ANYway! That last discussion started as an aside and grew into its very own post. Now that it's out of the way, let's get on with it, shall we?
While we were on vacation this weekend I noticed two new nondairy, soy-free yogurts at the store we went to. Excitement! Yogurt was one item where I couldn't find a way to get away from soy. We bought two containers and brought them home in an iced cooler so we could write this very cultured shmoo review (heh heh).
1. Blueberry Ricera Rice Yogurt. I couldn't wait to try this one, as I love rice and had an image of a thicker, creamier version of amazake. However, our first glimpse at its runny consistency and grainy texture did not inspire much confidence. Shmoo and I both took a taste and made faces. It was gritty and bitter, with a sharp, biting flavor that stays in your mouth long after you swallow. Big thumbs down from shmoo. Perhaps it would be better in a smoothie? We decided not to chance it and threw the rest away after a couple more bites. Verdict: Nasty!
2.Vanilla So Delicious Coconut Milk Yogurt. This yogurt looked like a winner as soon as I put the spoon in: creamy and thick like real yogurt, with beautiful color. I took a taste and smiled. Mmmm, that's more like it! It's smooth and luscious, like coconut milk pudding with a hint of yogurty tang. It also doesn't have that soy aftertaste I dislike in soy yogurt. Verdict: Beyond Excellent! Shmoo and I both give it big thumbs up and will be begging local stores to carry it.I'll leave it to some of you to decide which nondairy yogurt is better nutritionally: soy, rice, or coconut? Coconut had the most fat (6 grams, all saturated -- no wonder it tasted so good!), but coconut also had fewer calories than rice or soy (150 vs. 180 in the rice and 160 in the soy). Both coconut and rice lack the protein of soy (4 grams in Silk Cultured Soy, 3 grams in Ricera, and only 1 gram in the Coconut Milk Yogurt).
Hooray for soy-free vegan "yogurt"!!!
ReplyDeleteThat coconut yogurt looks amazing! I will be asking our supermarket to please carry it.
ReplyDeleteThank you so much for testing these! I was allergic to soy while pregnant (yay, covered in hives) so we've been trying to limit it as much as possible now that the baby's here.
ReplyDeleteI'm off to order a case of this from our co-op.
Coconut yogurt sounds yummy. I've tasted soy yogurt once and its simply nasty. Fat from coconut milk is supposedly good for hair and also brain development in kids. I've got to find this stuff. :)
ReplyDeleteI have to agree that the rice yogurt was N-A-S-T-Y. I think two bites was all I could manage- lad I didn't stock up, lol. I haven't seen the coconut milk variety, but will look for it.
ReplyDeleteThank you for the info about the coconut yogurt! I've been dairy and soy free for six months because my son (who I'm nursing) is intolerant. I've really missed yogurt!
ReplyDeleteHi there. Love the blog. Totally off topic, but wasn't sure how else I could contact you. I was wondering what kind of foods/recipes you gave your son when he was under two. I assume you left out some things because of the choking risk, like nuts? I have a 1 year old and am always looking for new ideas of how to prepare foods for him.
ReplyDeleteI love the new coconut milk ice cream, so I bet the yogurt is equally delicious. I've heard (no, read actually) that the sat fats in coconut are actually good for you...that's courtesy of Skinny Bitch...so I believe it.
ReplyDeleteI also tried the Ricera and it was disgusting. I actually thought mine might have gone bad, but it sounds like yours was the same.
ReplyDeletehttp://glutenfreeblog.blogspot.com/2008/06/peach-smoothie-but-not-with-ricera.html
I wonder if anyone actually likes it.
Mmmm, coconut milk soygurt?! That does sound delicious!
ReplyDeleteI've heard so many people say that the ricera is gross (watery, gritty, etc...) but every time I've had it (only the vanilla flavor) it was really good! Very thick and creamy. I've never had any of the other flavors so I wonder if it has to do with the fruit? Strange! I love the coconut mikl ice cream so I'm sure the yogurt will be delicious, as well.
ReplyDeleteThank you for showing this! With 2 boys allergic to soy it really helps to get new ideas.
ReplyDeleteHi. I enjoyed your blog. It is very interesting.
