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MSG: The Dirty Secret Hidden in Your Foods, Could Cause Obesity.

Anna@Green Talk — Sun, 05 Feb 2012 20:44:38 +0000

Could MSG Be Lurking in Your Doritos & Soup?

Innocently, I started writing an article about using old chicken bones to make chicken stock to avoid sodium, BPA, and MSG. The more I delved into the the MSG subject, it became apparent how evasive MSG has become in our food. The more I researched the angrier I got. I too, “Ms. health Nut,” had been duped. Simply looking for MSG as an ingredient wasn’t enough. Worse yet, MSG can lead to obesity.

I have Been Duped to Believe I am Eating MSG Free

Maybe you are like me.

You tell restaurants no MSG when they prepare your food.
You read labels and look for the words, monosodium glutamate or MSG.
When you see the words, “no MSG added” you feel rest assured you are safe.

And guess what? Like the Titanic, I only saw the tip of the iceberg. You know what happened next? (Leonard DiCaprio’s character died, Anna. That’s in the movies, people. It’s sad. I cried too, but let’s talk about the MSG myth.)

Why is MSG added to Food?

MSG is “the sodium salt of the naturally occurring glutamic acid.” In my opinion, Monosodium glutamate is the new salt. Like salt, it enhances food’s taste. However, using MSG won’t increase your sodium levels. So, yes be forwarned about what is in your low sodium products.

How does glutamate make food taste good? According to a 2009 study conducted by Edmund Rolls, he concluded that glutamate makes food taste better due to its interaction with our brains. The study revealed:

“Glutamate is thus a flavor enhancer because of the way that it can combine supralinearly with consonant odors in cortical areas in which the taste and olfactory pathways converge far beyond the receptors. Cognitive and attentional modulation of the orbitofrontal cortex also contributes to the pleasantness and appetitive value of umami.”

Brain trickery for lousy food.

Common Names for MSG

In the US, the FDA only requires food companies to list added Monosodium glutamate to their ingredient labels. Some of its alias names according to the Australia’s government agency, NSW Food Authority, are:

L -glutamic acid
Monosodium glutamate, L-
Monopotassium glutamate, L-
Calcium glutamate, Di-L-
Monoammonium glutamate, L-
Magnesium glutamate, Di-L-
Disodium guanylate, 5’-
Disodium inosinate, 5’-
Disodium ribonucleotides, 5’-

Note, the Australia New Zealand Food Standards Code, Standard 1.2.4 — Labelling of Ingredients requires manufactures to list MSG or flavor enhancer by either the name above or a numerical number assigned to the chemical. See here for the list.

I don’t know about you but that is whole lot of names to remember. By the way, there will be a quiz after this article to see how many names you can remember.

Hidden MSG-What They Don’t Tell You Won’t Hurt You

Okay, I thought I was out of the woods. All I had to do was remember all of the Monosodium glutamate’s aliases and I was good to go. As I continued researching, I found out that free glutamate is added to our food. Here is the rub. It is hidden.

Free glutamate? You have got to kidding. Just put a stake in my heart now. It is just so much easier.

What the Heck is Free Glutamate, Anna?

Glutamates are naturally occurring in certain food such as Ripe peas, mushrooms, peas, Parmesan cheese, and corn. However, the glutamates found in these products are bound amino acids.

On the other hand, chemically synthezied glutamates are created from foods such as corn, molasses and wheat. These foods “are hydrolyzed, autolyzed, modified or fermented using chemicals, bacteria or enzymes” to create glutamates. Yes, living better through chemistry. (Or maybe eating better through chemistry.)

So Wouldn’t all Natural and Chemical Glutamates be Harmful?

