Today: Watch the Kids’ “State Dinner” Live!

Posted by:

Kelly Miterko, Deputy Associate Director, Let's Move!

We are so excited the Kids’ “State Dinner” is finally here! Today, the fifty-five Healthy Lunchtime Challenge winners will arrive to the White House to attend the fourth annual Kids’ “State Dinner.” Tune in to see the event live from the White House!

We’ll be interviewing the kid chefs to learn about the inspiration behind their dishes, hearing remarks from the First Lady, and viewing a special performance by the cast of Disney’s Tony Award-winning hit musical, Aladdin. It is sure to be a fun day!

We hope you’ll watch and follow along on social media using #KidsStateDinner.

Tune in starting at 10:00 am to catch all the action as the winners arrive to the White House!

Hannah Foley, from Pennsylvania, and First Lady Michelle Obama pose for a photo at the Kids' State Dinner in the East Room of the White House, July 18, 2014. (Official White House Photo by Amanda Lucidon)

Want more from this year's Kids' "State Dinner?"

• View the list of 2015 Kids' "State Dinner" Winners and try out their delicious recipes!
• Go behind the scenes and check out the judging of this year’s Healthy Lunchtime Challenge

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Teriyaki Chicken with Cabbage Salad

Posted by:

Simone Harvey

“I first made this recipe when I was very little,” says Simone. “My mom and I would always make this dish together, but because my mom is a vegetarian we would make teriyaki tofu instead of teriyaki chicken. A favorite story about this dish is my mom helping me learn the dish at a young age, and saying it was ok if I made mistakes—just try again." - Simone Harvey, Age 10, Washington

Makes 4 Servings

Ingredients:

For the Teriyaki Chicken:

• ¼ cup low-sodium soy sauce
• 1 garlic clove, peeled and minced
• 2 tablespoons brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon honey
• ½ teaspoon ground ginger
• 2 skinless, boneless chicken breasts, thinly sliced
• 1 tablespoon olive oil

For the Cabbage Salad:

• ½ head green cabbage, shredded
• 1 peeled and shredded carrot
• 3 celery stalks, chopped
• 4 green onions (scallions), chopped
• 2 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce
• 2 tablespoons rice vinegar
• 1 tablespoon sesame oil
• 2 tablespoons sesame seeds

Preparation:

1. To make the Teriyaki Chicken: In a large bowl, mix together the soy sauce, garlic, brown sugar, honey, ginger, and 1 cup cold water. Place the chicken slices into a large plastic bag with a seal, add the marinade, and seal the bag. Set in the refrigerator and marinate for at least 1 hour.
2. To make the Cabbage Slaw: In a large bowl, thoroughly combine the cabbage, carrots, celery, and green onions. In a small bowl, whisk together the soy sauce, rice vinegar, and sesame oil. Drizzle over the slaw and toss thoroughly.
3. In a large sauté pan, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the chicken and sauté for about 8 minutes, or until cooked through. Serve with the slaw and sprinkle sesame seeds on top.

211 calories; 11g fat; 16g carbohydrates; 16g protein

Learn more about the Kids' "State Dinner"

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Couscous Salad with Chicken, Artichoke, and Lemon Skewers and Tangy Texas Tzatziki

Posted by:

Jianna Garcia

“I was inspired to make this as I love eating healthy, and I especially love any salad, more than chips and soda,” says Jianna. “Greek food is also one of my very favorites. I love how the flavors of the couscous, parsley, feta, and fresh veggies combine with my Lemon-Honey Vinaigrette. By adding delicious Chicken Skewers and Texas Tzatziki, I turned this already scrumptious salad into a super fresh, healthy, and very tasty meal.” - Jianna Garcia, Age 10, Texas

Makes 4 to 6 Servings

Ingredients:

For the Chicken Skewers:

• 12 chicken tenderloins, halved
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 2/3 cup lemon juice
• ¼ cup olive oil
• 12 canned artichoke hearts, halved
• 24 grape tomatoes

For the Salad:

• 2 cups cooked couscous, cooled
• 1 cup chopped fresh parsley
• 1 cup peeled, seeded, and diced cucumber
• 1 cup rinsed and drained canned garbanzo beans
• ½ cup grape tomatoes, halved
• ⅓ cup crumbled feta cheese
• ¼ cup peeled and minced onions

