A couple of weeks ago, I stopped by The Atlanta Journal-Constitution newsroom to grab more masks for our team of dining writers and photographers. It was the first time I’d stepped inside the building since March. The floor around my desk was crowded with mail crates overflowing with four months’ worth of new cookbooks. One that caught my eye was “Simple Beautiful Food” by Amanda Frederickson (Ten Speed Press, $22).
I tabbed numerous recipes in Frederickson’s 220-page book — Zucchini Salad with Meyer Lemon Vinaigrette, and Quinoa Fritters with Kale and Goat Cheese, to name a couple. Each pops with color, requires minimal ingredients, boasts easy preparation and allows for swaps based on your palate or your current pantry stash. Many are appropriate for this season, but none more than Frozen Yogurt Bark.
Chilly snacks are a welcome relief from the sweltering heat of high summer, and Frederickson’s recipe is a clever idea for a cold sundry. It’s also as cheery as a red, white and blue bomb pop from the ice cream truck. What’s more, the recipe does not require any special equipment, and hands-on time is about five minutes.
Frederickson uses full-fat plain Greek yogurt as the base for the bark, but whole-milk yogurt also worked fine. The yogurt gets swirled with preserves, another ingredient that invites experimentation (I highly recommend peach preserves).
The mix is then spread on a sheet pan and topped with diced mango and nuts. No fresh mango? Frozen fruit will suffice; just let it thaw and pat the cubes dry with a paper towel before chopping them. Canned work too; simply drain and pat dry first.
As for the nuts, she calls for cashews. I liked a combination of sliced almonds and mango as well as pecans with peaches. Whichever nut and fruit mix you settle on, when scattered atop the white canvas of the yogurt, this simple sweet treat will be beautiful — and tasty.
Credit: Ten Speed Press
Credit: Ten Speed Press
Reprinted from “Simple Beautiful Food.” Copyright © 2020 by Amanda Frederickson. Published by Ten Speed Press, an imprint of Random House, a division of Penguin Random House.
Read more stories like this by liking Atlanta Restaurant Scene on Facebook, following @ATLDiningNews on Twitter and @ajcdining on Instagram.
About the Author
