Category: Reviews

As concerns about eating processed soy are surfacing more often these days, Turtle Mountain‘s innovative thinking seems to come at the perfect time. I’m not only talking about their delicious ice cream line, but also their latest and perhaps more healthful development: Coconut yogurt! Carving out their own niche in the non-dairy arena, it’s exciting just to know that there are more options out there, especially for those who are soy-adverse. Available in six different flavors, there are enough options to satisfy anyone’s tastes, and even give those big name dairy yogurts a run for their money.

I was lucky enough to get a sneak peek of these cultured treats- It was such an advanced preview that they were still tinkering with the formula! For that reason, I won’t comment on the texture, which I’ve been assured was perfected since my sample batch (even though I found it to be spot-on regardless.)

Popping the top of my go-to flavor, vanilla, I was immediately impressed. Pale, smooth and creamy, the delicate floral notes of the vanilla managed to assert themselves, much like their vanilla ice cream. Almost no tangy “bite” to be found and sweetened generously, I could hardly even think of it as yogurt- Just call it pudding, and the kids would be all over it! Most surprisingly though, I would have never guessed that coconut had anything to do with it, it was so well disguised by even the delicate flavor of vanilla. Clean-tasting and refreshing, this really hit the spot as a midsummer snack.

Moving on to my second favorite yogurt flavor, the deep purple color concealed within the cup of blueberry yogurt was an encouraging sight to see. Lumps of smashed berries dotted the otherwise unblemished surface and added some good texture, along with a fresh burst of intense flavor. Quite sweet and yet again lacking that characteristic tanginess, I couldn’t imagine that anyone could take issue with this flavor. If you like blueberries, you will like this yogurt!

It wasn’t long before the siren song of the raspberry yogurt beckoned me back to the fridge, spoon in hand. Tinted a dusty pink, its demure appearance belied an immense flavor. A dead-on duplicate of pure raspberry essence with a few seeds scattered about for realism, I’m not ashamed to say that I licked the cup clean. Tempering the tart berries with a perfect dose of evaporated cane juice, I wouldn’t change a thing about it… Except pack it in gallon-sized containers, perhaps! I could certainly demolish that amount with little effort, given the chance.

Expecting great things now from the strawberry banana combo, I was a bit taken aback by the lack-luster beige color, and slightly off smell. Although I was hesitant to take a bite of this dubious concoction, luckily I was pleasantly surprised when I did. It does taste far better than it smells, although not to the same standards as those previous flavors. A generic “fruity” flavor that kids would probably appreciate, it wasn’t exactly evocative of either strawberry or banana, but was still good enough that I had no trouble finishing my container.

Excited about the most adventurous and original flavor in this new line, the passionate mango provides a more exotic taste of passion fruit and fresh mango together to create a whole new sensation. Unfortunately, it wasn’t exactly a sensation I enjoyed. Super tart and strangely lacking in sweetness, I found it difficult to eat more than a few bites. The mango seems to be a bit more assertive and covers up the nuances of passion fruit, so it might appeal to mango-lovers out there… It just didn’t hit the spot for me.

As for the final flavor, plain, I don’t have too much to say as there isn’t much flavor to speak of. If you’re looking for something to bake with, or use in savory sauces or dips, this will be absolutely perfect. Of course it’s not too exciting to eat on it’s own, but it’s an excellent canvas for you to dress up to your heart’s desire.

Although slightly higher in fat than their original soy-based offerings, this new line of coconut yogurts seems like an overall healthy option for those looking beyond the standard dairy alternatives. They’ve only just begun appearing on grocery store shelves, so be on the look out- Most of these cultured cups are worth hunting down!

