Fruity Chicken and Rice Salad Recipe

Emma Williams of Harding Academy, Searcy, AR., won a “Chef for a Day” with her whole grain recipe, Fruity Chicken and Rice Salad. Emma cooks a lot with her family. From that experience, she has learned to incorporate MyPlate guidelines in her every day eating. She showed us that by adding whole grain, brown rice and kid-friendly ingredients to this recipe entry.

“I came up with this recipe so I could make a fast and healthy school lunch instead of ‘just’ a plain sandwich.” – Emma

Fruity Chicken and Rice Salad

Servings: 8-10

Ingredients
1 (13 oz.) can chicken breast meat, packed in water
1 (20 oz.) can crushed pineapple, in own juices
½ c. dried cranberries
1 c. cooked brown rice
1 medium red apple, diced
¼ c. low fat mayonnaise
1 pkg. whole wheat sandwich thins

Steps:

1. Drain and flake the chicken into a mixing bowl.
2. Drain the canned pineapple and add to the mixing bowl along with the cranberries, rice and apples. Mix well.
3. Fold the mayonnaise into the bowl ingredients and coat well.
4. Serve as a sandwich with lettuce leaves, or on a lettuce bed as a salad, garnished with dried cranberries or sliced apples.
5. Serve either recipe variation with a glass of skim milk to include all 5 MyPlate food groups in this lunch meal.
6. Store leftover salad mixture in a refrigerated airtight container for up to 4 days.

For more award-winning recipes from the 2012 Stirring Up Health Recipe Contest, click here.

PB and T (Peanut Butter and Tuna) Recipe

This specialty PB&T(Peanut Butter and Tuna) recipe won Justin Brownell a “Chef for a Day” at his junior high school in Wappingers Falls, NY, by entering the “Stirring Up Health™” recipe contest.  Justin enjoys getting into the kitchen to try healthy foods and new tastes. “After eating at a Thai restaurant and liking a seafood dish with peanut sauce, I tried to create something similar to fix at home,” he explained. Justin realizes he feels better and is able to perform better at school and during afterschool sports when he’s eating healthy foods.

PB&T
Serves: 3

Ingredients
2 Tbsp. natural creamy peanut butter
1 Tbsp. fresh lime juice
½ Tbsp. rice wine vinegar
½ tsp. low sodium soy sauce
1 garlic clove, minced
½ tsp. ginger
½ tsp. curry powder
1 tsp. sweet red chili sauce
2 Tbsp. low fat mayonnaise
½ tsp. freshly ground pepper
1 (5 oz.) can tuna, packed in water (*Can substitute canned chicken for a PB&C)
2 Tbsp. fresh cilantro, chopped
2 Tbsp. scallions, sliced
2 Tbsp. walnuts, chopped
¾ c. red cabbage, thinly sliced
6 baby carrots, thinly sliced
1 small red bell pepper, thinly sliced
3 small whole wheat sandwich wrappers

Steps:

1. Microwave the peanut butter for 30 seconds in a medium-size microwavable mixing bowl.
2. Whisk the heated peanut butter and add the next 9 listed ingredients, mixing well.
3. Drain the canned tuna and add to the mixing bowl, along with the cilantro, scallions and walnuts. Toss the ingredients.
4. Spread 1/3 of the tuna mixture in the middle of each sandwich wrapper.
5. Top each wrapper with 1/3 each of the red cabbage, carrots, and red bell pepper.
6. Roll the wrappers up by folding in the long sides first, then rolling from bottom to top, as tight as possible.
7. Cut in half on the diagonal.
8. Serve with 1% or skim milk and fresh fruit to include all 5 MyPlate food groups in this meal.

For more award-winning recipes from the 2012 Stirring Up Health™ Recipe Contest, click here.

Introducing the 2012 Stirring Up Health Recipe Contest Winners!

I am thrilled to share the winners of the Stirring Up Health™ National Middle School Recipe Contest this week! Congratulations to Justin, Emma, and to the Switzerland County Middle School FACS class! Winner’s classrooms will experience an entertaining and educational visit from a Johnson & Wales University Chef!

The 2012 award winning recipes are:

PB&T (Peanut Butter and Tuna) – Justin Brownell of Van Wyck Junior High School, Wappingers Falls, NY.

Fruity Chicken and Rice Salad – Emma Williams of Harding Academy, Searcy, AR.

Brunch Egg Casserole – Kelli Hart, Abby Christman and Paige Works of Mrs. Marzon’s class of Switzerland County Middle School, Vevay, IN.

Click on 2012 Stirring Up Health™ National Middle School Recipe Contest to see their award winning recipes and learn more about the Chef for a Day Grand Prize!

The recipe contest is an interactive tool that Healthy Kids Challenge and our partners Johnson & Wales University and Home Baking Association use to help kids learn to eat, move and enjoy a healthy balance. Students create or modify recipes to make them healthier while also setting individual healthy goals. Creativity flows when you get middle school students in the kitchen!

New Kids’ Contests for Making Half Your Plate Fruits and Vegetables

    

I have some exciting new kids’ contests to share with you as we come to the end of “Fruits & Veggies-More Matters” month!

