Decent Soy Products?
So, recently off all kinds of dairy, I have been in the market for non-dairy items that are not strange and/or disgusting. Specifically, I have recently tried soy yogurt and soy pudding, which are both strange and somewhat disgusting. I may just have to give up on dairy substitutes, because soy will never be what milk is, but I thought I would ask first--does anyone have recommendations on delicious non-dairy dairy products?
Thanks!
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18 Comments:
For yogurt, the best soy I've tried is the Wildwood Unsweetened. It does not taste at all like dairy yogurt, but it is thick and enjoyable in its own right, especially mixed with fruit. I really like the So Delicious Coconut milk yogurts and ice creams. The only acceptable non-dairy cheese is called scheese, it comes in several flavors, including blue and cheddar. Also, Soyatoo is at least as good as reddiwhip, though not as good as homemade whipped cream.
KarynMC at 12:50PM on 08/14/08
I make my own soy yogurt, and have learned to like soy milk. for an frozen dessert I love SO Delicious it's not ice cream but it is very good.
huneybumper at 1:27PM on 08/14/08
Ice cream made from coconut milk/cream is SO MUCH BETTER than soy ice cream. Sometimes I think it is better than any ice cream. Yum!!
producestories at 4:41PM on 08/14/08
I really like Silk's light vanilla soy milk and their yogurts- the strawberry, blueberry & peach are pretty good. There's a shredded 3 soy cheese (cheddar, jack & mozzarella) that I get at Trader Joe's called Premium Soy-Sation & it's made by Lisanatti. It melts really nicely, and actually tastes good, which can't be said of all soy cheeses. When I want a bagel I use Tofutti's Better than Cream Cheese spread, which isn't actually better than cream cheese, but on a flavorful everything bagel does the job. Soy Delicious does some nice ice cream products & Tofutti also does some good vanilla soy ice cream.
KDBlue at 6:41PM on 08/14/08
I second the vote on Tofutti ice cream, specifically for the chocolate ice cream sandwhiches
For shelf-stable milks, I prefer almond milk to soy and rice.
I find refridgerated soy milks vary a lot in taste. My favorites are the fresh asian ones, which are a bit sweet and thick and Silk's Very Vanilla. I need soy milk to either be really fresh or sweet to be good. It doesn't taste like dairy milk but is tasty and can be subbed for it in cereal, coffee, baking, etc.
tinat at 8:14PM on 08/14/08
I also like Silk's soy milk in Vanilla... it's not like a glass of milk, I know, but in a fruit smoothie or a milkshake , it really works. I also use the plain variety in bechamel sauces for pastas or croque monsieurs all the time. To drink, I like to buy the Silk Very Vanilla variety, it comes in the purple individual mini box. To me, its sweet and tastes best to drink alone.
In regards to ice cream... i find that the Rice Dream and Soy Dream brands are really good too. They come in pints and in popsicles.
For cream cheese, I find Toffutti works really nice, it sometimes has a sweeter aftertaste, but it's only a matter of getting used too. Mixed in a sauce or mixed with fruits or in a stuffed peppers filling you won't notice the difference. I know they also have sour cream, but i have not tried it yet.
Madelyn
KarmaFreeCooking
MadelynRodriguez at 11:01PM on 08/14/08
I much prefer almond milk to soy milk. I'm a vegetarian who can only tolerate small amounts of dairy. I find the almond milk works well with puddings, too, although regarding the yogurt, I do have the occasional Fage, because I'm not very fond of the soy substitues
HeartofGlass at 7:54AM on 08/15/08
Almond milk is nice in berry or stone fruit smoothies, and in chocolate "pudding". I recently had some ice cream made from coconut milk, and it was delicious. I also adore So Delicious soy ice cream. It doesn't have the soy backtaste that the others do. Even their plain vanilla is great! I can't get used to the taste of soy cheese, though. They all taste like play-Do smells to me. I can't get past that first whiff.
Brownie at 7:54AM on 08/15/08
I'm not sure why you are avoiding dairy - but the soy cheeses at Trader Joes contain casein, a milk protein, which may or may not be acceptable depending on your reasons for avoiding dairy.
Also, when it comes to milk, think beyond soy – rice, oat, hazelnut, almond, peanut and hemp milks are all commercially available and have different flavors and consistencies. Even different soy milks can taste very different. I like plain Silk, but Eden Soy makes me gag.