[Written for Go Dairy Free]

Just in time for the heat of summer, those evil geniuses over at Turtle Mountain have been at it again, working their magic to create another frozen sensation. Slashing the ingredient list to the bare minimum while simultaneously bringing decadence to a new level, ice cream made with organic coconut milk will soon be hitting the market in addition to their other sumptuous product lines. A glance at the label might be a bit misleading, as they seem so basic and average, but these newest offerings are proof that simplicity can be best. Before they were officially released, I was lucky enough to get a little sneak preview of some of the flavors; a dream come true after being tempted and teased by the announcement!

Of the three pints that arrived at my door, packed in ice and begging to be freed of their cardboard prison, it was the vanilla that I looked forward to sampling the most. Yes, I’ll admit it; I am a vanilla lover. When utilized correctly, vanilla has a flavor profile that is more complex than chocolate and coffee, something that no chemical can completely recreate; something so pure that even the smallest missteps by the extras could interrupt its performance. Naturally, I was curious as to how it would shine through with a coconut background, but I could have never guessed how perfectly this frozen treat would bring the two together. Glittering with black flecks of vanilla bean, the snowy white mounds melt away into a thick, rich blanket that completely coated my tongue. Much like the premium ice cream from my pre-vegan days, it was incredibly creamy, intense, and completely swoon-worthy. Only the slightest hint of coconut was present, similar to the flavor of Soyatoo in that sense, giving the ice cream a faintly tropical dimension. However, the delicate, floral kiss of vanilla definitely dominates this treat, taking its rightful place as a flavor to be craved.

Chocolate, vanilla’s eternal rival, was next on my hit list. Deceptively solid and difficult to scoop, the dark brown boulders transform into velvet puddles in the mouth, just as smooth and creamy as can be. Barely sweetened, this is a more mature taste than the chocolate of my childhood, a strong flavor that still retains a curious delicacy. A lingering whisper of coconut distinguished it as something other than straight-up chocolate decadence, which I must say helped to make it less overwhelmingly rich, so it wasn’t an altogether bad thing. Playing more notes of a simple cocoa than a rounded chocolate bar, I must admit that it didn’t quite place as my favorite version of chocolate ice cream, but it’s still definitely near the top all the same.

Of course, with a coconut base, a pure coconut ice cream is to be expected, and what an intense flavor it was. Bowled over by the straight forward purity of this pint, there was nothing to detract from the tropical fruit. Packed with flakes of whole coconut meat as well, it was so thick and substantial that I actually had to chew my ice cream! Be warned, this one is for coconut lovers ONLY, so all fair-weather coconut friends might be best starting with a different flavor. Personally, I wasn’t a fan because the shredded coconut interfered with the otherwise creamy texture, but my mom on the other hand was practically gaga for the stuff, so those with an affinity toward the fibrous drupe will not be disappointed.

…And if all of that’s not enough to look forward to, this new line will come in a total of 5 flavors, so I’m excited to find out how the remaining varieties measure up.

[Written for Go Dairy Free]

Its official: The final frontier of veganism has been reached. Dairy and casein-free cheese, that illusive substance that has typically tasted like burnt plastic at best, is now just as good, if not better than the original animal product. And this time, it really melts- Not just sort of, if you coddle it and sing it sweet songs while it stews for an hour- But throw it under a broiler and it becomes gooey, creamy, and everything one could hope for in any sort of cheese. Teese, the newest kid on the “cheese”-making block, has taken the vegan world by storm, showing up in innumerable commercial restaurants and homes alike. I’m actually a bit late to this party, as you can find reviews of this stuff all over the place, but I just had to check it out for myself anyways.

Arriving in the shape of a plump sausage, wrapped up tightly in red plastic, I must admit I was a bit dubious at first. Knowing full well that it would be good after reading so many rave reviews, it was just a matter of getting past the packaging to focus on the savory goodness that lay within. Peeling back the faux casing, I was struck by how genuinely cheesy it smelled! I don’t know what else I was expecting, but it stopped me dead in my tracks, and I simply couldn’t decide what to do with it first. Not wanting to go with the pizza route since everyone and their mother had already done so, I quickly defrosted a package of puff pastry and made a similar, but different concoction.

