Yoga-urt Introduces Naturally Sweetened Pistachio Passion

 

Fro-yo girl here. Great news, Yoga-urt just introduced a naturally sweetened added version of their Pistachio Passion flavor at their Glendale shop. Pistachio Passion has been one of my favorite flavors at Yoga-urt since the first time I tried it in 2018. The flavor is so pistachio forward, with the texture of ground pistachios. It’s made with Santa Barbara pistachios, added to Yoga-urt’s cashew and almond milk base. The naturally sweetened Pistachio Passion froyo was thick, dense, and rich like the regular Pistachio Passion. The date flavor does change Pistachio Passion a bit. It’s still yummy but I slightly prefer the regular Pistachio Passion because organic sugar has a more neutral flavor.

Naturally sweetened Yoga-urt flavors are sweetened with organic dates and organic white grape juice concentrate. Like all Yoga-urt flavors, they’re organic, vegan, gluten-free, soy-free, all-natural, and kosher.

You know you love me. X0 X0, fro-yo girl.

* YOGA-URT: 1407 ½ W Kenneth Rd., Glendale, CA 91201

Looking for more frozen yogurt news, discussion boards, and resources? Check out the International Frozen Yogurt Association website at http://internationalfrozenyogurt.com/. The IFYA is the independent voice of the frozen yogurt industry.

More Naturally Sweetened Flavors at Yoga-urt: Strawberry Serenity & Vanilla Harmony

Fro-yo girl here. We were back at Yoga-urt Kenneth Village this weekend to try the new batch of naturally sweetened flavors, Strawberry Serenity and Vanilla Harmony. I’ve had the regular versions of both many times. The new versions are sweetened with dates and grape juice concentrate, rather than organic sugar. They’re no sugar added, fruit-sweetened versions. Like all Yoga-urt flavors, they’re organic, vegan, gluten-free, soy-free, all-natural, and kosher.

Naturally-sweetened Strawberry Serenity: I couldn’t really taste the dates but the strawberries were nice and tangy. So good! Natural tasting strawberry goodness.

Naturally-sweetened Vanilla Harmony: Vanilla Harmony has the strongest date flavor as the vanilla has always been pretty subtle. The dates give it a warmer flavor. Vanilla Harmony was a bit thicker than Strawberry Serenity.

I think I like NSA Strawberry Serenity better than regular Strawberry Serenity but I like regular Vanilla Harmony better than NSA Vanilla Harmony. Everything is delicious and good for you too.

You know you love me. X0 X0, fro-yo girl.

Looking for more frozen yogurt news, discussion boards, and resources? Check out the International Frozen Yogurt Association website at http://internationalfrozenyogurt.com/. The IFYA is the independent voice of the frozen yogurt industry.

Yoga-urt 7th Anniversary & New Flavors

 

Fro-yo girl here. Happy 7th anniversary, Yoga-urt Kenneth Village (Glendale, California)! And keeping with Yoga-urt’s anniversary tradition, two new flavors were introduced this weekend. The flavors are Chocolate Bliss and Peanut Butter Prana. Yes, they don’t sound like new flavors but there’s something different about them. The new versions are sweetened with dates and grape juice concentrate, rather than organic sugar. They’re no sugar added, fruit-sweetened versions. And they’re organic, vegan, gluten-free, soy-free, all-natural, and kosher. Mr. Froyo approves, since he has a hard time digesting sugary foods.

Naturally-sweetened Peanut Butter Prana: Like “regular” Peanut Butter Prana, the NS version is heavy on peanut butter flavor. It seemed a tad icier but still thick, rich, and luscious. I couldn’t really taste a difference – maybe a side-by-side comparison would help. The verdict: Just as good as the regular Peanut Butter Prana.

Three more naturally sweetened flavors are coming soon. FYI, dates have a low glycemic index.

I’m not sure when it happened but the right wall in front of the shop has new quotes now. They’re all from women.

We remain your loyal fans!

You know you love me. X0 X0, fro-yo girl.

