Is tapioca starch required? What's its purpose?

You may leave out the tapioca starch if you wish. I added it to give the bars a thicker, creamier texture, making them less icy when frozen.

Can I use fresh or frozen strawberries?

Yes, either fresh or frozen will work for this recipe.

Can I use any type of yogurt?

I recommend using a thick, full fat and unsweetened yogurt for this recipe. I used coconut milk yogurt, but you can use a greek yogurt or regular full fat too.

Is there a way to increase the protein content?

Feel free to blend in some collagen peptides or a couple scoops of your favorite protein powder to increase the protein content.

Healthy Strawberry Frozen Yogurt Bars

Description

Healthy yogurt bars made with fresh or frozen strawberries, your favorite yogurt and sweetened with maple syrup. These bars are gluten free, dairy free, paleo and vegan.

Ingredients

Scale

2 cups frozen strawberries (or fresh)
1 cup unsweetened yogurt (I used coconut yogurt)*
1/4 cup maple syrup (or favorite liquid sweetener)
1 tsp vanilla extract (optional)
1 Tbsp tapioca starch (optional)
1 tsp beet powder (optional)
1 cup white chocolate (optional topping)

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Instructions

Chop the strawberries and add them to your blender, along with the yogurt, maple syrup, vanilla, tapioca starch and beet powder. (If your strawberries are frozen, I recommend chopping them because it makes blending easier.)
Blend the mixture until it has a smooth, even consistency.
Pour the mixture into your popsicle molds. I used my favorite silicone popsicle molds, making about 14 small popsicles.
Add a popsicle stick into each slot, then place the molds in the freezer to set. You'll want the bars to freeze on a flat surface. I always place mine on a baking sheet, but you can place them on a level surface in the freezer too.
Freeze the yogurt bars for at least 4 hours.
Once the bars are frozen, melt the white chocolate. (Or just enjoy them as-is.) Place the white chocolate in a small saucepan and melt on the stovetop, over low heat. Once fully melted, remove the bars from their mold and dip them, one at a time into the melted chocolate. I poured my white chocolate into a tall, slender glass for dipping, but you can also spoon the chocolate over the bars.
Place the dipped bars on a parchment-lined baking sheet to set.
If desired, top each yogurt bar with your favorite naturally colored sprinkles, chopped nuts or shredded coconut for a bit of extra decoration. I drizzled mine with pink colored chocolate (white chocolate mixed with beet powder) and some dye-free sprinkles for a fun Valentine's themed treat.
Store leftovers in a sealed bag in the freezer, up to two months.

Notes

*Any type of yogurt will work for this recipe, however I recommend an unsweetened, full fat yogurt.