Dr. Russell Blaylock, a board-certified neurosurgeon and author of “Excitotoxins: The Taste that Kills,” explains in an interview with Natural News the difference between naturally occurring glutamates in food such as tomatoes and chemically synthesized glutamates. Although the quote is lengthy, it really sums up the harm of chemically synthesized glutamates. He states:

“However, when you hydrolize them, this is when glutamate becomes danagerous. Sure, but you see, all of these types of glutamate are bound. They’re in oligosaccharides, polysaccharides. They are bound in amino acids groupings. They’re not free amino acids. If you have it as a complex protein, you absorb it in your GI tract. In the GI tract, there are almost no free amino acids if you eat foods such as tomatoes. The level of free amino acids is nil; it’s almost all absorbed as combined amino acids, and then it’s only broken down in the liver, where it’s released in very low concentrations that the body can deal with. It was never meant to have free amino acids in such high concentrations.

Well, when you hydrolyze them — or you use yeast extract or enzymes to break down these various proteins into their free, released amino acids — they’re not natural any longer. What you’ve done is artificially release the amino acids in an unnatural way, and when they enter your GI tract, they are absorbed as free amino acids, then your blood level of that glutamic acid goes up significantly. As I said, it can go up as high as 20-fold, in some cases 40-fold. Your blood brain barrier is not constructed to handle such high levels of glutamate, because it doesn’t naturally occur that way. It can handle the lower levels, but it can’t handle these very high levels. So this argument, “Oh, it’s natural,” is just a lot of nonsense.”

Hidden MSG. Link to Obesity?

Why do we care about MSG? In a 2008 study, researchers from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Northwestern University, Guangxi Medical University, and Yu County Hospital found that there was a link to obesity and the consumption of MSG.

“MSG intake was significantly related to prevalence of overweight. This study is of public health interest because MSG is increasingly used worldwide. This study also provides the first human data on this issue and raises a concern about MSG use and body weight in addition to allergenic effects.”

Other Effects of MSG

Although the effects of MSG are highly debatable in the medical community, there are several articles and books that indicate additional effects of the use of MSG. Livestrong’s article reports that a diet high in MSG may cause stomach cancer. Discovery’s Fit and Health article reports a study linking MSG to damage of the retina. In addition, some people have reported headaches, chest pain, nausea, and other symptoms. Son #2 has migraines once in a while. I think they were induced by MSG.

So why Isn’t Free Glutamates Required to be on the Label?

As noted above, the FDA requires that if MSG is added to the food, it must be included in the label. However, the FDA defines “natural flavoring” as

“(3) The term natural flavor or natural flavoring means the essential oil, oleoresin, essence or extractive, protein hydrolysate, distillate, or any product of roasting, heating or enzymolysis, which contains the flavoring constituents derived from a spice, fruit or fruit juice, vegetable or vegetable juice, edible yeast, herb, bark, bud, root, leaf or similar plant material, meat, seafood, poultry, eggs, dairy products, or fermentation products thereof, whose significant function in food is flavoring rather than nutritional. Natural flavors include the natural essence or extractives obtained from plants listed in 182.10, 182.20, 182.40, and 182.50 and part 184 of this chapter, and the substances listed in 172.510 of this chapter.” [Source.]

The words, “protein hydrosalate” threw up a red flag. According to the FDA, protein hydrosalate contain 5 to 20% free glumate, and are used in the same manner as MSG in canned vegetables, soups, and meat. (Note, the FDA resource is a PDF attachment to SustainableTable.org since it is no longer on the FDA’s site.)

So, I got a little suspicious. Do you blame me? I am not the only one.

Truth in Labeling Campaign, a not for profit organization, indicates that hidden MSG is in many other ingredients. They state,

“Even if a manufacturer tells you there is no MSG in a product, there may be autolyzed yeast, hydrolyzed pea protein, carrageenan, sodium caseinate, enzymes, and a whole slew of other ingredients that contain or create processed free glutamic acid (MSG) during manufacture.” [Source.]

Just to give you an idea how deceptive labels can be check out Truth in Labeling list of soups which shows you where there is hidden MSG. (Check out the organic ones too on the list.) Don’t think you are out of the woods simply because you buy organic products.