Looking for more frozen yogurt news, discussion boards, and resources? Check out the International Frozen Yogurt Association website at http://internationalfrozenyogurt.com/. The IFYA is the independent voice of the frozen yogurt industry.

Los Angeles Healthy “Froyo” Recommendations

Fro-yo girl here. I’ve put together this list of the best places to satisfy your craving for healthier froyo (and soft serve) for those of you who are looking to eat healthier this year. I wrote about the health benefits of froyo back in 2008. It’s lower in fat and calories than ice cream and probiotics help with digestion.

But if you’re following a specific type of diet or are looking for froyo that’s even healthier than average, here are some recommendations.

Low sugar/No sugar added

There are many sweeteners out there, some of which are natural and others are not. I personally do not like the bitter taste of Stevia. I’ve tried a variety of sweeteners and my favorites based on taste are agave nectar and dates.

My favorite no sugar added frozen yogurt can be found at Yoga-urt (1407 W Kenneth Rd., Glendale, CA). Currently they offer two NSA date sweetened flavors, Ganesha’s Sweet Greens and Purple Power. Both flavors are fresh, complex, and hand-crafted with love. They are not always offered, so check their Instagram account, @yoga_urt, or call ahead. They’re currently swirling both Ganesha's Sweet Greens and Purple Power!

If Yoga-urt doesn’t have any NSA flavors on tap, ask if they’re available by the pint. If they don’t have any, then I recommend heading to Pressed Juicery for a Freeze. The Freeze is much icier and not as flavorful or interesting as Yoga-urt, but it is made with just a few ingredients and has a clean, simple flavor. Not every Pressed Juicery location offers Freeze, though I think most of the newer ones do. I usually go to the one at the Americana at Brand in Glendale.

Low carb

I don’t eat low carb frozen yogurt but Menchie’s often will carry at least one low carb flavor. Also, Humphrey Yogart (4520 Van Nuys Blvd., Sherman Oaks), The Bigg Chill (10850 W Olympic Blvd., West Los Angeles) and The Yogurt Shoppe (11726 Barrington Ct., Brentwood & 873 N Swarthmore Ave., Pacific Palisades) are good about carrying low carb flavors. Humphrey Yogart also has multiple vegan bases for their mix-in style yogurt.

Dairy free

It’s easy to find dairy-free options. Most frozen yogurt shops offer at least one dairy-free option nowadays. If I had to choose my favorite, it would have to be something from Yoga-urt. Their hand-crafted, plant-based, organic, soy free, kosher frozen yogurt/soft serve is the best. My favorite flavor is Vanilla Harmony but there isn’t a flavor there that I don’t like. Try them all!

Nut free

For nut avoiders, I recommend going with a vegan base (soy) from Humphrey Yogart or 21 Choices (Pasadena & Claremont). Check http://www.21choices.com/ for the day’s flavors. I think they always have a dairy-free option but sometimes it has nuts. They sometimes have no sugar added flavors too. If you prefer soft serve that isn't mix-in style, Frozen Fruit Co. (729 Montana Ave., Ste 2, Santa Monica) makes their soft serve 100% from fruit.

Most frozen yogurt is gluten-free and much of it is kosher. If you have doubts, ask to see the nutritional information.

Don't forget healthy toppings: fresh fruit and nuts!

You know you love me. X0 X0, fro-yo girl.

Looking for more frozen yogurt news, discussion boards, and resources? Check out the International Frozen Yogurt Association website at http://internationalfrozenyogurt.com/. The IFYA is the independent voice of the frozen yogurt industry.

Dr. Robbin Bistro’s 5 “No” Yogurt Gelato

Fro-yo girl here. One day I was walking down Colorado Blvd. and I happened to look inside the new Dr. Robbin Bistro. I couldn’t believe what I saw: a giant frozen yogurt cup on the wall of the dining room. I went inside for a closer look and learned that they make their own yogurt. Their housemade yogurt is added to smoothies and to a few of their gelato flavors. The 5 “No” gelato is made fresh every three days. It’s called 5 “No” because it has no added sugar, nonfat milk, no artificial colors, no stabilizers, and no preservatives. During my visit, they had three yogurt gelato flavors: Mango, Strawberry, and Blueberry.

