How to Make Home-made Non-Dairy Cherry Cashew Yogurt {Video}

by Arielle J on June 29, 2015

I love anything and everything that is cold and creamy — ice-cream, especially.
It’s always been my ultimate favorite food.
When I was younger, I loved fat-free frozen yogurt so much, I would
eat it for breakfast, lunch, snack and dinner.

When I went to nutrition school in 2008, though, it all changed. One night, I went to my favorite nearby frozen yogurt shop and asked the store clerk for the list of ingredients. She said she didn’t have the ingredients and that made me really wonder what was in it.

I walked out pretty flabbergasted. We all have the right to know what we are paying for and putting into our bodies, right?
So I did a little search – went into other frozen yogurt places – and found out my my favorite treat, although marketed to be a healthy treat, low calorie and made of “natural ingredients,” wasn’t so natural at all.

Since that day, I haven’t eaten it again. (I will admit to sometimes having tastes of it, but I haven’t actually paid for, or eaten an entire cup). I care about my body too much.

Still to this day, if you look up the ingredients from some of your favorite frozen yogurt companies, it’s so hard to find it on the websites. Makes me think – if it really were healthy, they would be transparent about it, right?

(Check out the Food Babe’s article, which includes a pretty thorough listing of the ingredients in popular frozen yogurt brands)

SO, as much as I love soft-serve frozen yogurt, I steer clear of it. When I do eat yogurt, I normally opt for less lactose versions, like sheeps-milk yogurt or dairy-free alternatives, like coconut yogurt and when I opt for ice-cream, I go for full-fat organic or coconut milk.

A few years ago when I was hosting a brunch for some friends, one of them happened to vegan at the time and I had to figure out a way to make a vegan version of yogurt. And this recipe came about.

Introducing my plain yogurt, sweetened up and “fancified” with some cherries! No lactose, no dairy and no crazy ingredients you can’t pronounce.

Get the recipe and video here:

P.S. Arielle’s Tip: Try a “quick soak” for the cashews to speed up time so you don’t have to soak them overnight. Directions: Boil a pot of water. Pour boiling water over cashews and let soak for 30 minutes until soft. Voila! Then blend with the rest of the ingredients.

P.P.S. Feel free to add any fruit – blueberries, strawberries, apricots, peaches and raspberries are perfect summer yogurts too!

be smart. be sweet. be delicious.

xo

be well,

arielle