List for Hidden MSG

Living Without, a magazine for people with allergies and food sensitives lists the following ingredients that have MSG in them:

These ALWAYS contain MSG These very OFTEN contain MSG

These ALWAYS contain MSG

Autolyzed yeast

Calcium caseinate

Gelatin

Glutamate

Glutamic acid

Hydrolyzed protein

Monopotassium glutamate

Monosodium glutamate

Sodium caseinate

Textured protein

Yeast extract

Yeast food

Yeast Nutrient

These very OFTEN contain MSG

Barley Malt

Calcium caseinate Bouillon

Gelatin Broth

Glutamate Carrageenan

Glutamic acid Enzyme-modified substances

Hydrolyzed protein Flavoring

Monopotassium glutamate Flavors

Monosodium glutamate Malt Extract

Sodium caseinate Malt flavoring

Textured protein Maltodextrin

Yeast extract Natural flavor/flavorings

Yeast food Natural pork/beef/chicken flavoring

Yeast Nutrient Pectin

Protein-fortified substances

Seasonings

Soy protein

Soy protein isolate or concentrate

Soy sauce

Soy sauce extract

Stock

Vegetable gum

Whey protein

Whey protein isolate or concentrate

When I originally read the list, I am surprised my family couldn’t hear me say “holy sh*t.” I had been eating a mound of MSG. If you want a printable chart, see this chart linked to one of the Healthy Home Economist’s posts.

Health Food Claims

Think You Are Out of MSG Woods With Health Foods? Think again.

Many health foods contain hidden MSG. Natural News reported about the MSG contained in veggie burgers. Many contained autolyzed yeast extract, hydrolyzed vegetable protein, and yeast extract. All those names are on the list above.

Rule of thumb. Print the form above. Check the labels.

So, now I understand why my sons tell me that food at a restaurant tastes so good. Their taste buds are accustomed to MSG, the hidden enhancer.

Join the Conversation:

Do you avoid Monosodium glutamate?
Which health food do you avoid?
Were you as shocked as I was about the prevalence of MSG in our food?
How does your country handle the MSG labeling issue?
Add to the conversation.

Photo by BC’s Mom (soup)

Photo by Peter Woodman (Veggie Burger.)

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Vegan Walnut Meatballs. Soy and Gluten Free. Simply Delish

Anna@Green Talk — Tue, 03 Jan 2012 18:07:33 +0000

Walnut Vegan Soy Free Meatballs

Years ago, I ate the most delicious vegetarian walnut meatballs with cheese in a recipe. Cheese and I don’t really get along and I have yearned to replicate those meatballs for sometime. Over the holidays, I decided to tinker with two different walnut recipe to make them dairy and soy free. Well, I think I did it.

Before I give you the recipe, note, that this recipe is a 2 day recipe since you want to soak both the walnuts and oats for easier digestion. Soaking with an acidic medium helps breaks down the phytic acid of legumes and grains. [Source.] This acid inhibits mineral absorption in the intestines. (For an interesting read, see Katie at Kitchen Stewardship’s article. She really makes it easy to understand.)

Soaking Oats

To soak oats, follow these instructions. You will need to adjust the amount of the ingredients to half since I only used one cup of rolled oats. Don’t use the quick cooking oats. Also, note, I don’t eat dairy so I used vinegar. You can use cidar vinegar, lemon, or vinegar. If you eat dairy, you can add whey. To soak the oats, I used the following recipe:

1 cup of Organic rolled oats (Those who have gluten issue, make sure your rolled oats are gluten free.)

1 cup of warm water

1 tablespoon of vinegar

1 tablespoon of freshly ground wheat, buckwheat, rye or spelt. (For Gluten free intolerance sufferers, use buckwheat.)

I didn’t realize I need to do this last step until I read Amanda Rose’s article, “Oats and Phytic Acid.” In fact, she doesn’t recommend using whey or any dairy products. Her method is simply adding a complimentary grain as noted above to the mix. How do you soak your oats?

Let the mixture sit for 24 hours on your countertop. (No less than 7 hours according to Sarah of the Healthy Home Economist. Note, she doesn’t use the complimentary grains.) Cover the mixture. The oats will absorb all of the water and they will be sticky.

(By the way, see here for another oatmeal recipe that sounds yummy.)

Soaking the Walnuts

I soak all of my nuts since it is easier for me to digest. Add a little bit of salt to the water.