The Blueberry Yogurt Gelato was the tartest. It was almost sour and certainly tasted low in sugar. But because they used Stevia, the gelato tasted bitter and the sweetness was more of an aftertaste. Stevia might be natural but it tastes like saccharin to me. I don’t like it at all. I could taste the blueberries, strawberries and the mangoes but the Stevia definitely added a bitter note. The gelato was creamy but extremely hard. I think this is because they make it with nonfat milk. It definitely tasted like diet gelato.

Gelato prices: Single ($2.75)/ Regular ($4.99)/ Family ($6.99)

I first spotted Dr. Robbin while driving around Koreatown in Los Angeles, but I didn’t realize it was a restaurant. Who names a restaurant after a doctor? I thought it was a weight loss clinic. It’s actually a healthy restaurant that does not add sugar, butter, MSG, or artificial flavoring. The food is low calorie, low carb, and nothing is fried. The menu includes sandwiches, salads, pizzas, pastas, Asian fusion dishes, beverages, and gelato.

You know you love me. X0 X0, fro-yo girl.

* DR. ROBBIN BISTRO: 624 E Colorado Blvd., Pasadena, CA 91101

Looking for more frozen yogurt news, discussion boards, and resources? Check out the International Frozen Yogurt Association website at http://internationalfrozenyogurt.com/. The IFYA is the independent voice of the frozen yogurt industry.

Menchie’s No Sugar Added Very Vanilla

Fro-yo girl here. I spotted NSA Very Vanilla at Menchie’s for the first time. It’s different from NSA Very Vanilla Bean which is made with sucralose/Splenda. NSA Very Vanilla is sweetened with Stevia + Monkfruit and has no artificial flavors, no artificial colors, and no high fructose corn syrup. I was intrigued since I haven’t seen monkfruit in frozen yogurt before. On the other hand, I haven’t liked any yogurt with Stevia. It has a bitter, unpleasant aftertaste. Personally, I’d rather see less sugar in froyo than sugar alternatives.

* NSA Very Vanilla: The yogurt was creamy and had lots of visible vanilla bean specks. The flavor was certainly sweet, as sweet as a yogurt made with sugar, but it had a weird, bitter, slightly fruity aftertaste. If you can ignore the aftertaste, the flavor is okay.

NSA Very Vanilla isn’t listed on the Menchie’s website. Maybe they’re still testing it?

You know you love me. X0 X0, fro-yo girl.

Looking for more frozen yogurt news, discussion boards, and resources? Check out the International Frozen Yogurt Association website at http://internationalfrozenyogurt.com/. The IFYA is the independent voice of the frozen yogurt industry.

SnapFit Frozen Yogurt No Longer Opening in Brea, CA

Fro-yo girl here. A few months ago I started tracking SnapFit Frozen Yogurt. I planned on visiting their Canoga Park, CA location but it closed in July 2016, before I made it out there. However, they planned on opening a location at the Brea Mall.

According to the Brea Mall website, the SnapFit store was expected to open in late August 2016. This opening date kept getting pushed back – to October 1, then November and finally the store was removed from the website. Their Facebook page was last updated on May 31, 2016. This was also the date of their last tweet and Instagram post.

SnapFit sounded interesting and healthier; the frozen yogurt was all natural with no sugar added. It was made with farmstead yogurt and lowfat milk. Plus, the frozen yogurt was made to order with liquid nitrogen.

It seems like SnapFit just disappeared.

You know you love me. X0 X0, fro-yo girl.

Looking for more frozen yogurt news, discussion boards, and resources? Check out the International Frozen Yogurt Association website at http://internationalfrozenyogurt.com/. The IFYA is the independent voice of the frozen yogurt industry.