HONEY SWEETENED FROZEN BLACKBERRY YOGHURT

When my siblings and I were little, our summer vacations were usually a camping trip to the Mediterranean or Atlantic coast of France. I still remember the Volkswagen Camper, an attachable tent, folding chairs and table, aluminum dishes, a two-burner gas cooktop - a whole household packed into a miniature world. But it was so much more than just that: camping consisted of living in nature; beautiful endless summer days were filled with swimming, exploring, sports, play, reading, games, leisure, and family. I also remember the fruits and vegetables that tasted so much better than at home, not to forget the native olive oil that i personally felt tasted like bottled sunshine.
While traveling to foreign countries, my parents always emphasized the importance of trying to speak the local language. They had a ball sending us down to the ice cream vendor of the camp ground to buy our own dessert by telling us to ask us for “une boule fraise,” meaning one scoop of strawberry ice cream in French. At the ages of five and six, my brother and I had a hard time remembering this phrase and frequently returned to my parents to ask again what we were supposed to say to receive our delicious treat. After a couple of attempts, we finally found the courage to say the French sentence and were rewarded with “une boule fraise”! From then on, summertime and ice cream belonged together and I would speak any language to achieve it!

Frozen yoghurt, was something I encountered on my first summer trip to the US at the age of 16 and immediately fell in love with it! In this recipe, I used my own homemade, lactose-free yoghurt with plenty of good gut-healing bacteria, adding some extra health benefits to the yummy experience. I added blackberries and plenty of honey to achieve the perfect sweetness for this summer treat. My son told me it is too good to be called legal on the Specific Carbohydrate Diet. There’s nothing illegal about this recipe, but if you’re like me and prefer a less sweet flavor, you can easily reduce the amount of honey or replace it with a mushed banana and it will be just as delicious.

INGREDIENTS
12 oz blackberries
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 1/2 cups plain yoghurt (if you are sensitive to lactose I recommend homemade 24 hour yoghurt)
1 cup honey

optional: freeze dried raspberries for garnish

tool: ice-cream maker

INSTRUCTIONS
Add the blackberries and a little bit of water to a small saucepan and cook at medium heat until the berries are soft. Place a large sieve over a small bowl and add the blackberries. Using the back of a tablespoon, push the berries through the sieve until only seeds remain. Discard the seeds and place the berry sauce in the refrigerator.
Add the yoghurt, vanilla extract, and honey to a mixing bowel and stir until well combined.

Pour the yoghurt and the berry mixture into the ice cream maker and proceed according to the instructions. Place ice cream into a sealable container and freeze overnight.

Sprinkle with freeze-dried raspberries.

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