Paris’s Kitchen

Paris Woods is an exceptional young woman with a P heart for helping others and a talent for taking ordinary ingredients and creating exceptional meals. Inspired by a stir fry her mom cooked using all of the veggies from the free lunch program boxes they received that week, Paris reached out to a friend about creating a cooking show based on the food available on the items available in each week’s free lunch boxes and Paris’s Kitchen was born.

On the first episode of her show, Paris made a veggie flatbread pizza and shared the video on her Facebook channel. Paris said, “It was a way to show kids that they can make something good out of the school lunches we are getting and spice it up a little and it really helps cut down on wasted food items.” During the COVID-19 pandemic all students are receiving free school lunch and Paris hopes that this coupled with her fun and inventive recipes will help remove the stigma surrounding the free lunch program. “I’m hoping that when things return to normal, this will help kids not feel ashamed about getting free lunch.”

Paris’s passion for healthy cooking and eating by cooking with her mom who owned a catering business and taught cooking classes. After her father was injured in an accident, Paris’s mom began working two jobs, so Paris gladly stepped up to help in the family kitchen where she usually prepares lunch and sometimes dinner. “My favorite things to cook are grilled cheese, tomato soup and carrot fries.”

A sophomore at Loy Norrix High School, Paris loves to sing. She is part of the advanced mixed choir at school, a member of the Youth for Christ City Life Club and loves to serve

in the nursery at her church. When we asked who she looked up to, Paris said, “My mom because I love her heart. She is kind, caring and taught me to serve others like Jesus.” Paris started an early middle college program this year and is considering pursuing a career in neonatal nursing. Keep shining, Paris. You are definitely a young woman we admire!

To watch Paris’s Kitchen and get all of her great recipes, visit her Facebook page at fb.com/Pariswkitchen

| RECIPES FROM PARIS’S KITCHEN |

Apple Cookies

INGREDIENTS: • 1 Apple • 2 Tbsp peanut butter • 1 small container of yogurt • Toppings of choice— breakfast bars, dried fruit, cinnamon or anything else you like! EQUIPMENT:

Cutting board, knife, mixing spoon, mixing bowl.

INSTRUCTIONS: 1

Roughly chop or crumble the breakfast bar into small pieces.

Mix yogurt and peanut butter together in a bowl.

Turn the apple to its side and slice the apple into thin circles.

Spread the peanut butter yogurt mixture onto each apple slice. Top with breakfast bar crumbles, dried fruit, cinnamon, or any other toppings you like.

Carrot Fries

INGREDIENTS: • Baby carrots (1 or more 3-4 oz. bags) • Cooking oil ( ~ 1 tsp per bag of carrots) • Salt and pepper

EQUIPMENT: Cutting board, sharp knife, baking tray, oven mitt, tongs or a long spoon

INSTRUCTIONS:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Place baby carrots on a cutting board and cut each baby carrot in half longways.

Add baby carrots to a baking tray and lightly coat baby carrots with any cooking oil that you have. Add salt and pepper.

Bake at 400 degrees for 30 mins.

Halfway through the baking time, use tongs or a long spoon to flip the carrots. You can also add paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, oregano or any other spices you like. If you add the spices too early, they could burn.

Enjoy as is or with your favorite condiments.