TM7 Berry, Cacao & Walnut Yoghurt Bark

We’ve just come home from our belated 15-year honeymoon in Bali, where I thoroughly enjoyed ten days of buffet breakfasts, beautiful dinners and generally living large. It was very welcomed.

I landed back in Australia and went almost straight from the airport back into real life… bloods, hospital and immunotherapy. I was so dehydrated from flying and travelling that it took three needles to finally find a vein, including one spectacular blowout and two needle attempts for my bone injection. One of my liver markers had also crept up by three points. Nothing alarming, but enough to make me think, right… perhaps it’s time to be a little more conscious of what I’m putting into my body again.

So today I’ve been happily pottering around the kitchen, researching the work of Dr William Li and becoming increasingly fascinated by his food-as-medicine approach. I’m not interested in making food restrictive or miserable. I want to eat more plants, more colour, more whole foods and more of the things that may support my health, while still genuinely enjoying what I eat.

Which brings me to this. Berry, cacao and walnut yoghurt bark. High-protein Greek yoghurt, berries, cacao, walnuts and chia, frozen into little pieces that feel considerably more indulgent than they actually are. It takes about ten minutes to put together in the TM7 and then the freezer does the rest.

I’m sharing these recipes as I go because this is quite literally what I’m eating right now… not a perfect diet, not medical advice and definitely not me pretending I’ll never see another buffet breakfast. Just me learning, experimenting and trying to look after this body of mine a little better.

TM7 Berry, Cacao & Walnut Yoghurt Bark

A frozen yoghurt bark made with berries, cacao, walnuts and chia. Creamy, tart, chocolatey and just sweet enough. I’ve been trying to make the things I reach for between meals a little more intentional lately, with more plants, protein and whole foods. This is ridiculously easy to make, lives in the freezer and feels much more like a treat than a sensible afternoon snack.

Prep: 10 minutes

Freeze: 3–4 hours

Makes: Approximately 8 pieces / 4 serves

Ingredients

• 400 g high-protein plain Greek yoghurt

• 120 g mixed berries, such as raspberries, blueberries and strawberries

• 20 g walnuts

• 15 g chia seeds

• 10 g unsweetened cacao powder

• ½ tsp vanilla extract

• ½ tsp ground cinnamon

• 1 tsp stevia or monk fruit, optional

Thermomix TM7 Method

1. Chop the walnuts. Add the walnuts to the Thermomix mixing bowl and chop 2 sec / speed 5. Transfer to a small bowl and set aside.

2. Make the yoghurt base. Add the yoghurt, cacao, vanilla and cinnamon to the mixing bowl. Mix 10 sec / speed 3.

3. Add the berries. Add half of the berries and mix 5 sec / reverse / speed 2. You want some of the berries to break into the yoghurt while still leaving little pieces throughout.

4. Spread. Line a small baking tray or freezer-safe dish with baking paper. Spread the yoghurt mixture over the tray approximately 1 cm thick.

5. Add the toppings. Scatter over the remaining berries, chopped walnuts and chia seeds.

6. Freeze. Place in the freezer for 3–4 hours, or until completely firm.

7. Break and serve. Break or cut the frozen bark into approximately 8 pieces. Store in the freezer and leave it at room temperature for a few minutes before eating so it softens slightly.

Serving

I have 2 pieces per serve.

Approximate Nutrition

Per serving of 2 pieces:

Calories: ~150 kcal Protein: ~13–15 g Carbohydrates: ~11 g Sugars: ~6–7 g Fibre: ~4 g Fat: ~6 g Saturated fat: ~1–1.5 g Sodium: ~50–80 mg

Nutritional values are estimates and will vary depending on the yoghurt, berries and other ingredients you use.

A note from my table

I’m not interested in eating perfectly. I’m interested in making the everyday things I eat work a little harder for me... more plants, more variety and more of the foods I genuinely enjoy eating.

This is one of those recipes.