Soaking breaks down the enzyme inhibitor in the nuts. In addition, they are easier to work with in raw recipes. Normally, I fill the water over the tops of the walnuts and soak for at least 8 hours. Some people also let them sprout for a couple hours thereafter. I didn’t in this case.

My Combination Recipe

I combine a raw walnut zucchini recipe with another walnut recipe. By the way, if you want to stop the raw recipe, that is okay. I tasted it before I messed with the recipe. It tasted amazing.

Here is my recipe:

1 1/3 cups raw walnuts soaked for several hours
2 tablespoon nutritional yeast (Not Brewers Yeast.)
1 1/2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
2 teaspoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
2 teaspoons Tamari low sodium, gluten free sauce. (You can use soy sauce if you want.)
2 teaspoon garlic
Minced 1 teaspoon thinly sliced green onion (white part only) (Note, this was in the original raw recipe and I just kept it in.)
1 1/2 tablespoons fresh parsley
1 cup of soaked rolled oats
1/2 medium onion (You can add a whole one if you like)
Hand full of Daiya Vegan Mozzarella Cheese, optional. (I love this cheese.)

2 Teaspoons of Poultry Seasoning. (Here is how to make your own. Really simple.)

Strain the walnuts and use the water for your plants. Then chop the walnuts in a food process. Combine the walnuts and all the other ingredients in a bowl. Spray your hands with PAM since the mixture will be sticky and hard for you to make the balls.

Make the balls about 1 inch and place them on a cookie tray. I ended up making about 30 balls. Cook them at 375 for 30 minutes.

If you have any leftover mixture, just put it on the tray. If it burns, it is still delicious.

You can play around with this recipe by deleting the green onions and adding more onion. In addition, you can add more Daiya for a cheesier taste.

Add sauce! I have to say these balls were delicious.

Join the Conversation

Do you soak your grains and nuts? If so, how?
Do you have a favorite vegan faux meatball recipe?
Have you ever made Walnut Balls? If so, link or state your recipe in the comments.
How do you think the dish would taste with Miso instead of soy sauce?

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Use Vegetable Peels to Make Vegetable Stock

Anna@Green Talk — Mon, 28 Nov 2011 04:29:24 +0000

Vegetable Peel Broth. Check out my Video Below!

What do you do with the skins of your vegetables? You know. After you make that big salad or vegetable soup? Did you realize that they could have a second life before they are banished to the composter?

For years, I peeled carrots, chopped off the bottom of celery, and tore off garlic and onion skins. The skins would enviably end up in a bowl bound for the composter. Deep down inside, I knew these skins had another purpose. The skins are full of nutrients. Throwing in the composter just seemed like a waste.

Then one day it hit me. How about using them to make vegetable stock? The good part of using my “peels” is I could control the salt content of the broth. Take a look at how much salt you are eating when you use canned or Tetra Pak stock. Shocking.

As I pondered this idea, I found very little guidance on the web as to which vegetables to use. Nor could I find out if there is a magic ratio of certain vegetables to others. All I learned was do not use potato skins since it makes the stock taste too earthly. Honestly, I really didn’t understand what that meant.

The Sweet Beet suggested adding onion, celery, carrots, garlic clove, and additional spices to your “peels”. Although her recipe sounds great, I tried the au natural method.

I Flunked My First Peel Base Soup Attempt.

My first attempt of making peel stock was a disaster. Once the peel soup idea started to percolate in my mind, I started saving the skins in a freezer bag. When the bag was full, it was time to make soup.

Everything but the kitchen sink when into the crock-pot. Carrots, celery, potato, onion, garlic bottoms and skins, mushrooms and even turnips. If a vegetable looked limp, it ended up in the crock-pot. Then I covered the skin disaster with water and let the brew cook for eight hours.

When I opened the lid, I was so excited. There I stood. Beaming and patting myself on the back and admiring my creation.

Guess what? Boy was I delusional. One sniff of this brew could scare off any unwanted animal from my property.

I guess I should have listen to the “don’t put potato skins” in the pot advice.

However, this failed attempt didn’t deter me.