ReplyDeleteThanks for reviewing these, I will be sure to try the coconut yogurt as a treat :)
ReplyDeleteI happen to really like Silk Yogurt...but any other i have had was NASTY!
Hi! I come to your blog a lot and I wanted to let you know that I've awarded you a blog award on my site. Thanks for all of your time to post these wonderful ideas!
ReplyDeleteThat coconut yogurt sounds soooo good! ...that IS a lot of saturated fat, but I guess I'm OK with that considering I don't really get it anywhere else :P
ReplyDeleteI went to turtle mountian foods website(makers of So Delicious) and got 2 coupons for the yogurt. $.50 off is nice on a $2 yogurt!
ReplyDeleteOf course I then went to buy some and it was AMAZING! Thank you for reviewing this!!!
The plain was great, tasted coconuty, but not fake or strong at all. Awesome custard-y texture!
The raspberry warmed up a bit before I ate it and was more creamy like american cow's milk yogurt. I'm not sure if it was the warmth, or the fruit that made it diffrent from the plain. I highly recomend them as well!(hopefully the price will drop though...)
I now can't wait to make my own coconut milk yogurt using a heating pad and starter...
Has anyone tried this?
The coconut yogurt (vanilla) was great!! Dairy yogurt gives me a horrible stomach ache, the one soy yogurt I tried tasted terrible, and rice yogurt is not that appealing (especially after reading the negative reviews here). But the coconut So Delicious rocks! What a nice mouth-feel! And - it's certified gluten-free (company verified it's gf!). I can't wait to acquire an ice cream maker and experiment making coconut fro yo!
ReplyDeleteThanks so much for reviewing these. I never would have looked for coconut yogurt (I'd given up on yogurt). The other night I remembered your post and bought a few. Delicious! My husband had been missing his granola and yogurt breafast. He loved the strawberry vanilla and I loved the raspberry. I can't wait to try more flavors! Thanks again.
ReplyDeleteThanks so much for this info. We currently eat Wildwood Sugar-free plain soy yogurt, but sparingly since my little ones still consume quite a bit of soymilk on a daily basis. I think about this issue every day and still am not sure where I fall on it, it's good to know that I can request some other options for my family. Thank you!
ReplyDeleteThey stock both of these at my local Whole Foods now. I like to use the coconut one in my smoothies. :) The vanilla is nice that way.
ReplyDeleteIs NadaMoo! available in your area? If not, it probably will be soon! Good stuff!
ReplyDeleteis there any calcium in either of these yogurts?
ReplyDeleteYes, they are both fortified with calcium, yay! Follow the links in the post to visit each product's site and get the specifics.
ReplyDeleteI'm so glad you posted this review! I saw some in my local organic grocery and picked it up for lunch. The Passion Fruit Mango made a lovely dessert!
ReplyDeleteSomeone has probably told you by now, but this review is linked on Turtle Mountains website!
ReplyDeletewww.sodeliciousdairyfree.com/products/Coconut_Milk_Yogurt_Reviews.html
My favourite non-dairy yoghurt has to be YoSa http://www.bioferme.fi/index.php?kieli=3 - it's oat-based and flavoured with real fruits and berries.
ReplyDeleteIt's absolutely wonderful - their organic bluberry-banana YoSa and plum YoSa are incredlibly good as well. I'm not sure whether one can get it in USA, but if you can, give it a go. I'm sure you'll love it too.
Kadri from Estonia
Do the non-dairy yogurts also have the live and active cultures in them? That coconut milk yogurt sounds good! I tried soy yogurt once and it wasn't too my liking. I can't find the Silk brand yogurt, but I buy chocolate Silk to drink. Mmmmm!
ReplyDeleteI am an omnivore currently living in Turkey, and I have to say that their yogurt (dairy, of course) is simply amazing, much better than what is available in the US.
>>Do the non-dairy yogurts also have the live and active cultures in them?
ReplyDeleteYep!
ive tried both...ricera which its really nasty and don't liked it :s
ReplyDeletelol
the cocconut milk one..so delicious....was like the brands name..so delicious i love it! But I mostly use soy yogurts..my favorite's silk live and whole soy & co.!
:)