Young Chevy Chase Resident Creates Healthy Recipe, Dines at White House

Most of us can only imagine what it would be like to dine at the White House, but for Chevy Chase resident Emma Scielzo, 10, no imagination is needed.

Her recipe for chicken masala wraps stood out so well among the many entries in the White House's Healthy Lunchtime Challenge that she and a guest—her mom, Asha Scielzo—were invited to lunch at the White House with First Lady Michelle Obama. 

Emma and her mom were joined by the other award winners (of which there were 54) in the challenge and their guests for a July 9 luncheon.

Amidst elegant surroundings, Emma and her mom enjoyed zucchini corn bread, mini vegetable pizzas, passion fruit smoothies, banana muffins and lettuce cups—all recipes created by the young winners in the contest, Emma told Patch.

Emma’s winning recipe was a chicken masala wrap—an Indian-style dish made with peppers, onions, tomatoes, garlic and spices, including cumin, turmeric, pepper and ginger, Emma said.

Emma didn’t enter the contest to win, her mom said. She simply had a recipe that she liked and which was inspired by her grandmother’s Indian cooking, and decided to enter it. She found out that she was one of the winners at the end of May, and has been fielding calls from reporters ever since. 

Emma also enjoys grilling up turkey, salmon and veggie burgers with her dad and sister, and baking cupcakes and cookies.

Besides cooking and baking, Emma also likes to read, dance, sing and play sports.

Emma’s advice for tackling a new recipe in the kitchen (or trying anything new, in general) is that "it doesn’t hurt to try something. … It’s better to try something than not because [otherwise] you won’t know what you’re missing.”

For a recipe of Emma's chicken masala wrap, head to page 49 of the 2013 Healthy Lunchtime Challenge Cookbook.