For the Vinaigrette:

• ⅓ cup olive oil
• ¼ cup lemon juice
• ¼ cup white wine vinegar
• 1 tablespoon honey
• Salt and pepper to taste

For the Tzatziki:

• 1 peeled, seeded cucumber, finely grated
• 1 cup Greek yogurt
• 1 garlic clove, peeled and minced
• 1 teaspoon lemon juice
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh dill
• 2 tablespoon chopped fresh mint
• 2 teaspoon olive oil
• Salt and pepper to taste

Equipment: 12 wooden skewers

Preparation:

1. To make the Chicken Skewers: Make sure to soak the wooden skewers in water for about 10 minutes before using. Season the chicken tenderloins with salt and pepper and put in a gallon-sized plastic bag with a seal. Add the lemon juice, olive oil, salt, and pepper. Seal the bag and let the chicken marinate in the refrigerator for 30 minutes.
2. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Slide 1 wooden skewer though 1 piece of chicken twice, add 1 artichoke heart and 1 grape tomato then repeat with another piece of chicken, 1 artichoke heart, and 1 tomato. Lay the completed skewer on a foil-lined baking sheet. Repeat the process until all the skewers are filled. Bake for 20 minutes, or until the chicken reaches 165°F.
3. To make the Salad: Mix all ingredients in a large bowl and chill.
4. To make the Vinaigrette: Place all the ingredients in a Mason jar with a lid and shake for 30 seconds. Drizzle over the salad and toss to combine.
5. To make the Tzatziki: Squeeze all the water out of the cucumber and place it in a bowl. Add the remaining ingredients and whisk to combine. Season to taste with salt and pepper as needed. Chill.
6. Serve Chicken Skewers atop a mound of the Parsley Couscous Salad with a side of the Tangy Texas Tzatziki.

655 calories; 34g fat; 58g carbohydrates; 31g protein

Learn more about the Kids' "State Dinner"

Storm of Deliciousness BBQ Chicken Soup

Posted by:

Griffin Storm

“I love BBQ sauce and I also love homemade soups, especially my grandma’s chicken noodle and vegetable,” says Griffin. “When I was thinking about my recipe I thought, why not make a BBQ vegetable soup? I love red and yellow peppers, so I knew I wanted to add them to the recipe. My mom loves slow cooker recipes for our busy family of six. My parents and I worked on the recipe together to come up with what I like to call a Storm of Deliciousness.” This recipe uses a slow cooker. If you don’t have one, slowly simmer the soup ingredients in a pot for 1 hour or more. - Griffin Storm, Age 8, South Dakota

Makes 8 Servings

Ingredients:

For the BBQ Sauce:

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• ½ yellow onion, peeled and diced
• 2 cups tomato sauce
• 5 tablespoons tomato purée
• 2 garlic cloves, peeled and minced
• 5 tablespoons honey
• 3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
• 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce

For the Soup:

• 1 pound skinless, boneless chicken breasts
• 1 (10.8-ounce) bag frozen corn
• 1 (15-ounce) can black beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 red bell pepper, chopped
• 1 yellow bell pepper, chopped
• 1 cup fresh mushrooms, chopped
• ¼ red onion, peeled and chopped
• 2 cups BBQ sauce (see recipe for our homemade BBQ sauce)
• 3 cups low-sodium chicken broth
• 1 tablespoon chili powder
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ½ teaspoon pepper
• Reduced-fat sour cream, for serving
• Reduced-fat shredded cheddar cheese, for serving

Equipment: Slow cooker

Preparation:

1. To make the BBQ sauce: In a sauté pan, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the onion and sauté for about 5 minutes, or until translucent. Add the remaining ingredients, stir, and sauté for about 10 minutes.
2. To make the Chicken Soup: Place uncooked chicken breasts in a large slow cooker. Add corn, black beans, red and yellow bell peppers, mushrooms, and red onion.
3. In a separate bowl, mix 2 cups BBQ sauce, chicken broth, chili powder, salt, and pepper. Pour the BBQ sauce mixture into the slow cooker, covering the chicken and vegetables completely. Cook, covered, on high heat for 6 hours. About 30 minutes before serving, remove the chicken breasts, and shred the chicken. Place the shredded chicken back into the slow cooker and stir. Keep the lid off for the last 30 minutes of cooking time. Serve topped with sour cream or cheddar cheese.