Second Attempt. Knowledge is Power.

So, I blew my first attempt. No lost. There is always another try. I began my squirrel- like habit of storing my peels in the freezer. In a short time, I had a bag full of potato free skins.

All the peels were thrown in the crock-pot. Even the limp carrots. Then I turned on the crock-pot on low, filled the pot up with water, and forgot about it for 24 hours! Oh man, was I on a roll. I burnt the vegetables! Check out my video below that gives you a peek at my concoction.

However, I was able to salvage the stock. It smelt worse with the burnt vegetables, but once I strained it the smell went away.

Finished Vegetable Peel Broth

What did it taste like? For some unknown reason, the brew tasted like a mushroom broth. Strangely, I didn’t throw in any mushrooms. I stored the broth in old glass spaghetti sauce jars in the refrigerator. I estimated that a pot full of vegetable peels makes about 4 cups of broth.

What I Learned

For my third attempt, I have learnt by my mistakes. Third time is the charm. Right?

Only fill the pot up with 2/3rd vegetables and water
Don’t use earthy skins such as mushrooms or potato peels.
Only cook for 10 hours on low.

Join the Conversation:

Have you made vegetable peel broth?
If so, what type of peels do you use? Any particular ratio of certain vegetables to others? Provide us with a link to your recipe.
Do you make vegetable stock in a crock-pot or on the stove?

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Organic Nanny Says Chicken Nuggets Can be Healthy

Guest Blogger — Mon, 14 Nov 2011 22:53:20 +0000

A child eating a Georgia Peach and loving it.

Welcome guest poster, Barbara Rodriguez, the organic celebrity nanny and author of ”The Organic Nanny’s Guide to Raising Healthy Kids: Reclaim a Natural Diet and Lifestyle for Your Child“

Hannah was a picky eater, and all her mother could get her interested in were hot dogs, macaroni and cheese, and chicken nuggets. At least she was eating, her mother told me when I came to help them. Hannah barely responded to me until I changed her diet.

Food is life. Food is health. Or, food can be the source of frustrating behavior problems, debilitating energy loss, even sickness. What you eat, and especially, what your children are eating on a regular basis, is absolutely crucial in determining their health, well being, and behavior.

They are such beautiful beings—and they rely on us for so much. The good news is that you get to decide: What will you feed them?

Organic Nanny's Guide to Raising Healthy Kids

Now, I know what you are thinking, mamas. You are thinking, “this all sounds nice, but I know my kids. They like what they like. They aren’t going to want to eat all new food, especially healthy food like vegetables.”

Anna, here. Barbara, you must have read my mind. How am I going to change the cavemen’s diets?

Healthy Kid Lovin’ Food

Here are some suggestions:

Chicken Nuggets and French Fries

If your kids love fried food like French fries and chicken nuggets, try baked versions, which are much lower in fat. Slice up a real, whole potato, spray with sesame oil, sprinkle with salt, and bake at 400 degrees for about 20 to 30 minutes or until crispy.

Dip Organic free-range chicken tenders into beaten egg and roll in seasoned bread crumbs. Bake along with the fries for about 30 minutes or until no longer pink in the middle (time depends on the size of your chicken pieces.)

Add some berries or apple slices, and you’ve got a delicious home-cooked meal that resembles fast food!

Good for Kids Sweets

If sweets are the weak spot, keep a bowl of easy-grab fruit on the counter and fresh cut-up fruit in the refrigerator. Make homemade trail mix with almonds, peanuts, raisins, dried cherries, and dark organic chocolate chips and put it in baggies for easy snacking, or buy boxes of raisins and packets of peanuts. Also try high-fiber, low-sugar granola bars; wholegrain cookies; and fruit leather. If it’s available and easy to grab and sweet, your child will probably go for it.

Once you’ve got a handle on the one thing you want to change, you can start looking around at the rest of your child’s diet and making little upgrades and tweaks.

Barbara Rodriguez

Pre-order Barbara’s book here and find out more great organic parenting tips on her website, The Organic Nanny. She is absolutely adorable. I wish she was around when my kids were young! (Watch her on this video.)

