March is Nutrition Month

Nutrition Month has been celebrated by the dietetic profession for over 30 years.  The goal for Nutrition Month is to create awareness about the importance of healthy eating.  It places emphasis on dietitians as the most importance source of reliable nutrition information.

This year’s Nutrition Month theme is MORE THAN FOOD.  As we discussed in the December 10^th Kids Eat Smart blog called Kids in the Kitchen, the new Canada’s Food Guide highlights the importance of how we think about food.  As we know, “healthy eating is more than the food you eat”.  Healthy eating is also about why we eat and how we eat.

In celebration of this year’s Nutrition Month theme, dietitians have put together a collection of 12 recipes in an online e-book.  All recipes have clear easy-to-follow instructions that can be shared with friends and family.  Even better, cook together with friends and family.  I can’t wait to make and eat this yogurt bark with my kids.

Yogurt Bark

Ingredients:

• ¾ cup frozen mango cubes, thawed
• 3 tbsp water
• 1 ½ cups vanilla Greek yogurt
• 1 handful of pumpkin seeds
• 1 handful of unsweetened coconut strips

Directions:

1. Mix together the mango cubes and water. With an immersion blender, purée until smooth and evenly combined.
2. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
3. Spread the yogurt in a layer approximately one centimetre thick.
4. Pour the fruit purée over the yogurt. With the tip of a knife, marble the mixture using circular motions.
5. Sprinkle with toppings: strawberries, pumpkin seeds and coconut strips.
6. Place in freezer until the yogurt is completely frozen, about two hours.
7. Break the bark into pieces and enjoy! The bark can be stored in the freezer.

Recipe and photo sourced from Nutrition Month 2020.  For more information and to download the free recipe e-book visit www.nutritionmonth2020.ca.