• The first one is the Stirring Up Health National Middle School Recipe Contest.
  • The goal is to engage the kids you know to create or modify a recipe to make it healthier, using USDA MyPlate guidelines. Two of the categories are Fruits and Vegetables.
  • The contest is open September 1, 2011 – March 2, 2012 to all kids currently enrolled in 7th or 8th grade. Prizes include: Chef for a Day for 5 National Winners: A J&W University chef will prepare YOUR recipe with you at a school or youth group event!
  • Go to the Kids’ Recipe Contest web page for entry rules, sample recipes, and past winners with the chefs who came to their schools!

• The second one is the MyPlate Fruits & Veggies Video Challenge.
  • Create short videos (approximately 30 seconds) showing how you’re adding fruits and vegetables to your diet without spending a lot of money.
  • 3 categories:
    • Tips for kids
    • Tips when eating at home
    • Tips when eating away from home
  • The goal of the challenge is to encourage healthy eating habits using MyPlate, which includes making half your plate fruits and vegetables.

• The third one is, admittedly, not a contest but a pledge. We think it’s so important that you personally take action that I want to challenge you to take this pledge today. It’s to join America’s More Matters Pledge for fruits and veggies. You could make this one into a contest by challenging kids to see which class or group can have the most taking the pledge!

It has been fun to share all these resources with you this month. Let me know if you want more along this line!

Related articles

• 5 Kids Activities for Fruits & Veggies-More Matters Month (healthykidschallenge.wordpress.com)
• Favorite Kids’ Fruit and Vegetable Cooking Activities (healthykidschallenge.wordpress.com)
• Continue the MyPlate series? Start a new one? (healthykidschallenge.wordpress.com)

Students Win Recipe Contest, Chef for a Day

Kids Healthy Recipe Contest Winners Announced!

Healthy Kids Challenge and featured sponsor, Del Monte, along with educational partners, Johnson & Wales University and Home Baking Association are pleased to announce the winners of the Stirring Up Health™ National Middle School Recipe Contest. Winners’ classrooms will experience an entertaining and educational visit from a Johnson & Wales University Chef!

The 2011 award winning recipes are:

Creamy Mandarin Orange Meringues - Stephanie Williams ofHardingAcademy,Searcy,AR

Fruity Tarts  - Sara Wright of Southern Regional Middle School, Manahawkin, NJ

A+ Sloppy Sandwiches – Mrs. Henry’s OAA Reading Class: Tawnya Rufener, Andrew Hackney, Destinie Devore and Beau Milburn of Claymont Junior HighUhrichsville,OH

Click on 2011 Stirring Up Health Middle School Recipe Contest to see their award winning recipes and learn more about the Chef for a Day Grand Prize!

Creativity flows when you get middle school students in the kitchen! The recipe contest is yet another Healthy Kids Challenge interactive tool to help kids learn to eat, move and enjoy a healthy balance. Students create or modify recipes to make them healthier while also setting individual healthy goals.

Fruity Quinoa Salad Recipe

2010 Recipe Contest Winner Matt Bernards' Fruity Quinoa Salad

Matt Bernards of Yamhill-Carlton Intermediate School, Yamhill, OR., submitted his “Fruity Quinoa Salad” side dish recipe combining trendy quinoa and fruit with creative ingredients. Matt has entered recipe contests in 4-H, county and state fairs, but this contest required healthy recipe ingredients and challenged him to consider healthy lifestyle changes.

“I love to put fruit in my food; it gives it a great fresh and sweet taste.” — Matt

Recipe Name: Fruity Quinoa Salad

Recipe Category: Meal Side Dish

Servings: 6-8

• 1 c. dry quinoa
• 15 oz. can black beans, drained and rinsed
• 15 oz. can Del Monte Canned Peach Chunks, drained
• 1 c. fresh baby spinach leaves
• ½ c. sweetened, dried cranberries
• 1/3 c. toasted pecans, rough chopped
• Dressing: 15 oz. can Del Monte Lite Apricot Halves

Steps:

1. Cook quinoa according to package directions.
2. Once cooked, place in a large bowl to cool for a few minutes.
3. Add the black beans, peach chunks, baby spinach, dried cranberries, and pecans to the bowl and mix lightly.
4. In a food processor, add the apricots and juice. Process until smooth.
5. Pour the apricot dressing over the salad ingredients and stir. Serve.

“I played basketball this year and I’m trying track. I’m eating healthier… getting stronger and feeling better. I’m going to keep this up!”–Matt

For more recipes and info, visit the National Stirring Up Health Middle School Recipe Contest page.

It’s Time For Healthy School Lunches

Healthy school lunches are a major component of solving the childhood obesity issue.  As with many potential solutions to the childhood obesity epidemic, it is up to all of us to work together – schools, organizations, parents, to name only a few – to produce healthy, yet tasty, school lunches for our children. 

For schools, we know the U.S. Senate has passed a $4.5 billion bill, S. 3307 the Healthy, Hunger Free Kids Act of 2010, which requires healthier school meals and snacks.  A great description of “what the bill will actually do”if Congress passes it can be found at planetgreen.com. 

