Frozen Yogurt for Breakfast

Spring berries are here! And after so many years on this planet I never thought I would utter such words. I always associated berries with summer, and with the modern day conveniences of year-round produce, I have stuck to my guns. But I stand corrected. There at the market were red, ripe, luscious looking berries complete with the imperfections of natures. No sir, no manufactured berries here.

And what goes better with berries than cream? Mmmm, ice cream. Too bad I hadn't thought that through before making it home. No cream, no milk, nada. But I had yogurt.

One quick search for "frozen yogurt" and there it was, the perfect recipe. Only three ingredients: yogurt, sugar, and vanilla. Check, check and check, plus strawberries. The recipe called for a whole milk yogurt, though I happened to have nonfat, but because I had Greek style yogurt, draining was not necessary. Score, I'll go one for two.

I did get a bit impatient, added the strawberries too soon. Because the yogurt was so cold to begin with, it started to freeze so quickly, I thought it was time. The poor little machine strained and struggled to incorporate the berries, but it just couldn't take it. Satisfied with the results nonetheless, I dished out a healthy portion of the frozen treat. (Though in retrospect, I had a very cold bowl of sweetened yogurt with berries. It wouldn't be until later, after some quality time in the freezer. that I actually had frozen yogurt.)

And it was worth the wait. Because I used nonfat yogurt, the texture was a little icy, but I attributed that to having no fat present to smooth it out. I don't mean for that to sound like a complaint. Simply delicious; just the right amount of sweetness (could have even gone with less sugar), tangy yogurt, bursting with fresh berry flavor. I could have this for breakfast.

And I did. Thrice.

Strawberry Frozen Yogurt
inspired by 101 cookbooks

1 16oz container Greek-style yogurt
½ cup sugar (or to taste – though be aware the yogurt will taste sweeter prior to freezing)
½ teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup fresh strawberries

1. Mix together the yogurt, sugar, and vanilla. Set aside, stirring occasionally, until the sugar has completely dissolved.

2. Transfer mixture to an ice cream maker and freeze according to the manufacturer's instructions.

3. Meanwhile, rinse strawberries, hull and cut into quarters.

4. Once the yogurt has reached the desired consistency, transfer to a bowl (or whatever container you plan on keeping the yogurt in) and quickly fold in the berries; place in the freezer.

*If using non-fat yogurt, this frozen treat will be solid once left in the freezer overnight. Remove it from the freezer at least 15 minutes before serving.