WOONSOCKET – Thundermist Health Center of Woonsocket celebrated National Nutrition Month by hosting its First Annual Bake Off on April 1.
The event featured healthier desserts made by employees of Thundermist’s Women, Infants & Children department. The nonprofit community health center aims to improve the health of patients and communities by delivering health care, removing barriers to that care and advancing healthy lifestyles. Thundermist has locations in West Warwick, Woonsocket and South County, serving about 48,000 patients.
The Women, Infants and Children Nutrition Education Program under the R.I. Department of Health is part of the federal Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children, or WIC, providing nutrition counseling, referrals, food prescriptions and breastfeeding support. The program serves pregnant, postpartum and breastfeeding women, as well as infants and children up to age 5.
Thundermist Women, Infants & Children nutrition staffers participating in the event included Jennifer Cook, Lisa Hawthorne and Manager Dennis Horta. The three created healthier, more-nutritious desserts using foods available with WIC vouchers.
Attendees selected Horta’s black-bean and avocado brownies as the winning recipe. Other desserts included chocolate zucchini muffins and peanut butter chocolate chip cupcakes.
“Our first annual bake off was a big success,” said Horta. “Attendees learned techniques for altering a recipe to make it healthier and more nutritious, and still delicious.”
Rob Borkowski is a PBN contributing writer.
