10 rounds 12 Box Jump (24") 9 KB swings (32/24) 6 Burpees Rest 1 min
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Dietitian’s Day
By Coach Courtney, RD of Vitality Nutrition
Once a year, a special day is dedicated to celebrating dietitians across Canada. Interested in learning more about the diverse role of dietitians? Read more at the bottom of the post.
March is also Nutrition Month and this year’s public campaign is dedicated to supporting Canadians to stop their struggles with food. The slogan for the campaign is Take the fight out of food! Spot the problem. Get the facts. Seek support.
To celebrate nutrition month I created an easy recipe that takes the “fight” out of baking (which can be messy and time consuming). Simply measure the ingredients, process in a blender, bake, and enjoy!
I added cacao powder to the muffins for flavour but also for a boost of antioxidants. Antioxidants are a group of compounds known to fight the damaging effects of oxidative stress on cells within the body (some causes of oxidative stress include environmental pollutants, smoking, and processed foods). Dark chocolate or cocoa solids are high in an antioxidant called “flavonol.” Chocolate can vary greatly in flavonol content depending on the amount of cocoa solids it contains and how it’s processed. The labeling of the flavanol content of chocolate products isn’t mandatory, but as a general rule, the higher the percentage of cocoa solids in a chocolate product and the more bitter the taste, the higher the flavanol levels.
What’s the Difference Between Cocoa and Cacao?
Cacao is the term that describes the raw beans that come from the cacao tree. It is mostly unprocessed and retains a high nutritional value. Cocoa is the product of cacao being fermented, dried, and roasted. The processing to produce what is known as “Dutch cocoa” reduces the bitterness but also reduces the flavonol levels of the chocolate. You could use regular cocoa powder in this recipe and the muffins will taste great (but there may be less flavonols present!)
I purchased cacao powder from Bulk Barn, but you could find it in the natural food section at the grocery store. I also used a dark chocolate that was high in cacao solids (the darker the better!).
“I’m In Love With the Cocoa” … Double Chocolate Blender Muffins
Yield: 12 muffins
Ingredients:
2 cups old fashioned rolled oats (160g)
2 ripe bananas (200g)
1 cup plain Greek yogurt (220g)
2 tbsp honey (42g)
2 eggs
2 tbsp cacao powder (14g)
1 ½ tsp baking powder
½ tsp baking soda
½ tsp vanilla
⅛ tsp salt
30g chopped dark chocolate (choose 70% or higher)
Directions:
Preheat the oven to 400F. Lightly grease a muffin tin or line with paper liners.
Place the all ingredients but the chopped dark chocolate in a blender. I like to set my blender on the scale and weigh each ingredient to avoid washing any extra utensils! (It also increases the precision of your measurements).
Blend until the batter is smooth and the oats have broken down almost completely (about 2-3 minutes). You may have to scrape down the sides with a spatula.
Fill the muffin tins ¾ of the way to the top.
Sprinkle the chopped dark chocolate evenly on top of the muffins.
Bake for 15 minutes.
Enjoy the muffins and a fast clean up time!
Nutrition Facts:
Calories: 122
Fat: 3g
Protein: 5g
Carbs: 18g
Fibre: 2g
*Make this recipe Gluten Free by using gluten free rolled oats
Evidenced Based Practice
Dietitians translate complex scientific evidence into practical solutions to promote health and manage special health conditions such as diabetes, heart disease, cancer, allergies and obesity. There is so much nutrition information available many people don't know what to believe. It's important to separate food facts from fiction.
Collaborative approach
Dietitians are valuable members of the health care team, working collaboratively with other healthcare professionals including doctors, nurses, physiotherapists, and speech language pathologists.Dietitians individualize information, care plans, and programs to meet the unique needs of clients and communities.
Most qualified nutrition professionals
To be sure you are accessing the most qualified nutrition professional, look for the initials RD after the health professional’s name or ask - are you a dietitian? Dietitian is a protected title across Canada, just like physician, nurse and pharmacist. Nutritionist is also a protected title
in Alberta, Quebec and Nova Scotia. To use these titles, the dietitian must meet and maintain provincial registration requirements.
Dietitians work in diverse roles and environments
Dietitians work in the community, healthcare, food services and private practice as. At Vitality Nutrition, we work with individuals to improve eating habits, collaborate on goals, and address specific nutrient needs.
University educated
Dietitians are university educated with hundreds of hours of supervised, hands-on training in food systems, disease management, population health, communications and counselling. We must pass a registration exam to become a regulated health professional. Ongoing professional development is not only a core value but a requirement!