Chocolate Frozen Yoghurt Bars

So I will be home in a month.

Which I can't wait for. But at the same time, I can't believe its going to be my last summer holidays. So because I'm going to be walking around in tiny shorts and togs for most of the summer, and because this last month has been full of lots of brownies and sugar, I'm trying to cut sugar from my food for the next month. Until my birthday, because then all bets are off.

I mentioned this idea the other day in a post and people seemed interested in what I meant. I thought I'd clarify a little about what I personally am doing. So firstly, I'm not going to give up fruit. I believe if  the sugar is naturally occuring it is good for you in regular amounts. Therefore, fruit stays. This doesn't mean I'm going to eat more fruit than I usually do - I usually eat around 2 serves a day, but I may make it 3, depending on how I'm feeling.

The only processed sugar I will continue to eat will be in my yoghurt - which is Chobani so it is not high fructose syrup or aspartame, just regular ol' processed sugar. This is because I love yoghurt - I only have one small container a day, if I have yoghurt, but I have tried no sugar versions and just can't do it. I figure if Chobani is one of the best tasting Greek yoghurts out there, a little sugar won't kill me.

I buy natural peanut butter so there is no sugar. I eat cruskits and saladas (savoury biscuits) which do not have sugar in them. I am not eating bread, however given my well documented love for carbs this may be broken - but only once or twice a week! Though so far, so good. I am reading the labels though and making sure the bread I do keep around contains some of the better processed sugar. I admit I did eat tinned apricots (Weight Watchers) because I simply did not think about the sugar in them and have stopped now. I still have the tins, so if I'm really desperate I can have some - given they are 0 WW points, they are not the worst type of sugar.

The biggest type of sugar I have given up is honey. I love the stuff. I have raw honey if I get desperate. I also have a little homemade granola and homemade muesli left if I am that desperate but both are not made with sugar, rather with raw honey. As raw honey contains no additives and is naturally occuring, it is definitely a better choice. Therefore if I do have some granola or muesli I won't feel too guilty because there is a little honey in the mix.

But at the moment - no honey, no muesli or granola, no tinned apricots, no bread - nothing. It has been hard. Afternoon hits and the cravings get worse. I'm not a nighttime eater - it's around 2 in the afternoon when I feel the need for sugar. So I'm going to try to curb this. Also, I watched Hungry for Change yesterday, inspired by the lovely Shannon, which really made me want to stick to this for the time being. So if you haven't watched it, do.

These bars are pretty damn clean. There is sugar but it is in natural peanut butter and raw honey so it's not too terrible. I know these are pretty much like the frozen yoghurt bites I posted a few weeks ago, and I apologise for that, but this recipe was an even bigger hit in our household. One of my roommates has been away and it's just been me and Yvonne for the last week and so I made these one day and at least half were gone by the next afternoon. And I only had half of one!

They are the perfect summer treat - sweet, cold, delicious and chocolatey. You couldn't ask for anything more. And, even better, they're healthy!

Level of Difficulty: Incredible easy

Average Cost: Pretty cheap

Main Ingredients: Strawberry Greek yoghurt, peanut butter and chocolate

Occasion: The perfect summer snack

Menu Options: You can use any flavoured yoghurt you like – I just like the combo of strawberry and chocolate, though mango and chocolate would also be amazing. You can also use milk chocolate if you chose, I just prefer the taste and nutritional benefits of dark chocolate.

Makes 9

What you need:

200 g granita biscuits (or any Arnott’s biscuits or graham crackers)

6 tbsp peanut butter

4 tbsp raw honey

3 x 170g Chobani strawberry yoghurt tubs (or any other flavoured Greek yoghurt – try strawberry though)

100 g dark chocolate melts or chips

What to do:

In a food processor combine the granitas, peanut butter and raw honey until a thick dough is formed.

Put the dough in a square, thin pan. Press the dough down into all four corners and make sure it is evenly spread. It will be rather thick but should spread evenly.

Spread the Greek yoghurt over the top of the dough.

Melt the chocolate chips/melts and then, using a knife, stir the chocolate into the yoghurt to create a swirl pattern.

Place the bars into the freezer for at least an hour. They won’t be totally frozen. Then, using a sharp knife, cut around the outside of the bars so the bars don’t freeze to the side of the pan.

After another hour cut the bars into 9 squares. Again, this is just to make sure they don’t freeze together.

While the bars could be eaten now, I would recommend freezing for at least another hour. Serve cold from freezer. Store in freezer for up to a week (this is an estimate, ours lasted two days).