Join the Conversation:

What are some of your favorite recipe hacks for your kids? Have a favorite chicken nugget recipe? Or a gluten free chicken nugget recipe? Big people like these recipes too.
Have any great healthy, organic snacks to share? Popcorn balls? Fruit snacks? How to make fruit leather?
Have you radically changed your kids’ diets to healthy ones? Tell us about the transformation.

Disclaimer: For every book you buy, I make a teeny amount of money to help Green Talk deliver its awesome content. What better way to support Green Talk then to change your children’s lives?

Photo by Bruce Tuten

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6 Reasons to Avoid Factory Farmed Turkey. Find a Locally Raised One.

Guest Blogger — Mon, 07 Nov 2011 18:06:16 +0000

Wild Turkeys

Welcome guest poster, Katy of Non-Toxic Kids, and author of new must read e-book, Eat-Non-Toxic: a manual for busy parents

What’s up with that Butterball turkey? Sure, it’s cheaper, it’s available, and your mom used to make it, but…

That turkey was likely raised on a factory farm. Just what is a factory farm? According to the website, Sustainable Table,

“Many of today’s farms are actually large industrial facilities, not the green pastures and red barns that most Americans imagine. These consolidated operations are able to produce food in high volume but have little to no regard for the environment, animal welfare, or food safety. In order to maximize profits, factory farms often put the health of consumers and rural communities at risk.”

And there are many serious environmental and health concerns with eating factory-farmed meat.

1. Antibiotic Exposure.

When eating conventional turkey and other factory farmed meats, your family is exposed to antibiotics used in the process of maintaining the overcrowded conditions that exist on factory farms. This medication is used to keep the animals disease free in the packed, unhealthy environments they are kept in. In fact, more antibiotics are being used on animals in farming than in medicinal purposes for humans. This raises the risk of animals and people developing virulent bacteria resistant infections, which can be easily spread to children and the elderly.

2. Hormone Exposure:

Factory farmed bird may be injected with growth hormones to cause rapid growth. Many are also injected with spices, stock, water, and other favors that cause the turkey to have a mushier texture.

3. Global Warming and Air Pollution

Factory Farming Contributes to Global Warming and Air pollution. These industrial farms emit toxic hydrogen sulfide, ammonia, and methane, while using massive amounts of fossil fuels to function. Factory farms are 90 million tons of carbon dioxide every year.

4. Factory Farms Pollute Local Communities and Waterways.

People that live near factory farms breathe harmful gases from waste pools, and their drinking water is contaminated with livestock waste. According to the Natural Resources Defense Council, “nitrates often seep from lagoons and spray fields into groundwater. Drinking water contaminated with nitrates can increase the risk of blue baby syndrome, which can cause deaths in infants. High levels of nitrates in drinking water near hog factories have also been linked to spontaneous abortions. Several disease outbreaks related to drinking water have been traced to bacteria and viruses from waste.”

5. Factory Farmed Turkeys and Genetically Modified Organisms.

They are fed genetically modified corn, soy, and grain. There are questions about the safety of genetically modified organisms and the consumption of genetically modified crops.

6. Factory Farmed Turkeys Live in Inhumane Conditions.

According to Farm Sanctuary, “Each chicken is given less than half a square foot of space, while turkeys are each given less than three square feet. Shortly after hatching, both chickens and turkeys have the ends of their beaks cut off, and turkeys also have the ends of their toes clipped off. These mutilations are performed without anesthesia, ostensibly to reduce injuries that result when stressed birds are driven to fighting.” How terrible!

Where Can You Find a Locally Raised Turkey?

Where can you find your locally raised turkey? You can use this resource from the Sustainable Table and Eating Well to search for one. Or at your local farmer’s market, or your local natural foods store. Place your order soon, and you’ll know you are making a step to protect your family and help the environment.

: Katy Farber

To learn more about eating non-toxic, green and healthy, please check out my new eBook, Eat-Non-Toxic: a manual for busy parents. In addition, visit Non-Toxic Kids for green parenting news; opportunities for activism; tips on natural living; and music, book and eco-friendly product reviews.