While I may have ended up with a bit more pastry than intended, there wasn’t a single flaw with the filling. Combined with a simple dice of roasted red peppers and fresh herbs, the Teese took on a delightfully soft, gooey texture. Mild but with a good hit of salt, it was everything one might expect from your average mozzarella. Grating easily to the point of mush, I tossed the remaining brick into the freezer after this first experiment. For a more user-friendly consistency, I would suggest storing it there regardless of its final destination.

Next, I knew I would really be pushing it by going against all wisdom of working with faux cheeses: Eating it raw. Every time I tried unadulterated “cheese” products previously, my taste buds rebelled so severely that you would have thought I was eating oil-soaked rubber. Hoping that it would be different with the magical Teese, I whipped up a quick caprese salad (Note: This was before the recent tomato recall, in case you were wondering!)

Most surprising of my entire trial was how tasty this stuff was with just a drizzle of olive oil, accompanied by sliced tomatoes and basil fresh from the garden. An excellent platter to start off a meal with, even my omnivorous mom agreed that it was quite palatable! Her thoughts were that it tasted like low-fat (dairy) cheese, as it had a lighter texture, and wasn’t quite as smooth or dense. Talk about impressive!

Finally, there were ravioli, one of my childhood favorites. I cheated a bit by using wonton wrappers as the pasta, but really, it’s pretty tough to screw up when you have such an amazing filling. Just some grated tease, herbs, salt, and pepper created the innards, and I had an incredibly delicious meal in mere minutes. You could also thin it out a bit and add more protein by mashing in some tofu, but this stuff does wonders on its own. Seriously, do I even need to tell you how amazing it was?

If you’ve been holding out on buying Teese due to bad faux cheese experiences in the past, but are craving melty, irresistible cheesy decadence, what are you waiting for? Go order a pound or two of this, right now!

[Written for Go Dairy Free.]

If there were one thing that I could almost guarantee you will find in your local grocery store, no matter where in the world you reside, it would be a vegan alternative to milk. From soy to oat to hemp, the varieties are endless, and availability is at an all-time high. What you might have more difficulty finding, however, is vegan milk chocolate. No, I’m not talking about the chocolate milk you drink, I mean the real stuff, found in bars, chips, and chunks, sweeter and lighter than the jet-black dark chocolate that should be a staple of any well-stocked pantry. Why the deep roots of chocolate addiction and prevalence of milk-alternatives have yet to meet, I can’t quite understand. Luckily, there are beginning to be a few stray companies brave enough to bridge that gap, such as Terra Nostra with their Ricemilk chocolate bars.

Each glossy bar weighs 100 grams (3.5 ounces) and has 12 rectangles for “portion control,” if you care to exercise restraint.

The plain Ricemilk bar seemed like a good jumping-off point, so that’s where I began. Tearing back the silver foil, a curious milky aroma wafted out and teased my taste buds. Upon first bite, I was struck by how reminiscent of Hannukah gelt it was- Of all things! Since the gelt of my childhood was always milk chocolate, I suppose they hit the nail on the head with this one. Luckily, it doesn’t have overwhelming “dairy” notes like Hershey’s nor is it watered down due to a lesser cocoa content, so there’s no loss of flavor here. Each bite yields a nice snap, and the chocolate melts smoothly into a sweet, creamy puddle over the tongue. This is something that kids would go nuts for, as it’s far less intense than dark chocolate. Personally, one rectangle is really enough to satisfy a craving, but the sweetness becomes a bit cloying beyond that.

What I was most curious about was the Dark Truffle Center bar- Truffles are one thing and chocolate bars are another, so how successfully could they be combined? Well, I was about to find out. Due to the soft interior, this bar had no snap to speak of, but instead surrendered easily to the most gentle bites. Immediately the deep, dark chocolate of the center came through and took hold of my palate, the slightly bitter, caramelized notes shining through. Tempered by the sweet ricemilk chocolate, the combination worked very well. I imagine that the truffle center would have simply been too intense on its own. Ultimately, the only thing I can fault this bar with is the format, as I would have honestly preferred a traditional truffle shape to maximize the amount of that complex and sophisticated filling.

