Posted by Ahlissa Pierce, Virgin Islands on July 15, 2014
"My mom always said that it was important to eat different-colored vegetables, but it wasn’t until I saw a beautiful rainbow last week that I felt encouraged to add colorful vegetables to my mother’s traditional chicken soup,” says Ahlissa. “Adding these vegetables to soups is an easy way to try new vegetables. My soup has 13 different vegetables in it.
"My lunch is a variety of color, flavor, and fun. Looking down at the plate it is like a rainbow,” says Grace. “I am a strong believer that a meal should look good and taste good. It should please your eyes and your stomach. This was an easy lunch I whipped up in no time." Grace likes to finish the meal with Greek yogurt with fresh fruit and a drizzle of honey. - Grace Wetzler, age 12, Oregon
"Personally, I really love pumpkins, so one day I thought, Why not?” says KyAnn. “My mom is always making stuffed peppers, and really I don't like peppers, so I decided to try pumpkins. I would pair it with a side salad or some fresh strawberries from the garden." - KyAnn James, age 11, Wyoming
Posted by Ranger Lemaster, Oklahoma on July 15, 2014
"My kids love any snacks with dip,” says Ranger’s mom, Ashley. “We came up with this recipe as a healthy alternative to some of the chip-and-dip options out there. It is just as good with baked tortilla chips or whole-grain pita wedges as it is with celery sticks. We would include a side of fresh fruit, as this recipe lacks nothing else.
Posted by Sarah Ganser, Wisconsin on July 15, 2014
"My family loves warm, healthy soup on a cold Wisconsin day. The sweet potatoes, spices, and peanut flavors make this soup one of my all-time favorites,” says Sarah. “The sweet potatoes, vegetables, and beans provide plenty of fiber and plant proteins to keep us going all day. The stew also helps lower our cholesterol and helps prevent cancer, which my family cares a lot about.
Posted by Adrianna Nelson, West Virginia on July 15, 2014
"I love to create healthy recipes because I feel great when I eat healthy. Couscous is my favorite side, and it's very tasty,” says Adrianna. “I decided to use couscous in my yummy stuffed peppers that are filled with my favorite veggies. I would serve fresh fruit salad as dessert!" - Adrianna Nelson, age 9, West Virginia
"I came up with my recipe because I love Italian food, and wanted to share my recipe with everyone!” says Abigail. “I love fresh ingredients, especially in the summertime, going to the farmers’ market with my mom to shop. I have included my ‘sunshine’ in the recipe, and it is a tangerine with fresh strawberries.
Posted by Maliha Amarsi, Washington on July 15, 2014
"I enjoy salmon and I love maple syrup, so I mixed them together,” says Maliha. “And hot soup on a cold day makes me warm and happy inside.” Maliha serves this with a Caesar salad and adds, “Crunchy salad is fun to eat." - Maliha Amarsi, age 9, Washington
Makes 4 servings
"I wanted a food that would last from lunchtime until after a gymnastics practice or a swim team practice,” says Sophie. “I like to experiment with my mom in the kitchen, so I started experimenting with ingredients to come up with something I could eat for lunch to keep me energized all afternoon. I added chia seeds because my mom likes to sprinkle them on our meals. She says they add some protein. I like to have a fruit salad on the side.
"I have made this because I am half Chinese, so I wanted to make a stir-fry,” says Iris. “We have a family garden, so I appreciate fresh vegetables. My recipe is lactose-free because I am lactose-free. This is one of my favorite dishes!" - Iris Hsiang, age 10, Vermont
Makes 4 servings
Posted by Yonah Kalikow, Massachusetts on July 15, 2014
"My family and I were cleaning out our house for Passover,” says Yonah, “and I wanted to give myself a challenge. I used ingredients that we needed to get rid of for Passover for the burger. Then I thought, kale is a very big power food, and I have it a lot and enjoy it, so why don’t I make a salad with it? I was thinking that most burgers come with coleslaw, so I made a kale slaw instead." - Yonah Kalikow, age 10, Massachusetts
Posted by Esther Matheny, Maryland on July 15, 2014
"My family believes in making things from scratch and not using canned or preserved food,” says Esther. “It is healthier and tastier to use nutritious ingredients and make it yourself. Plus, it’s much more fun to do! It is also a good idea to use local ingredients, which is why I chose a Maryland fish. This is because it prevents pollution and the great use of fuel.
"Cooking is one of my passions! I like my mom to give me ingredients and time me while I create my own unusual dishes,” says Sienna. “I asked my mom to give me three ingredients to start the process: She gave me a sweet potato, a red Fresno chile pepper, and an avocado. I used these as a starting point and then added other ingredients. I just went to the Boston Museum of Science to see an exhibit about chef Ferran Adrià.
"My Dad and I came up with this idea. We often have lunch or brunch at friends’ houses or at our house,” says Moira. “They are good for lunch, breakfast, or a snack! I'd serve them with fresh salsa. They fit easily in a lunch box, and travel well. Every time you make a frittata, you can change the ingredients and that will change the flavor.
Posted by Lucy Fairhead Hickerson, Kentucky on July 15, 2014
"My mom and I went to an event called The Taste of Diversity. I tasted three different kinds of pockets from different places in the world,” says Lucy. “I decided to make a pocket. We talked about different kinds of filling, and we decided to start with some of my favorite vegetables, sweet potatoes and kale. I said that our recipe was like an Indian samosa, a Spanish empanada, and an Asian spring roll all at the same time.