Join the Conversation

Do you obtain your turkey from a local farm?
Thoughts about buying a butterball turkey?
If you buy your turkey from a local farm, what was the difference in taste from grocery bought?

Photo by Hey Paul

Disclaimer: I am an affiliate of Katy’s new e-book since I believe in a healthy non-toxic diet for all of us especially our kids. Every purchase helps the site.

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Vegan Chicken Soup. Good for the Soul. Good for the Planet

Anna@Green Talk — Fri, 21 Oct 2011 01:28:49 +0000

Vegan Chicken Soup. Mmm Good for the Planet

Since going vegetarian over a year ago, I had to revamp my eating habits. As you all know, I decided to go “veg” due to my distaste of factory animal farming and killing animals. But I can’t say I don’t miss the taste of certain food.

There is one dish that I haven’t been able to duplicate. Chicken Soup. Sure, there are mock chicken soup recipes that claim they taste like chicken soup. Don’t get me wrong. These soup recipes are great but taste more like vegetable soup. I wouldn’t dare try and pass off the soup as chicken soup. Why would I want the Bubbie Union to file a complaint against me? (By the way a “Bubbie” is a Jewish grandmother.)

Why Do I Love Chicken Soup

As long as I remember, when you had a cold or were under the weather, you ate chicken soup. Maybe it is a cultural thing for me since I always thought of chicken soup as the Jewish penicillin. It cures everything. Do you feel the same way about chicken soup or another type of soup stemming from your culture?

I have made several mock soups which included such ingredients as mushrooms, turnips, unchicken stock, and nutritional yeast. Atlas, no chicken soup.

Desperately Seeking Vegan Chicken Soup

I can so relate to Rosanna Arquette’s character in Desperately Seeking Susan. Remember? How a bored NJ housewife desperately searched for Madonna in NYC to create some excitement in her life? Oh, come on. It is a classic. 80′s throwback. A must watch. And by the way, I dance just like Madonna in her club scene. Ask my sister.

Back to chicken soup.

Now, I not saying that I am that bored NJ housewife. (I do have my days.) But looking for the ultimate un-chicken soup recipe is like chasing after Madonna. You think you spotted her, but she slips between your fingertips. I figured I was just going to ask some of the food blogs that I follow if they could make the recipe for me.

Luckily, I stumbled upon a great food blog a couple of months ago. So, I knew who to ask. Tanya of Leafy Greens and Me. She is a vegan chef and the editor of a wonderful vegan food blog. What I love about how Tanya cooks is she rarely uses process foods. She mostly uses whole foods.

So How Did I have the Chutzpah (Nerve) to Ask Tanya?

I have been following Tanya for about a couple of months and have made some of her recipes. Delish is an understatement. (Just in case I forgot, her carrot cake cupcakes are to die for.) I comment on her blog, email her questions, and generally bug her. So, I figured since I am her Number Uno fan, I would just come out and ask her to create a vegan chicken soup recipe.. What was the worse thing that could happen? She could stomp on my heart, break my spirit and then say no? I could live with such rejection. (*Whimper*)

Guess what?

She said yes and recalled that her mother made a wonderful chicken soup recipe when she was young. Tanya sprinkled some vegan pixie dust over the recipe. (Trumpets, please.) And guess what? Tanya created a miracle. She “veganized her mother’s recipe!”

And do I love the recipe? Heck, yeah.

Check out Tanya’s mock vegan chicken soup recipe. Be forewarned, this recipe take some time since Tanya creates the stock first and then makes the soup. I told you. No processed foods.

What did the rest of the family think? Hubby thought it was good but not chicken soup. I thought it tasted very close to the real deal and could live with this recipe. Even my kids ate it and didn’t turn their nose up at my “vegan” creation. Remember, they are a tribe of cavemen. (“Me like meat.”)

I would even make the stock again to freeze for all my other soup recipes. Why? Let’s just say I am tried of those aspectic stock containers. Most people can’t recycle them and who knows what’s leaching from those containers into our food. Remember, those containers contain polyethylene (plastic) in their lining.

