Oahu Girl's Prize-Winning Recipe

by Anthony Ferreira

Soon, President Obama won't be the only Hawaii Native in the White House. An 8-year-old from Palolo received an invite to meet the First Lady and it's all because of her love of food.

Just call her "Chef" Eleanor Cowell.

The Punahou 3rd grader is already a whiz in the kitchen, whipping up dishes for her mom and dad.

"I like cooking because you get to make recipes and you get to eat them," said Cowell.

Now, she'll get to eat with First Lady Michelle Obama as Hawaii's winner in the national "Healthy Lunchtime Challenge". It's all part of Mrs. Obama's "Let's Move" initiative.

Cowell finds inspiration everywhere...like the lunch she had not long ago with her mother, Laura.

"She ordered this Moroccan chicken salad and it was really delicious and I said 'wow, can I make one of my own, except with curry chicken this time because I love curry chicken," said Cowell.

An idea was born, and soon perfected! Behold, Eleanor's "Curried Chicken Salad" with a side of "Raita."

"We cooked it and my dad was the guinea pig, the tester, and he loved it," said Cowell.

She submitted it to the contest with a side-dish of fruits she calls "The Taste of the Tropics".

Next month, she'll get a taste of life in our nation's capitol.

"It's just so much to get the information through you, because at first you feel like oh, this is just a joke... and then the next moment it's wow! I can't believe this!" said Cowell.

Eleanor already knows just what she's going to tell the First Lady.

"I want to say aloha from Hawaii," said Cowell.