Local's Cuisine Program Appears on Rachael Ray

An 11-year-old girl from Woodstock has turned her love of cooking and eating into a thriving business by teaching others about healthy eating and living skills.

Lizzie Marie Likness started her business, Lizzie Marie Cuisine, in 2006 at the age of 6. Looking for a way to help her family pay for her horseback riding lessons, she decided to build a program to teach both children and adults healthy cooking and eating skills.

Near the end of 2007, Lizzie Marie applied for a grant to teach her healthy cooking classes throughout the community from DoSomething.org. In 2008 she won the Del Monte "Do Something Good for You!" grant for her Tasty Tidbits cooking classes, which teach adults and children how to fight obesity by having a delicious time cooking healthy meals.

On Jan. 17, Lizzie Marie appeared on the Rachael Ray Show as one of five finalists for USA Today and DoSomething.org’s Kindness Challenge. Five of DoSomething's previous grant winners are hoping to expand on their individual missions by competing in this challenge. Lizzie Marie is completing a cookbook of her recipes and healthy living tips as her project.

The contestants each have six weeks to work toward their goals, during which they will track their progress with Flip cams and blogs. Viewers can vote for their favorite beginning Feb. 28, and the winner will be revealed in Ray's studio March 14 and receive a profile in USA Today. 

Lizzie Marie was excited about being on the show.

"It was an amazing opportunity being able to go on the Rachael Ray Show. I wasn't nervous at all, and it was so fun meeting all the other contestants. My cookbook is going great. I'm wrapping up the introduction, I have most of my recipes picked out, and I have plenty of ideas," Lizzie Marie said.

Rachael Ray aired a Challenge update on this past Friday's show. 

Completing the tasks for the Kindness Challenge are not the only activities on this busy entrepreneur's schedule.

Lizzie Marie prepared a heart healthy snack demonstration at the American Heart Association's Go Red for Women CONNECT event at Macy's at Lenox Square mall Feb. 5. She was able to attend an event last week in Alpharetta where first lady about the Let's Move campaign's fight against obesity. 

Lizzie Marie did a cooking demonstration with the C.H.O.I.C.E.S. program, Center Helping Obesity in Children End Successfully, at a fitness event hosted by the Magnolia Park Community Center Valentine's Day.

A client in New York will launch a project Feb. 28 featuring Lizzie Marie in several cooking episodes. 

Her mom cannot reveal the client's name at this time.

As a homeschool student, flexibility is key for Lizzie Marie's busy schedule. She attends classes at Living Science, Georgia Virtual School and Stanford University Online High School. Her hobbies include being a member of the Junior Olympic Archery Development program, roller blading with friends, piano, reading and cooking.

You can follow Lizzie Marie's journey throughout the Rachael Ray Kindness Challenge at www.LizzieMarieCuisine.com.