KarynMC at 8:43AM on 08/15/08
If you're eliminating dairy for your health, bear in mind that Tofutti 'Better Than Cream Cheese' contains partially hydrogenated vegetable oil and therefore trans fats. Dairy cream cheese would probably be better for you than their soy alternative in this case. I don't think the Sheese cream cheese sub has any trans fats, so it's worth a try. I wasn't into it when I tried it, but a lot of people seem to really love the stuff.
Homemade soy pudding can be awesome, though. Just take your favorite cornstarch- (or, better, arrowroot- ) thickened pudding recipe and sub soy millk - chocolate is especially good since it will mask the "soy-y" flavor. Almond milk can be used too, but to me, the texture isn't quite as nice as the soy version.
You can also make faux whipped cream for desserts (not beverages) with finely-blended raw cashews or almonds. This sounds weird but actually tastes quite good, if you add the right sweetener and maybe some flavoring, like vanilla. You'll also avoid all the thickeners and stabilizers in the commercial stuff.
producestories at 8:48AM on 08/15/08
Thanks everyone! That is a lot of great ideas--I will head to the store this weekend.
ctbits at 11:55AM on 08/15/08
Soygurt isn't so great, but if you get small batch not-too-processed soy milk, it can be really good.
You might want to look into the coconut milk yogurt in health food stores - it sounds delicious.
In the same vein, you might want to consider trying almond milk or rice milk. If you're not a fan of that beany flavor, those would be more palatable to you.
butterface at 12:33PM on 08/15/08
I'm a big fan of soy chips. They're like crunchy little rice cakes, but they're made with soy flour and come in lots of tasty flavors. I love the White Cheddar and BBQ versions from Trader Joe's, and Glenny's makes lots of different varieties and is available in most supermarkets. They're such a good alternative to chips!
nosillak at 5:59PM on 08/16/08
My wife is a vegetarian, and she found a recipe from Good Eats for a chocolate mousse that uses tofu. She was thoroughly excited about the prospect, being anti-gelatin. I was a little skeptical, but it turned out fantastic. I've tried Turtle Mountain ice cream a couple times, and I was definitely impressed with their products.
jboylan at 11:50PM on 08/16/08
the best soy ice cream is at Trader Joe's. I've tried the Vanilla cream and Mango and it is so damn creamy. This one is definitely the best. I agree with others and really prefer Silk yogurt, Tofutti Better Than Cream Cheese, Galaxy soy cheese (mozzarella). I also like Rice Dream rice milk and Pacifica almond milk is really good as well.
_greenbean at 10:42AM on 08/18/08
Best non-dairy ice cream - Purely Decadent (I think it's by the So Delicious people). Lots of flavors and, really, this stuff tastes like Ben and Jerry's! They also have a fruit-juice sweetened line. Best cheese etc - Follow Your Heart Brand (the folks who make Veganaise) they have mozzarella that actually melts plus cheddar and some others and a great sour cream and cream cheese. I don't like Tofutti because of the trans-fats and other ingredients I avoid. Many non-dairy cheeses are not really vegan because they contain casein and other animal by-products. So if that matters to you, you'll want to check labels. Follow Your Heart is vegan and tasty.
veggirl at 9:45PM on 09/16/08
Costco's Kirkland brand soy milk is actually very good--this is coming from a soy milk hater, but forced to drink the stuff while growing up due to casein allergies in other family members. For cooking purposes, though, my mom has had the best results with Soyagen. It's a powdered soy milk made by Loma Linda Foods in Loma Linda, CA; it might be available online (?). It's good in cooking as it isn't too sweet and has a more neutral (not vanilla-y) flavor for things like white sauces and roux. Also the 8th Continent chocolate soy milk is very good, and the Silk eggnog. IMO is a good sour cream substitute if you're not allergic to casein. Mocha Mix makes a non-dairy ice cream that I believe is casein-free and is very yummy--my favorite is the mocha almond fudge. And Tofutti Cuties are really good!
buffy at 10:38PM on 09/16/08
i love blue diamond almond milk and use it on my granola all the time. unfortunately it's not so great in coffee and tea. i bet it would work well in baking, though.
cybercita at 10:45PM on 09/16/08