Healthy Yogurt

• Servings: several
• Time: 10 mins
• Difficulty: easy
• Print

Did you know store bought flavoured yogurt is FULL of sugar? My kids love yogurt, but I felt so guilty putting it in the school lunches. I came across the idea of flavouring yogurt myself and I've been experimenting.

Ingredients

• Container of plain yogurt, your favourite brand. I’ve used Greek or regular and both have worked well.

Flavours I’ve tried and tested:

• Strawberry Banana – 6 strawberries tailed and sliced, 1 banana, 1.5 tbsp honey
• Apple Rhubarb – 1 red delicious apple (or your favourite red apple), 3/4 c of rhubarb, 2 tbsp honey
• Strawberry – 10 strawberries tailed and sliced, 1 tbsp honey, 1 tsp agave nectar
• Dark Cherry – 10 frozen dark cherries, 2 tbsp honey
• Strawberry Blueberry – 6 fresh strawberries with 1 tbsp honey, then mixed separately, 3/4 c blueberries with 1 tbsp honey (see Note below)
• Mango Banana – 3/4 c frozen mango chunks, 1 banana, 1.5 tbsp honey

The younger kids were not so impressed with the apple rhubarb, however, my older son and husband really like it. The rest have been a hit with everyone (well, except me — no dairy for me.)

Ingredients:

• Basically, about 1.5 – 2 c of fruit of your choice (I’d be aware of citrus fruit or kiwi as they may curdle the yogurt, however I haven’t tried it…. I’m tempted to try pineapple yogurt, so I’ll let you know how it works out.)
• Sweetener options are honey, agave nectar, maple syrup, stevia

Directions

Puree the fruit and sweetener in a blender (I use a hand blender). Then add the puree to the yogurt in a large bowl and fold it together until well mixed.

Note: The strawberry blueberry flavour I blended the berries separately and then combined them as I folded them into the yogurt, I find this helps to keep the flavours of the berries from completely blending together, so you can actually taste strawberry and blueberry distinctively.

My first time making my own flavoured yogurt, I put all the ingredients in the blender, including the yogurt, but it liquefied the yogurt so we got more of a yogurt drink (think YOP!) So, if you’re looking for a YOP-style drink, then toss it all in your blender, however, for a nice thick flavoured yogurt, blend the fruit, then fold it together in a bowl.

UPDATE: I have noticed that as banana is a thickening agent, I now add it to most of my yogurt recipes, along with other fruit flavours, as it helps to keep the yogurt stiff and doesn’t become watery from the other fruit.

Store in an air-tight container in the fridge, it will keep for a few days. Our’s doesn’t last long enough to go bad… it’s generally all eaten within 4 days.

Let me know in the comments of any flavour combinations that you love, I’m always looking for fresh ideas.