Sporting the same “milky” chocolate as the original bar but now sprinkled liberally with roasted nuts, the Almond bar certainly was a beauty. They weren’t shy with the almonds, and every rectangle was studded with about equal amounts of this crunchy counterpoint. Sadly, while it add a delightful extra dimension of texture, I didn’t get any almond flavor from it. They were plenty fresh and crisp, but not exactly distinctive as far as the taste went. I would still make the case to try this bar out though, because I loved that the nuts took the sweetness down a notch, making it much easier to snack on than the plain bar.

If you’ve been missing milk chocolate, look no further. Although it’s been a while since I’ve had the real thing myself, I would venture to say that these bars are near perfect replacements that will please your inner child. Chocolate snobs beware; these are more of a simple candy at heart. However, kids are sure to love them, and it’s nice to have more options out there on the market. If only I had saved enough to bake with, I’m sure they would work beautifully in cakes and pastries as well!

[Written for Go Dairy Free]

Having been on the culinary scene in one form or another for over 4,500 years, yogurt is a staple in many diets, and for good reason. All you have to do is watch tv for five minutes before being bombarded by the recent ads touting yogurt’s healthful bacteria and restorative properties. Beyond just the health benefits though, the uses and different varieties are endless, providing the backbone of many baked goods, cold soups, and even simple parfaits. The non-dairy version has been around for barely a fraction of the time as the original, but like a newborn modeling their older sibling, it has progressed rapidly to a more mature and delicious form.

The latest mutation of this vegan delight is made by Turtle Mountain, previously known solely for their decadent frozen desserts. Coming from such a sumptuous background, I naturally assumed that these newest offerings would share that level of luxury, a step above the standard cultured soy- And even with such high expectations, I wasn’t disappointed.

With five different flavors to choose from, this line is short but sweet.

Starting with Vanilla as a basic jumping-off point, I was impressed with this yogurt before the spoon ever reached my lips. A quick stir proved how thick and creamy the consistency was, far more substantial than any other brands I’ve encountered yet. This translated into a very rich mouth-feel, delivering a sophisticated bouquet of floral vanilla notes along with the faint, characteristic tang of yogurt. While some people may equate “vanilla” with “plain,” this concoction would prove them wrong! Good enough that I wasn’t tempted to add extra flavorings or toppings to it, this would undoubtedly be excellent to dip fresh fruit in as the warmer months progress.

Next up I chose Blueberry, my go-to variety when it comes to flavored yogurts. Lifting the lid, I discovered it was an alluring shade of purple/blue, concealing bits of berries scattered throughout. These chunks added some good texture, livening things up so that it didn’t become monotonous to shovel down. With an authentic blueberry flavor, albeit very sweet, it was breath of fresh air for my breakfast routine, and actually gave me a reason to be happy about waking up so early.

This was all just beating around the bush though, because the one flavor I was most interested in was the infamous Cinnamon Roll. After all, how could something be pastry-flavored? It sort of implies a certain texture and format, so I could only puzzle over how a baked good might be incarnated into a creamy soy product. Let me tell you, the answer (and taste) is surprisingly delicious. No kidding, this one blew my socks off! So sweet, creamy, and indulgent, with a strong overtone of cinnamon and almost buttery notes in the background, it’s hard to describe exactly how it all worked to create such a harmony of flavors, but it definitely does. Although it’s a bit over the top for a daily breakfast option, it’s a wonderful treat that I certainly would have trouble refusing.

