NC in the Running in USDA kids contest
Two N.C. school teams are in the running for the semifinals of a national cooking contest.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture is sponsoring the Recipes for Healthy Kids competition to promote healthy eating in public schools.
The USDA and First Lady Michelle Obama announced the contest last fall to urge school officials, students, chefs and others to develop nutritous recipes that can be incorporated into National School Lunch Menu programs.
NC school teams got two of 15 semi-final slots, in each of the three categories: whole grains, dark green and orange vegetables, and dry beans and peas.
The N.C. school teams chosen are Chapel Hill-Carrboro City Schools, for Stir Fried Green Rice, Eggs, and Ham and Ira B. Jones Elementary School in Asheville, for Tuscan Smoked Turkey & Bean Soup.
The semi-finalists’ recipes were chosen from 340 that were submitted.
All of the semi-finalists will be visited by a judging panel consisting of a chef from the American Culinary Federation, a USDA official and a school nutrition professional. Then three finalists will be chosen for a national cook-off this summer.
Winning teams will get a chance to cook their recipes alongside White House chefs.
In addition, the public is invited to vote online through May 15 at http://www.recipesforkidschallenge.com for a popular choice award.
The top 15 recipes are all posted on the site.
Here is the complete list of semi-finalists:
Whole Grains
Chic’ Penne, Harold S. Winograd K-8 School Mission, Greeley, Colorado
Mediterranean Quinoa Salad, Bellingham Public Schools, Bellingham, Massachusetts
Stir Fried Green Rice, Eggs, and Ham, Chapel Hill-Carrboro City Schools, Chapel Hill, North Carolina
Porcupine Sliders, Intermediate District 287, South Education Center Alternative, Richfield, Minnesota
Chicken Alfredo with a Twist, Kettering City School District, Kettering, Ohio
Dark Green and Orange Vegetables
Stir-Fry Fajita Chicken, Squash, and Corn, Kayenta Unified School District, Kayenta, Arizona
Crunchy Hawaiian Chicken Wrap, Mount Lebanon Elementary School, Pendleton, South Carolina
Roasted Fish Crispy Slaw Wrap, Liberty Middle School, Orange County Public Schools, Orlando, Florida
Central Valley Harvest Bake, Joshua Cowell Elementary School, Manteca, California
Tasty Tots, Bellingham Public Schools, Bellingham, Massachusetts
Dry Beans and Peas
Lentils of the Southwest, Sweeney Elementary School, Santa Fe Public Schools, Santa Fe, New Mexico
Fiesta Wrap, Charter Oak International Academy, West Hartford Public Schools, West Hartford, Connecticut
Spanish Chickpea Stew, Skyline High School, Oakland Unified School District, Oakland, California
Tuscan Smoked Turkey & Bean Soup, Ira B. Jones Elementary School, Asheville, North Carolina
Confetti Soup, Burke Middle High School, Charleston County School District, Charleston, South Carolina
