Lemon-Blueberry Frozen Yogurt Bites Are Good-for-Your-Gut Delicious

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These lemon-blueberry frozen yogurt bites filled with probiotic yogurt and plenty of prebiotic blueberries will help keep your gut in tip-top shape. This easy frozen snack is versatile too—swap out the blueberries for raspberries or strawberries for a different twist with the same health benefits.

a recipe photo of the Lemon-Blueberry Frozen Yogurt Bites
Photo:

Photographer: Robby Lozano, Food Stylist: Jennifer Wendorf, Prop Styling: Christina Brockman

Cool and berry-licious Lemon-Blueberry Frozen Yogurt Bites are perfect for snacking. The freeze-dried blueberries add a fruity sweetness to the yogurt, while the mildly floral cardamom and vanilla deliver warm, sweet notes without adding sugar. Best of all—these bites offer both prebiotics and probiotics, which are necessary for a flourishing microbiome. Keep reading for our expert tips, including how to turn these bites into clusters.

Tips from the EatingWell Test Kitchen

These are the key tips we learned while developing and testing this recipe in our Test Kitchen to make sure it works, tastes great and is good for you too! 

  • If you want to turn these bites into clusters, create a pile of 3 to 4 bites together on the baking sheet so they’re touching in a mound. Continue with Step 2 so they freeze together.
  • You can grind the freeze-dried blueberries in a spice grinder or mini food processor, but crushing them in a bag works well and requires less cleanup.
  • If you prefer a sweeter taste, add some date syrup or honey to the yogurt mixture.
  • Before snacking, allow the blueberries to stand at room temperature for a few minutes so they don’t feel so cold on your teeth.

Nutrition Notes

  • Besides adding a bright, citrusy flavor to these bites, lemon also adds some nutrition. This includes antioxidants and vitamin C, though the amount is tiny in these bites since the amount of lemon zest is small. Regularly including lemon in your diet may improve your skin health and prevent kidney stones. 
  • Blueberries are little powerhouses of nutrition. Loaded with antioxidants, gut-friendly fiber and vitamins C and K, these little gems may also improve your skin health. By regularly eating blueberries, you might also reduce your risk of chronic disease and have better cognitive function, cholesterol and blood pressure. 
  • Coming in with protein, calcium and probiotics, Greek yogurt supports a healthy gut microbiome. You also get a healthy dose of the mineral selenium, which acts as a powerful antioxidant, reducing the risk of cancer and heart disease. The protein in the Greek yogurt and the fiber in the blueberries will work together to help stabilize your blood sugar.
the ingredients to make the Lemon-Blueberry Frozen Yogurt Bites

Photographer: Robby Lozano, Food Stylist: Jennifer Wendorf, Prop Styling: Christina Brockman

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Ingredients

  • cup freeze-dried blueberries

  • 1 cup whole-milk plain strained (Greek-style) yogurt

  • 2 tablespoons vanilla extract

  • 2 teaspoons grated lemon zest

  • ¼ teaspoon ground cardamom or  cinnamon

  • teaspoon salt

  • 2 cups fresh blueberries

Directions

  1. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper. Place ⅓ cup freeze-dried blueberries in a zip-top plastic bag. Using a rolling pin, crush the berries into a very fine powder. Transfer the powder to a medium bowl; stir in 1 cup yogurt, 2 tablespoons vanilla, 2 teaspoons lemon zest, ¼ teaspoon cardamom (or cinnamon) and ⅛ teaspoon salt until smooth. Add 2 cups blueberries; stir to coat.

    a photo of the blueberries smashed with a rolling pin in a plastic baggy

    Photographer: Robby Lozano, Food Stylist: Jennifer Wendorf, Prop Styling: Christina Brockman

  2. Using a fork, remove 1 blueberry from the yogurt, tapping excess yogurt off; use a wooden pick to push the blueberry off the fork onto the prepared baking sheet. Repeat with the remaining blueberries, leaving space between them. Place the baking sheet, uncovered, in the freezer until the bites are frozen, at least 2 hours and up to 24 hours. Remove from the freezer 5 minutes before serving.

    a photo of the blueberry dipped in the yogurt mixture

    Photographer: Robby Lozano, Food Stylist: Jennifer Wendorf, Prop Styling: Christina Brockman

To make ahead

Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 1 week or in the freezer for up to 1 month.

Nutrition Information

Serving Size: about 1 cup

Calories 246, Fat 7g, Saturated Fat 3g, Cholesterol 17mg, Carbohydrates 31g, Total Sugars 22g, Added Sugars 0g, Protein 13g, Fiber 8g, Sodium 190mg, Potassium 221mg

Frequently Asked Questions

  • How do I store frozen blueberries?

    Store the blueberry yogurt bites in an airtight, freezer-safe container. They should last for up to 1 week in the refrigerator and 1 month in the freezer.

  • Can I use frozen blueberries?

    Yes, you can use frozen blueberries, but use fresh for the best results. If you do use frozen berries, make sure to thaw them only slightly (not completely) before using, as the yogurt mixture might have trouble sticking to the berries.

  • What should I do with the lemon after it’s zested?

    Save your zested lemon by wrapping it tightly in plastic wrap and storing it in the refrigerator. Use it for flavored water, hot or iced tea, salad dressings, fish or pasta. You can also squeeze the juice into ice cube trays to freeze for later use.

EatingWell.com, October 2024

Additional reporting by
Carrie Myers, M.S.
Carrie Myers
Carrie Myers is a portfolio entrepreneur with more than 30 years of experience in the health and wellness space. As a freelance writer and editor, Carrie has worked for both consumer and trade print and online publications. She's been quoted in several articles as a health and fitness expert. Carrie is also a certified life and wellness coach and exercise physiologist, and the founder of CarrieMichele Co., a lifestyle company that helps women create lives they love where they can be authentic.
and
Linda Frahm

Linda Frahm has been a copy editor and fact checker working with food and nutrition content for the past 30-plus years for consumer print and online publications, such as Cook’s Illustrated and Cook’s Country magazines, and has edited cookbooks for Dovetail Press and The Taste Curators.

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