Nipping at the heels of the latest food trends yet again, Turtle Mountain has managed to combine two powerful buzzwords in one fell swoop: “Coconut” and “Greek yogurt.” As if their plain coconut yogurt, a boon to the dairy-avoidant and soy-intolerant all at once, wasn’t enough, this latest creation manages to up the ante further. So new that I have yet to spot it on grocery store shelves, I was lucky enough to get advanced warning for this latest coconut invention and a box of three unmarked and label-less white containers in the mail. Slated to include 6 flavors in all for this line, I’m still dying to get a taste of the chocolate, strawberry, and plain varieties not included in my small sample package.
What’s most important here, however, is the texture. Without that critical viscosity, there’s little separating this latest offering from their pre-existing line of standard coconut yogurt. Achieving entirely different results from such a small change in the formula could be difficult to believe, but the promises do hold up to scrutiny- Across the board, these Greek yogurts are quite thick, somewhere along the lines of a sour cream consistency. Completely smooth even without stirring, no lumps or chunks to speak of, the richness that each spoonful brings is incredible, especially considering the substantial nutritional content. Insane amounts of fiber mean that one container plus perhaps a side of veggies or a piece of fruit makes for an entirely satisfying meal, which still feels slightly decadent.
Pale purplish-pink in color, the Raspberry Greek yogurt carries not only the seeds of its namesake, but even the tiny raspberry hairs (ie, remnants of the pistals; the female portion of the flower) as well. Much more tangy than sweet, it’s balanced by just enough cane syrup to resist bitterness, but may not be for those expecting a dessert or pudding-like experience. All the better, if you ask me! I for one don’t want to eat candy for lunch, and this option actually offers a complexity of flavors beyond pure sugary sweetness. However, fair-weather coconut friends beware: this yogurt doesn’t attempt to hide its roots, and definitely has a bit of tropical twang.
Blueberry fell a bit short for me, considering my high expectations. Very tangy but low on actual blueberry taste, it seemed to have more color than flavor. Chunks of fruit would have helped, but alas, all that can be found throughout this plastic tub are merely a few scattered seeds, merely proof that perhaps there were once berries involved. Sure, it’s fine, certainly not bad, but boring at best.
Ending on a high note, the Vanilla was the expected redemption to the whole tasting experience. A creamy off-white that reminded me of mayonnaise, I didn’t have very high hopes. Surprisingly, it carried only a slight aftertaste of coconut, and allowed the vanilla flavor space to breathe and be tasted, with a very modest amount of sweetness as well. Not terribly tangy, but mellow and agreeable, it works beautifully as a pairing to countless other treats. Dressed up in a fruit and granola parfait, I had an impressive yet simple and healthy treat in a matter of seconds. Such versatility is really the winning aspect of the Greek yogurt angle, since it’s thickness can stand up to more demanding applications than the typically runny plain yogurt.
Though there wasn’t enough of any flavor to spare for recipe experiments, rest assured that those won’t be far behind… Especially when I can get my hands on some plain Greek yogurt, there are endless possibilities for both sweet and savory baking!
Fabulous kitchen experiment! Sorry about the blueberry flavor though :(
I have been WAITING for these! The question is…will they have lower-sugar or sugar-free varieties?
Beautiful photos, well done!
I tried the chocolate and probably the vanilla at Natural Products Expo West this year and thought they were good. I’ve never had dairy-based Greek yogurt (I’m guessing you never have either), though, so I have no idea if it’s comparable in flavor and texture.
Thanks for the review. You make yogurt look SO elegant. I too would be curious to see how the texture compares to greek yogurt.
I rather enjoyed the blueberry one. I am holding on to the raspberry since I think it will be verry tasty!
I heard from a little birdie that they were coming out with this and I am so excited. I can’t wait for the “plain” flavor! I think I am one of Turtle Mountain’s biggest fans.
Gotta check these out, especially the coconut, this would be awesome to mix into a banana bread!
I’ve heard Turtle Mountain was coming out with a greek yogurt line, so exciting to see it’s one step closer to reality. :-)
Gotta admit, I’m totally a greek yogurt fiend and the fact that there is now a coconut version makes me so happy! Hope I can find this in stores soon!
Yum, coconut yoghurt sounds fabulous! I wonder where you could get it in Australia? Or maybe I could make it… Hmmm.
Ooooohh, wicked excited!
Yet another creation for me to sigh over. Honestly, here in Australia we can’t even really get good quality Greek yoghurt except really thick full-fat (normal dairy) plain kinds, and the only soy yoghurt I’ve tried was horrifically sweet, grainy, and revolting. I yearn!
I don’t care for coconut. OTOH I hope you can indulge and enjoy your coconut vegan Greek yogurt. I like Greek yogurt and I made several Greek yogurt recipes in my low glycemic cookbook.
I am so excited for these! I went vegan about a year after I spent a semester in Athens, and since then I’ve been waiting for a great vegan Greek yoghurt. Thanks for the review!
Thank you for the delicious review, Hannah! Your photos are truly spectacular. We’re delighted that you enjoyed the raspberry and vanilla flavors so much! A few of us here are nuts for the blueberry flavor, but we really appreciate your feedback and will share your thoughts with our R&D team.
Amber, our new Greek-style Coconut Milk Yogurts have significantly less sugar than other dairy-free cultured products, and we’ve been hearing that the plain flavor is perfect in savory recipes. Keep your eyes peeled after Labor Day. They should be hitting first stores in the next few weeks!
Thank -you- for creating yet another excellent new product, and for giving me a little sneak-peak! I really am looking forward to baking with the plain flavor once I can find it.
I have not tried the version of coconut yogurt…thanks for the review.
Hope you are having a wonderful week Hannah :-)
Oh this looks delicious! And your pictures are beautiful!
I don’t like coconut, but you make it sound like I would like these. Beautiful review and wonderful photos!
That is delicious. And lovely pictures, by the way!
It looks so good. I haven’t tried coconut yogurt. It sure sounds interesting. I’ll eat nothing but Greek style yogurt. It’s always so thick and flavorful. Although I rarely make it myself, I always buy plain and add any flavors I like to customize. That way it’s never too sweet.
Wow.. havent ever tried coconut yogurt.. i am not a fan of coconut.. but with the rave reviews and the pretty pictures.. i should definitely give it a try! hope you are having a super week Hannah!
Wow, Greek yogurt is no easy feat. I’m looking forward to trying these not too sweet treats.
Even if the taste might have been a little disappointing I love those photos of the blueberry yogurt. Looks delicious!
Glad you enjoyed some of them, though the blueberry was subpar.
Sounds amazing. And, I have to say, I always tend to prefer plain or vanilla. Can’t wait to see your recipe experiments with it.
Thanks for the vivid descriptions, Hannah! I’ve been wanting to try these since I heard about them at VVC!
Ooo I love anything made with coconut! I don’t know if I’ve seen coconut based yogurt in Canada though.
[…] […]
[…] quantity. Enough to eat, and bake with; An impressive number, knowing my appetite for the flavored varieties […]