461 calories; 12g fat; 42g carbohydrates; 48g protein

Learn more about the Kids' "State Dinner"

Mexican–Jewish Barley Pozole

Posted by:

Clara Aizenman

“I created this soup because it represents my heritage, which is Jewish, Mexican, and Eastern European,” says Clara. “I first made this recipe when my grandmother came to visit from Mexico. She was convinced the ingredients wouldn’t go well together, but the result was delicious. This soup combines vegetable barley soup, common to Jewish cooking, with Mexican pozole. I also really love soup.” - Clara Aizenman, Age 11, Rhode Island

Makes 4 Servings

Ingredients:

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• ½ medium onion, peeled and finely chopped
• 2 carrots, peeled and diced
• 1 stalk celery, diced
• 1 small zucchini, diced
• 2 skinless, boneless chicken breasts, diced
• 1 quart chicken broth
• ½ cup pearled barley
• 1 (15.5-ounce) can hominy, drained
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• Salt and pepper to taste

For garnish:

• 1 cup shredded romaine lettuce
• 2 large radishes, sliced very thinly
• 1 lime, cut into 4 wedges
• 1 avocado, cut into cubes
• ¼ onion, peeled and finely chopped
• Hot sauce or ground dried chile peppers

Preparation:

1. In a large stockpot, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the onion, carrots, celery, and zucchini and sauté for about 10 minutes, or until the vegetables are soft. Add the chicken and sauté for about 10 minutes, or until light brown and cooked through. Add the chicken broth, barley, hominy, and oregano, season to taste with salt and pepper, and simmer for about 30 minutes, or until the barley is soft. If the soup is too thick or there isn’t enough liquid, add 1 more cup of water or chicken broth.
2. To serve, ladle soup into bowls. Place the garnishes on small serving plates in the middle of the table. Squeeze the juice from one lime wedge into each soup bowl. Each person can sprinkle whatever garnishes they choose onto their soup as desired.

423 calories; 18g fat; 50g carbohydrates; 20g protein

Learn more about the Kids' "State Dinner"

Wrap It Up

Posted by:

Felix Gonzalez

“One day I was very hungry after my soccer practice so I was inspired to create a nutritious chicken meal that was easy to prepare,” says Felix. “I decided to make this dish as a wrap because I was thinking about the fun times when my dad wrapped me up as a burrito with a blanket when I was a small child. This recipe is versatile because I can change the chicken for fish, or just make it a salad not using the tortilla. This plate goes perfectly with a nonfat Greek yogurt with berries." - Felix Gonzalez, Age 11, Puerto Rico

Makes 2 Servings

Ingredients:

For the Chicken:

• 4 ounces skinless, boneless chicken breast, thinly sliced
• Pinch salt and pepper
• Pinch garlic powder
• Pinch dried cilantro or parsley
• 1 teaspoon olive oil
• ¼ cup peeled and minced onions
• ¼ cup minced red and green bell peppers
• 2 high-fiber tortillas

For the Salad:

• 1 cup romaine lettuce
• ¼ cup minced tomatoes
• ¼ cup corn
• 1 tablespoon sliced almonds
• 1 tablespoon sweetened dried cranberries
• 1 tablespoon low-fat feta cheese or low-fat mozzarella-cheddar cheese blend
• 1 teaspoon of cranberry-almond vinaigrette

Preparation:

1. To make the Chicken: Place the chicken in a large bowl, and season with salt, pepper, garlic powder, and cilantro. In a large sauté pan, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the onions and red and green bell peppers and sauté for about 5 minutes. Add the chicken and sauté for 10 minutes, or until light brown and cooked through.
2. To make the Salad: In a medium bowl, mix the lettuce, tomatoes, corn, almonds, cranberries, cheese, and vinaigrette. Warm the tortillas in the microwave or heat them in a pan. Put half of the salad mix and chicken in each tortilla. “Wrap it up” and enjoy. For a “berry” happy ending serve a small cup of yogurt with berries!

427 calories; 17g fat; 44g carbohydrates; 27g protein

Learn more about the Kids' "State Dinner"

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