Frozen Yogurt to Do at Home!

Although we already celebrated National Frozen Yogurt Day in the chilly month of February, we must say, we are happy to celebrate this frozen dessert in summer!

Let’s take a look at what makes frozen yogurt a great healthy dessert (or special snack) option for type 2’s and what the benefits are. 

We also have two delicious recipes to share and ideas for the healthiest and most delicious toppings! 

Why FROYO?

Yogurt is a very gut healthy food! Meaning, since it ​​is a fermented milk product it has active cultures of good bacteria and is easier to digest than milk. Look on the label for ‘live and active cultures’ while purchasing sugar free frozen yogurt. This will give you the most probiotics.  Probiotics are a type of healthy bacteria that benefit the gut. They help regulate the digestive system and decrease gas, diarrhea, constipation, and bloating. Some research has suggested that probiotics can boost the immune system, help with weight management, and reduce the risk of cancer.

Additionally, yogurt has a “low GI”.  The Mayo Clinic defines the glycemic index as “an eating plan based on how foods affect your blood sugar level. The glycemic index is a system of assigning a number to carbohydrate-containing foods according to how much each food increases blood sugar”. For us with type 2 we want to integrate as many low GI foods as possible into our healthy diet.

There are many complicated desserts and recipes that are worth leaving to the experts.  However, frozen yogurt is easy, and quick to make at home yourself! When buying frozen yogurt at the store, you can’t control the ingredients list and will have additives and unnecessary calories and carbohydrates.  Making it at home with these simple steps will be much more delicious, simple and healthy.

How do I make type 2 froyo?

Both of our recipes start with a base of greek yogurt and then add a sweetener and a light flavor. For starters, when buying your base of greek yogurt, look for HIGH in protein and LOW in carbs and added sugar. Here are two recipes to try!

Homemade Frozen Yogurt - (adapted recipe for T2D)

INGREDIENTS

2 cups Greek yogurt plain, lowfat

¼ cup Nature's Hollow, Sugar-Free Honey Substitute or a low carb sweetener substitute equivalent such as Stevia, Allulose, Monk fruit, Erythritol

1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract

​​INSTRUCTIONS

Step 1 - Place the yogurt, honey and vanilla in your food processor’s bowl. Process to incorporate, stopping once to scrape the sides of the bowl, then process 1 more minute, until light and fluffy. You can also whisk by hand, but do so for several minutes until smooth and fluffy.

Step 2 - Using a spatula, transfer the mixture to a square 9-inch glass baking dish. Cover with cling wrap, and freeze for 45 minutes.

Step 3 - Remove the pan from the freezer. Use a rubber spatula to stir the already-frozen edges into the still-soft center, then spread evenly again.

Step 4 - Cover again, and place in the freezer for 2 more hours, repeating the process of stirring the yogurt every 30 minutes.

Step 5 - When the entire mixture is frozen, serve immediately as a soft-serve yogurt (use chilled bowls), or freeze 1-2 more hours for a firmer consistency that you can scoop out with an ice cream scoop.

Step 6 - If you end up storing the frozen yogurt for longer than that (say, overnight or a couple of days - I doubt it will last longer), remove it from the freezer 30 minutes before serving, to allow it to soften.

Fresh Raspberry Frozen Yogurt

INGREDIENTS

300g fresh raspberries

500g Greek yogurt

50g caster sugar

INSTRUCTIONS

Step 1 - Place half of the raspberries into a blender or food processor and purée.

Step 2 - Mix together the yogurt and sugar and transfer to a freezer-proof container, freeze for 1 hour, stir well then gently fold through the remaining raspberries and the raspberry purée.

Step 3 - Return to the freezer for 30 minutes, then mix again with a fork and and return to the freezer. Freeze a further 30 minutes until solid.

Step 4 - Remove from freezer for 5 minutes before serving

What do I put on top?

Now that you have made this healthy and delicious yogurt you don’t want to ruin all your hard work with unhealthy toppings.  Look for toppings that are LOW in added sugar, fat and processing.  This includes avoiding candies or candied nuts which can contribute to blood sugar increases and unwanted calories.  

Look for toppings like sliced almonds, ground flax or chia seeds, sliced strawberries or fresh blueberries.  Adding fresh fruit will always be a healthier and more natural choice to sweetening your desserts over toppings with added sugars.  During our FROYO research we even found that some people like to add unsweetened applesauce to their frozen yogurt as a natural sweetener.

The United States Department of Agriculture currently recommends that adults get three servings of dairy each day.  By improving your diet and exercise and maintaining healthy choices, you can significantly improve your health, and slow down/protect yourself from chronic conditions. For more information on healthy living and controlling and treating diabetes and heart disease, join our free diabetes support group: Winning Type 2 Diabetes Together.