support and protect the corn and beans, just like a family. We altered this recipe to match My Plate requirements. I first made this recipe with my grandma at my grandparents’ house.” - Colton Kuka, Age 9, Montana
Posted by Blake Koehr on July 7, 2015
“I like to be creative with combinations of ingredients and sauces and try different tastes together to see what goes best,” says Blake. “My first idea for a fun lunch recipe included wontons. My mom and I tried several different combinations and determined we needed a bigger shell. We replaced the wontons with whole-wheat tortillas. I tried various ingredients on the inside and decided on this recipe. Add a side of nectarines or peaches and you have a meal following My Plate guidelines.” - Blake Koehr, Age 12, Missouri
Posted by Bre Donald on July 7, 2015
“I was inspired to create something that was healthy, creative, and attractive,” says Bre. “There are too many people in my state, who are overweight. I want my school to start making meals that children like to eat and that are healthy so that we will not grow up to be overweight and unhealthy.” - Bre Donald, Age 11, Mississippi
Posted by Ava Nebben on July 7, 2015
“Recently, I have had to change my diet because of tummy troubles. So, for the last month, we have been eating ‘clean’ and gluten, dairy, and corn free,” says Ava. “My favorite foods are veggies and pizza, so we decided to make a pizza I could eat. It's really yummy and healthy, and I hope you love it as much as my mom and I do...and I really hope you love the secret ingredient as much as we do, too!” - Ava Nebben, Age 9, Minnesota
Posted by Eva Paschke on July 7, 2015
“I first encountered stir-fry in my seventh grade foods and nutrition class during our Asian unit. I loved it right away,” says Eva. “Therefore, I decided to create my own stir-fry recipe. I did loads of research and found out some pretty cool stuff. This has been a great experience for me. Who knew eating healthy could taste so good… or be so fun!” - Eva Paschke, Age 12, Michigan
Posted by Aster Toole on July 7, 2015
“I lived in Ethiopia until my sister and I were adopted by my mother. In Ethiopia many families do not have enough food to eat,” says Aster. “I like to cook and have learned to make healthy and delicious foods. I now live in New England and when the weather is cold our family makes soup together. We first made this soup on a cold snowy Sunday. We chopped many different vegetables, made turkey meatballs, and added beans and pasta. All of the flavors go really well together. This soup has many different ingredients mixed together so I call it Melting Pot Soup.” - Aster Toole, Age 10, Massachusetts
