Posted by Aliana Arzola-Piñero, Puerto Rico on July 8, 2013
“I practice rhythmic gymnastics, and my coaches always talk about the importance of good nutrition. They advise us to eat a balanced diet, including veggies,” says Aliana. “My mom loves eggplants. I do not like eggplants that much; they have millions of seeds! However, I do love pasta, so we came up with this recipe: eggplant lasagna rolls. We combined the eggplant with other veggies.
“We eat a lot of salmon in Oregon because it is a super healthy and delicious local fish,” says Audrey. “Fried rice makes a great lunch because it combines protein, grains, and veggies all in one meal. I can even take it in my lunch box! My favorite thing to make with it is Caprese salad. My mom lets me cut cherry tomatoes in half and mix them with fresh mozzarella, basil, and olive oil to serve with the fried rice.
“Me and my mom love to be in the kitchen! I was in Mandarin immersion at my school for three years, and when we had Chinese dumplings, I became interested in Chinese food,” recalls Cecily. “Mom and I experimented with these delicious Chinese-style lettuce cups. I love how the crunchy lettuce, peanuts, and veggies go with the tender rice.
Posted by Owen Kerkvliet, South Dakota on July 8, 2013
“I do not like eating vegetables when they are plain on my plate at home,” admits Owen. “My mom hides vegetables in the food she makes sometimes, and she doesn’t tell me they are in there until I am done eating. My mom and I came up with the recipe together. I love lasagna, and we hid the vegetables in the lasagna. I would serve it with grapes, my favorite fruit.” - Owen Kerkvliet, age 9, South Dakota
“When I went grocery shopping with my mom, I came across quinoa in the grains aisle, so we decided to try it,” says Devanshi. “I guess it tastes really good, so my mom and I created a burger recipe, which includes quinoa, a good source of protein. My healthy and delicious recipe can be served with a side dish of Super Scrumptious Strawberry Salad,” which has spinach, strawberries, and red onion.
“My mommy and I bake lots of muffins to raise awareness for Down syndrome. I walk in ‘Walk for Success’ each year with my family and almost always win a medal,” says Makenna.
Posted by Sakari Clendinen, Virgin Islands on July 8, 2013
“On the weekend, we make pancakes from scratch in shapes that go along with family celebrations. These have a healthy twist and are delicious,” says Sakari. “At first we were going to use sour cream, but I don’t like that. So we made a cream cheese and yogurt mixture that I love.
Posted by Campbell Kielb, Virginia on July 8, 2013
“Campbell has autism, and the changes we have made in our family’s diet— eliminating processed foods and replacing with fresh fruits, veggies, and meat—have had the most effective impact on his behavior along with ABA therapy,” says his mom, Erin. “He has embraced this new lifestyle and loves to help me cook. So when we read about this challenge, he wanted to create something new.
Posted by Liam Kivirist, Wisconsin on July 8, 2013
"We love cooking with garden vegetables, which on our Wisconsin farm we grow," said Lisa Cindy Kivirist. "We raise veggies with compost, mulch and love. Organic agriculture is what we know. But our favorite chili recipe comes with two twists: First, pumpkin adds a dash of sweet. Garden tomatoes, onions, garlic, and peppersh ive it fresh, delicious flavor that can’t be beat. The second twist is how we cook on the farm.
Posted by Amber Kelley, Washington on July 8, 2013
“Lasagna is delicious, but the noodles do nothing for you, and it can be super greasy. So we created this easy-and-fun-to-make, gluten-free, healthy lasagna packed with flavor,” says Amber. “It uses zucchini as the noodles, and trust me, it tastes so good, we eat the whole pan every time! We serve it with a big green salad, and sometimes a piece of gluten-free toast on the side.
Posted by Colin Hurliman, Vermont: on July 8, 2013
“I chose this recipe because it uses ingredients that Vermont is known for. Some of my favorite Vermont products are apples, maple syrup, and cheese,” says Colin. “Champ is the mascot of our local baseball team. He is active and fun and I bet he would love this burger! I bet he would also be happy that so many fruits and vegetables are hidden in the burger.
"My mom and I make this to have something ready fast when we have busy mornings," says Mac. "We change it up all the time depending on what vegetables we have. We use rice or pasta, too, if it's left over. Sometimes we add basil, pesto, and cheese. We could also add some beans or cut-up chicken. We make a bigger recipe and have some for dinner and pack the rest in our lunches.
“I love warm comfort foods, and one of my favorites is chili and cornbread,” says Breeze. “My favorite fruit and veggies are strawberries and zucchini, so if you add the zucchini to the cornbread and serve strawberries on the side, you have the perfect healthy meal.” - Breeze Petty, age 11, Wyoming
Posted by Jessica Wolfe, West Virginia on July 8, 2013
“I was born in China and adopted as a baby. Even though I haven’t lived in China for a long time, I still love Chinese flavors,” says Jessica. “This is a traditional Chinese dish called ma-po tofu that my mom and I added a lot of vegetables to, so it’s healthier and easier to eat at lunch.
"My mom and I came up with this recipe when I was very young and it has always been one of my favorites. I eat the muffins various times during the day with a big glass of fat-free milk," says Regan. "Last November I was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes and Mom and I had to go back and work on the recipe to get the carbohydrate count down. You could take out the walnuts, but there goes your protein.
