RICHMOND, Va. – A group of kid chefs, who used ingredients many adults have never tried, took their winning recipes to the White House for lunch with the First Lady on Friday. A recipe was chosen from each state, and a handful of them cooked at the luncheon.
Simone Spalding with President Barack Obama.
The Virginia winner of the 2015 Healthy Lunchtime Challenge is a 8-year-old girl from Richmond named Simone Spalding. Her winning recipe was a colorful “Rainbow Chili.”
“I love to eat colorful, flavorful food! That’s why I created Rainbow Chili,” said Simone in a statement on LetsMove.gov. “It’s an easy way for kids to eat a whole lot of vegetables—one from almost every color of the rainbow.”
Her recipe joined others like “Fizzle Sizzle stir fry,” “Mango Kangol,” and “Sam to the 5th power — Sam’s Sizzling Supreme Salmon Salad.”
The 55 winners met for lunch, a performance by the cast of Aladdin, and a trip to the White House kitchen garden. Michelle Obama hosted and the President stopped by to surprise everyone.
President Barack Obama showed up at the event.
“The food looks outstanding,” Pres. Obama said. “I particularly am impressed with the Barackamole.”
The celebration marked the fifth year of”Lets Move” the First Lady’s focused effort to unite the country around kid’s health, through healthier eating and lifestyles.
Simone Spalding Rainbow Chilli
Simone’s Rainbow Chili Recipe
Makes 6 to 8 Servings
Ingredients:
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 onion, peeled and diced
- 4 celery stalks, thinly sliced
- 2 tablespoons peeled and minced garlic
- 1 pound lean ground turkey
- 2 tablespoons chili powder
- 1 tablespoon ground cumin
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 2 (14-ounce) cans fire-roasted diced tomatoes
- 2 large sweet potatoes, peeled and diced
- 1 (16-ounce) bag frozen corn
- 1 bell pepper, seeded and diced
- 2 (15-ounce) cans black beans, drained and rinsed
- 1 bunch of fresh cilantro, finely chopped
Preparation:
- In a large stockpot, heat olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the onions, celery, garlic, turkey, chili powder, cumin, and salt and cook, breaking the meat up with a wooden spoon, for about 10 minutes, or until the turkey is cooked through.
- Add the tomatoes, reduce the heat to medium-low, and simmer a few minutes before adding all the other ingredients, except the cilantro. Add 8 cups of water, bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer for approximately 45 minutes. Add the cilantro right before serving. Enjoy!
562 calories 18g fat 57g carbohydrates 47g protein
