As clients stream into the Food Bank for Larimer County in Fort Collins on a recent weekday, pushing shopping carts and queuing up for a quick paperwork check, they are greeted with the scintillating aroma of tomatoes roasted with rosemary and lemon.

While waiting in line, the Food Bank clients are invited to taste samples and take a copy of the recipe. The nutritious samples are prepared from ingredients they can take home with them that same day.

The cooking demonstrations are part of a new initiative spearheaded by Dianne Moeller, a registered dietitian at the Health District of Northern Larimer County. Moeller’s demonstrations are designed to help people make the most of the nutritious foods available at the Food Bank.

At each of the demonstrations, more than 100 people typically get a taste of the samples. "The people really liked it," Moeller says after a recent demonstration. "It was a huge hit — the samples went like that," she says, snapping her fingers.

Moeller’s nutrient-rich recipes have included roasted veggies, grape and broccoli salad, bean and cheese quesadillas with corn salsa, caramelized onions, carrot-ginger soup, sautéed zucchini with lemon and Parmesan cheese, roasted butternut squash and pear soup, and, yes, even sauteed kale (with onions, garlic, ham and red peppers).

Moeller got the idea for the food demonstrations while on a tour last summer with the Fort Collins Nutrition Network. During the tour, Moeller noticed some recipes posted for clients of the Food Bank. She also noticed an abundance of fresh produce available to Food Bank clients, some of which might be unfamiliar to them or which they might want new ideas for preparing.

A lightbulb went on in Moeller’s head: "Wow, we could do demos on creative new ways to serve this produce!"

Since then, Moeller’s demonstrations have become a mainstay. She gives cooking demonstrations almost every week. Collaborating with her is Sarah Morales, wellness dietitian at Poudre Valley Health System, who fills in when Moeller can’t be there.