Moving back into familiar territory, Raspberry was the next target on my hit list. A deep shade of pink that bordered on purple, it was an impressive reminder of how unnecessary synthetic coloring is when you use quality ingredients. Tart and tangy, the sweetness in this one was very nicely offset by the natural essence of raspberries. Turning up a few errant raspberry seeds every other spoonful or so, it was a nice reminder that it was the real deal in here, not some artificial chemical cocktail. Served with frozen berries on top, this is one unbeatable snack.

Finally, all that remained was Peach… Which, I must admit, I had been avoiding for as long as possible. You see, I have a rather tenuous relationship with peach-flavored things. For some reason, they just don’t usually strike my taste buds as a good thing, even though I don’t usually have a problem with the fresh fruit. Swallowing my fears along with a mound of yogurt, I noticed that this one was a bit grainer in texture than the previous choices. The pieces of fruit in there exacerbated that fact a bit, and some of them were even downright crunchy. Not my idea of a pleasing consistency! Over all, it was pleasant enough, but I would have to say it was my least favorite of the bunch. Of course, if you’re a diehard peach lover, this may be just your thing, so I wouldn’t write it off altogether.

So if you’re still lusting over those thicker styles or decadent flavors of dairy-based yogurts, a cup of So Delicious soy yogurt could be just the thing to sooth your cravings!

[Written for Go Dairy Free]

Browsing through aisles of snack food at the grocery store is like walking through a minefield for me. Nutritional bombs lay in wait everywhere the eye can see, but each one sounds even more delicious than the next. Tempting those unwitting consumers who don’t bother to check what goes into their snacks, it’s a disaster waiting to happen. Even as an informed shopper, it’s becoming harder and harder to make wise purchases. With false advertising covering every inch of the labels and soaring food prices forcing many to go the cheaper route (despite the price that must be paid with one’s health), it’s enough to send anyone fleeing from the stores. But don’t give up hope – there are a few gems buried in amongst the dirt, and Grandpa Po’s Originals is one of them.

Hidden inside each unassuming re-sealable pouch is a mix of popcorn kernels and toasted soy beans, packing in a good helping of both protein and fiber, and providing a healthy answer to this snacking dilemma. Found in a total of three subtle variations, I was only lucky enough to try two, but I can imagine that if the last one follows suit, it would be a worthy purchase as well.

The natural place to start is with the most basic, and Slightly Unsalted appeared to be just that. What I couldn’t have guessed was just how much flavor this “basic” offering would have. From the first bite, I was completely blown away. It tasted just like movie theater popcorn! How could this be?! My mind was reeling for a minute, trying to make sense of how four straightforward and healthful ingredients could produce that familiar salty, indulgent taste. Not at all greasy like I had remembered the chemical- and dairy-laden original being, the tiny kernels were perfectly crisp and crunchy. Punctuated with a serious handful of nutty soybeans, the simple mix of textures and flavors was far better than I could have ever anticipated. Just short of being dangerously addictive, I wouldn’t imagine that a bag of this could ever last long in my home.

Munching on a handful of Slightly Spicy next, I wasn’t sure that I had picked up the right bag at first; not even a hint of spice tickled my tongue. A few moments passed, and then all of a sudden, the bells started ringing and there was fire going in the back of my throat! How sneakily the flavor had crept up on me! After that startling experience, I knew what to expect and found the remainder of the bag delightful, but it’s only terribly spicy after the first few mouthfuls. It doesn’t take long for your taste buds to adjust, so it’s an excellent method of encouraging portion control: To get that hot kick every time, you only need to eat a little bit in one sitting! Mostly peppery above anything else, it’s nothing too exotic for the spice-fearing among us.

Finally, a savory snack that’s appropriate for just about everyone, and tasty by any standards, too. This is one satisfying option that I don’t feel bad about grabbing when my energy levels dip between meals. Best of all, there are so few ingredients that it’s impossible to hide foreign additives or questionable content in there. The only thing unusual about the list is ‘a sense of humor,’ which is included in ample supply in every bag.

[Written for Godairyfree.org]