Do you celebrate Valentine’s Day at your house?

Admittedly, for the longest time I was a bit of a scrounge about the holiday. I wasn’t too keen on spending money (or having my husband spend money) on things like long-stem roses, which were overpriced February 14th. (I much preferred a surprise bouquet of fresh flowers any other random day of the year!) However, over the past few years, I feel like I have turned over a new leaf. Now with two youngsters at home, I see Valentine’s Day as an opportunity to show my children what it means to love others and show kindness. And, let’s be honest, our world desperately needs more “holidays” that are dedicated to this.

I enjoy the simplicity of Valentine’s Day, or how I have made it “simple” in my home. My husband and I share cards with each other, and with the kids. There may be a small dollar-store gift for the kids too! But what I love the most, as always, is the shared family meal together. Time spent eating and making memories around the table. I usually make something special for dinner, like a creamy Alfredo pasta sauce or homemade macaroni and cheese. And there is ALWAYS dessert! You can’t have Valentine’s without something a little sweet at the end!

Since the kids LOVE to help me make food in the kitchen, this got me thinking about a simple dessert recipe that I could make with them but that wouldn’t involve complete chaos in the kitchen! So, to help me with this challenge, I asked my talented third year nutrition student, Annette, to come up with a recipe! And boy did she ever! Below is Annette’s version of a Frozen Greek Yogurt Bark recipe. You will fall in love with this recipe! The simplicity and flexibility of this recipe, coupled with the sheer speed at which you can throw this dessert together is amazing! And it’s melt in your mouth delicious 🙂 Thank you Annette!!

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Looking for a healthy treat to share Valentine’s Day?

I love this nutritious and family-friendly frozen Greek yogurt bark recipe! It’s incredibly easy to make, especially if you have little hands helping in the kitchen, and it’s fun because you can get as creative as you like with the mix-ins. You can dress it up by throwing in dried or fresh fruit, and an assortment of nuts or dark chocolate chips (mmmmmm!) It’s a perfectly light yet creamy dessert that gives a nice finish to a meal or even acts as a great standalone afternoon snack.

This yogurt bark packs in a ton of nutrition with protein from the Greek yogurt and an array of antioxidants, flavonoids, vitamins, minerals, healthy fats and DELICIOUSNESS from the various mix-ins!

A few notes before you start:

• If you use a flavoured Greek yogurt (which I did… it’s Valentine’s Day!) then you can easily omit the honey. If you choose a plain Greek yogurt I would encourage you to add the sweetener if you want a sweet tasting bark.
• Buy a Greek yogurt with 2% milk fat or higher. The final product has a nicer consistency.

For my recipe, I used vanilla-flavoured Greek yogurt, dark chocolate chips, chopped fresh raspberries and a triple-berry puree made with almond milk and frozen mixed berries.

So, rummage through your cupboards, find your toppings, and let’s get started!

 

Valentine’s Frozen Greek Yogurt Bark

Yields approximately 10-15 pieces

Ingredients:

Yogurt Bark:

• 2 cups Greek yogurt (2% M.F. or higher; any flavour or unsweetened)
• 2 Tbsp honey (optional; I recommend adding to unsweetened yogurt)

Triple berry puree:

• water OR coconut water OR almond milk
• 1/4 to 1/2 cup frozen mixed berries

Toppings:

• Any fresh fruit (strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, bananas, peaches, kiwi etc.)
• Any dried fruit (cranberries, apricots, raisins, shredded coconut, Goji berries etc.)
• Any chopped nuts (pistachios, cashews, walnuts, almonds)
• Any good quality chocolate (chocolate chips, pieces or shavings)

Some flavour combinations/suggestions:

• Coconut flavour:  Coconut Greek yogurt with a coconut water/blueberry puree and fresh blueberries and strawberries and shredded coconut
• Strawberry banana flavour: Strawberry Greek yogurt with a strawberry puree and fresh sliced strawberries and bananas and chocolate chips
• Nutty chocolate:  Plain Greek yogurt with a melted chocolate chips (instead of the puree!) with fresh raspberries and pistachios

Method:

1. Mix the yogurt and honey together In a medium bowl, until well combined.
2. Line a baking tray with parchment paper and spread the yogurt/honey mixture. Note: the thinner you spread the mixture, the thinner your bark will be.
3. Using a blender or food processor, add frozen fruit and liquid together and blend until smooth and a puree consistency. Drizzle the puree and make fun designs!
4. Sprinkle on your toppings, and fill in any blank spots on the tray.
5. Freeze the tray for up to 6 hours, or until the middle is set.
6. Remove the tray from the freezer and use a sharp knife to break up the bark into pieces. (The bark can be stored in the freezer in food bags.)

We would love to hear what kinds of fruit combinations you tried at home! Please leave us a comment below. Have a LOVE-ly Valentine’s Day! xoxo

Take it one bite at a time,

Rosanne & Annette