The House bill, H.R. 5504 – Improving Nutrition for America’s Children Act, has been described as improving meal quality, expanding access and filling nutritional gaps by the House Committee on Education and Labor.  These are undeniably important pieces of legislation for our entire nation of children, but I have to say they are only a first step because Congress has not acted yet to pass anything into law.  After that occurs, and I believe it will, it will be up to the USDA to decide the details such as what the National School Lunch program standards will look like from now on.  I’ve already blogged about the outdated standards and just one simple solution we offer for school meal programs here:  Solutions:  School Meal Policies. 

Some interesting healthy school lunch articles recently include:

1.  School Nutrition: Healthier Ingredients, More Education For 2010-11

2.  Fresh Fruits, Vegetables For 188 Illinois Schools

3.  A Nibble Here, and a Nibble There

All this says that school lunch is a hot topic, and at the risk of repeating myself, it’s going to take all of us working together to get it right.  So, let’s move away from the schools themselves for now and look at some organizations who are already taking action. 

Of course I have to mention your very own Healthy Kids Challenge has resources, success stories, such as School Foodservice Makes a Healthy Impact, and can provide training to help make school lunches healthy. 

Others include the School Nutrition Association’s new website Tray Talk.  It features school nutrition success stories, and they want you to sign up for updates on how Tray Talk works with parents and partners to provide the best possible school meals.  Have I mentioned working together somewhere before?  Now, give just 2 minutes and 11 seconds of your day for an absolutely inspiring Tray Talk video.

Remember that Let’s Move and the USDA have announced the Recipes for Healthy Kids Challenge.  That’s right – read it again – It says Healthy Kids Challenge, but it’s a whole new challenge now for all of us to create recipes for healthy kids to be included in school lunches across the country.

Healthy Kids Challenge proudly joins Let’s Move in taking the Challenge for school nutrition professionals, students, parents, and others to create recipes for healthy kids.  In fact, if you have participated and/or won our National Middle School Recipe Contest, Stirring Up Health, we encourage you to submit your recipes to this new contest. 

The deadline for the Let’s Move Recipes for Healthy Kids Challenge is December 30, 2010. 

The deadline for the Healthy Kids Challenge Stirring Up Health Recipe Contest is March 12, 2011.

Finally, parents, do you need some ideas for healthy school lunches?  Here are 3 simple tips:

1.  Include foods from at least 3 different food groups:  Lean protein foods, whole-grains, and a fruit and/or vegetable.

2.  Involve the kids.  Involving kids in making lunch choices, and even preparation, increases the likelihood the lunch will be eaten.

3.  Keep a list of simple meal ideas handy, such as the ones on Healthy Meals…Fast

Let’s work together everybody.  Let’s Move!

Stirring Up Health Winners!

Let’s give a shout out to all our recipe contest winners this week! This year’s Stirring Up Health™ National Middle School Recipe Contest was sponsored by Del Monte. In addition, educational partners Johnson & Wales University and Home Baking Association join us in congratulating the 5 winners on the delicious results. Each year we challenge middle schoolers nationwide to create healthy recipes or modify favorites to make them healthier. It’s never an easy task to choose the best 5, and this year was no exception! Check ‘em out!

Fruity Quinoa Salad by Matt
Healthy Breakfast Pita Pockets by Hannah
Fruity Snowballs by the Cupcake Girls: Christine, Alexandra, & Shannon
Spinach Spin-Wheels by Conrad
Healthy Kid’s Cocktail Cubes by Joshua & Micah

Be sure to test out the 10 Runners-Up as well – Their hard work deserves recognition!

Healthy Kids Challenge: See our New Face!

Healthy Kids Challenge wants to show you our updated Web site home page! Its colorful, easy to maneuver, and simplifies finding healthy eating and physical activity solutions for your kids.

See some of the “Take Action for Kids Today” ideas that might work for your kids’ school or your community:

• Walk Through the Pyramid, an interactive display of MyPyramid food groups.
• Dance for Health, a healthy fundraiser.
• Stirring Up Health recipe contest, providing kids the chance to have fun while learning basic cooking skills.

Blog with us to network and see what others are doing successfully to get kids moving and enjoying healthy foods!

Make sure to sign-up for the My Healthy Challenge monthly mailing challenging individuals and/or groups to try healthy behaviors.

Explore all that Healthy Kids Challenge has to offer!

Stirring Up Health Recipe Contest

7th and 8th graders across the nation – this recipe contest is just for you! Healthy Kids Challenge, our sponsor, Del Monte, and partners, Johnson & Wales University and Home Baking Association, want you to enter the 8th annual recipe contest Stirring Up Health™.

• 4 national winners will get a Chef for a Day: A Johnson & Wales University chef will prepare YOUR recipe with you at a school event!
• 3 runners up – 1 in each category – will receive a cool culinary gift package
• 20 top recipes overall will be featured on our web site

Simply create OR modify 1 recipe to make it healthier using Del Monte fruits, vegetables, or tomatoes. Add a few creative ideas to get you started. Serve with 1 entry form, 1 photograph, and 1 essay for some tasty, healthy fun! For full entry rules, see healthykidschallenge.com.