It’s kind of hard to make ice cream healthy and have it still be really good. So I bring you frozen yogurt!
I love ice cream. Gelato. And frozen yogurt. What I don’t love is how unhealthy it is. Even frozen yogurt needs lots of sweetener to get it sweet enough, but then again, I think natural and Greek yogurt is really, really sour.
It’s kind of hard to make ice cream healthy and have it still be really good. So I bring you frozen yogurt!
I love ice cream. Gelato. And frozen yogurt. What I don’t love is how unhealthy it is. Even frozen yogurt needs lots of sweetener to get it sweet enough, but then again, I think natural and Greek yogurt is really, really sour.
The one thing I don’t like about homemade frozen yogurt is that it always freezes rock hard. It’s the same for every recipe and I’ve tried lots, even with granulated sugar, and they all end up the same in the freezer. I’ve even added copious amounts of alcohol to prevent it from freezing, but this trick has never worked for frozen yogurt. Not for me, anyway. You just have to make enough to eat right away or let it thaw a while before serving.
Don’t have an ice cream maker but have a food processor? I suggest 5 Minute Mixed Berry Greek Frozen Yogurt. I haven’t tried it yet but it’s most definitely quicker! The ingredients are pretty much the same, so it’s still as “healthy” as you can get when it comes to ice cream like things. :)
Healthier Blueberry Frozen Yogurt
- Prep Time:
- Cook Time:
- Ready in:
- Yield: 4.5 cups / 1.1 liters
Ingredients
- 1 pound (450 grams) blueberries
- 6 tbsp (120 grams) honey
- 1 pound + 5 ounces (600 grams) full-fat Greek yogurt
- 2 teaspoons vanilla
Directions
- Cook the blueberries and honey in a small pot over medium heat for 5 minutes. Let cool and set aside 1/2 cup (120ml) in the fridge to add to the yogurt after it's been churned. In the container you want to keep the churned frozen yogurt in, add the Greek yogurt, vanilla and stir in the blueberry sauce. If it doesn't taste sweet enough for your liking, add some sugar or more honey and stir until dissolved, but remember more sweet blueberry sauce is coming later.
- Let cool a few hours in the fridge, and if you have room, let it cool in your freezer for about an hour, stirring after every 20 minutes, before churning in your ice cream maker. The colder the yogurt is before churning, the better. But be careful that it doesn't start to freeze!
- Pour the mixture into your ice cream maker. Set the tupperware aside to use it again for the churned yogurt. Mine didn't take that long to churn and it got so stiff that it stopped on it's own (I have a really cheap ice cream maker).
- After it's been churned, put about a third of it in your tupperware, spoon some blueberry sauce over it, add more yogurt and repeat. This way the sauce doesn't just blend in with the yogurt. Yields enough for a 1.1 liter / 37 ounce (about 4.5 cups) container.
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23 comments on “Healthier Blueberry Frozen Yogurt” — Add one!
Do you think I can make this with full fat coconut yogurt? My family is allergic to dairy.
I think it’d be great with that!
Awesome thanks!
Oh man I want this right now! It looks amazing Erin!
Which ice cream maker do you have?
I’m looking for an inexpensive yet durable one…
In the US, I have this one: http://www.amazon.com/Cuisinart-ICE-20-Automatic-2-Quart-Cream/dp/B00000JGRT
It’s awesome! In Germany, I have a cheap 20 euro one and the ice cream isn’t nearly as nice. It’s very icy and doesn’t churn it enough. So it’s super runny and icy. So definitely don’t get the cheapest. Good luck! :)
Hi, any suggestions for how to do this if you don't have an ice cream machine…thanks
Mouthwatering!
Tom G – Aha! Thanks for the tip. I'll try to find some!
Hi! The trick to prevent home made ice cream or frozen yoghurt from freezing rock solid is to add a bit of Xanthan Gum to the recipe.
I hope this helps.
I recently purchased a Cuisinart ice cream maker and have tried to do some research regarding the addition of gums to help keep low sugar/low fat frozen treats from becoming a rock. But it’s been hard to find anything that gives me some solid measurements to go off of. I was wondering if you could suggest how much Xanthum to add per cup, two cups…whatever, of liquid? Also, are you using an egg base?
Beautiful pictures Erin! Love this x
This frozen yogurt looks such a wonderful colour, I love that deep purple swirl running through it too! I always make ice cream by hand as I don't have the room (or budget) for an ice cream maker so I can definitely sympathise with the consistency issues!
Barbara – Yes, I believe it makes it less icy in the end! But your ice-pops sound good. :) What's funny about the Germans is what when they go to Sweden (my experience from two student exchanges there), they whine about how terrible the bread is. "Why do they have to syrup in the bread?!" But I'm pretty sure they do it here too. Just a different kind.
yesterday me and my little one made her favorite "ice-cream": red fruits frozen yoghurt ice-pops. your look so much like real ice-cream, I would rather have that :) why cooking the berries? I guess it makes it more creamy, right? ps: yes, in Northern Europe they always put syrup in dark bread and often the dark color is more due to dark syrup (so to lots of sugar) than to whole-wheat flour. I am sure your bread was stunning.
Miryam – Not like I've ever had the opportunity to try the 0% stuff, but I think it has to be true. Happy that you got an ice cream maker! So fun, aren't they? :)
Jessica – It's such a pity that you normally need so much sweetener. This isn't all that sweet, but still enjoyable. :)
Becca – Even ones with… fruit?!
Sarah – And I don't know how healthy the stuff at the shop is. I mean, does it really taste like yogurt? :) The stuff here is all "fake." Maybe they've got some real yogurt places in the US now! That'd be nice to go home to.
Amy – Oooh! Lemon! That sounds way more interesting than just blueberry. I normally always pair berry with lemon. I should've done that here too. Darn!
Heidi – It makes me want to cry too. I've made half the recipes in The Perfect Scoop (this was while I was living with my parents… which meant I didn't have to eat it all by myself) and so making "healthy" ice cream just doesn't really work for me. I've had the best. I don't want the fake stuff! Bla.
Jeanette – I absolutely love bananas, especially for the creaminess and sweetness they bring to frozen desserts, but I'm allergic. And extremely bitter about it. Why couldn't I be allergic to broccoli or something? :) Thanks for the idea, though!
I love the idea of using Greek yogurt in this fruity frozen treat. If you like banana, it makes a nice creamy ice cream – that could help reduce the amount of sugar/honey too.
Oh my gosh, I know. I shed tears over "healthy" ice cream. Unfortunately good ice cream needs the cream, haha. Oh and lots of sugar :P This stuff looks amazing! I'm on a huge frozen yogurt kick right now. I made the 5 minute stuff which was super yummy but I think it's time to break out my ice cream maker and make some that way next :)
oh, yum! this looks absolutely fantastic. i could sooo for one scoop of this + one scoop of lemon sorbet in a waffle cone. right.this.second. =)
I love frozen yogurt! I think I ruin its healthiness though when I add all the toppings at the frozen yogurt shop. Making this at home is such a great idea!
I'm loving the color of this frozen yogurt! I'm a fan of any creamy cold desserts :)
I love frozen yogurt! I like how you don't need tons of sugar to sweeten this!
I am on a frozen Greek yogurt kick!! especially after making it with the ice cream machine. It is so much easier and faster :-) My kids love it and the variations we are making are fun and yummy. I actually prefer making it with a higher fat content ,as you said, it is much more creamer :-)