Adding Matzo Balls to the Soup

I didn’t make the noodles in the recipe. Instead I made matzo balls, which my kids enjoyed. (I have never been a Matzo Ball type of girl.) See here for the matzo ball recipe. Another warning. If you are planning to use my matzo ball recipe, spray your hands with olive oil or PAM since the dough in which you make the balls is really sticky. If you follow the recipe, your matzo balls will float, which is the hallmark of a good matzo ball. Floater, yes. Sinker, um, no. Flunk Matzo Ball School.

Join the Conversation:

Do you have a beloved chicken soup recipes? If so, link it in the comments or give us the recipe.
Do you have a tried and true vegan mock chicken soup recipe? Again, link it in the comments or give us the recipe. And then tell us, why you think your recipe is to die for.
Do you use chicken soup when you are under the weather?
Does anyone have a sniffle?
Oh, and be sure to share this article with all of your beloved friends and family. I would love to have a list of great chicken recipes in the comments especially vegan ones. Everyone needs a great chicken soup recipe that is gentler on the Earth. Go ahead. Tweet and share my post on Facebook. (I live for likes and tweets, you know.)

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To Soil Less Aims to Change the Way We Grow Food

Anna@Green Talk — Wed, 05 Oct 2011 17:34:31 +0000

Lettuce Growing in To Soiless' method of river rock

Richard Campbell, founder of To Soil Less, never dreamed fifteen years ago that throwing a watermelon seed into gravel could change the way the world grows our food. What he discovered during his journey is that plants can grow in river rock without the aid of fertilizer or soil. He has successfully grown peppers, zinnias, lettuce, tomatoes, and a variety of different vegetables using his patent pending irrigation and river rock method.

As a huge vegetable gardener, I was intrigued by the concept of To Soil Less. As Campbell explained to me in a recent video interview, he has married geology with horticultural science. I urge you to listen to the podcast or video below. Campbell’s explanation of how his system works is quite interesting. He will turn you from a non-believer to running out to Home Depot to grab a bag of river rock. Trust me.

Geology Meets Agriculture

Richard Campbell, To Soil Less' Founder

Campbell explained during the interview that plants only need river rock and his irrigation system to thrive. It all made sense to me. He states,

“[t]o Soil Less has been able to adapt the characteristics of sea life to land based agriculture. In a nutshell, we engineered a specific sustained moisture level within a certain type of gravel to produce an long term nutrient rich growing environment. After all, by definition soil is rock. Soil is defined as “the portion of the earth’s surface consisting of disintegrated rock and humus.” Theoretically rock should provide nutrients in the same manner as soil.”

In a nutshell, the specific river rock provides the nutrients needed by the plants. So simplistic but Mother Nature has been using this formula for centuries. His system works for both home and commercial gardeners. Don’t have a plot? Campbell explains that it will work for container gardening too.

Soil Has its Issues

Cucumbers Grown in To Soil Less’ technoloby

As Campbell indicated, using soil to farm has its issues. In the world of industrial farming, soil needs fertilizer and chemicals to grow plants and reduce pests. But it comes with a cost to the environment. According to SustainableTable.org,

“[c]hemical fertilizers and pesticides have turned agriculture into a leading source of water pollution in the United States. Runoff from factory farms kills fish, degrades aquatic habitats and threatens drinking water supplies. Additionally, factory farms use tremendous amounts of water, which cuts into our precious supplies of water that are not contaminated.”

According to Campbell, using his To Soil Less method reduces the need for pesticides since he hasn’t seen any pest damage to his crop. There is no soil for the pests to lay their eggs. However, I noticed that he hasn’t grown any brassica plants such as kale, broccoli, and cauliflower. These plants are prone to pests that lay their eggs on the underside of the leaves.

To Soil Less Plants Need Less Water to Grow

Campbell states his method uses less water than plants in soil. The impact of using less water for growing crops could have significant impact on the world’s water needs. According to a 2008 The Economist article, farming accounts for 70% of water consumed by humans. Worse yet, the article further states 1.2 billion people, which accounts for about a fifth of the population in the world live where there are shortages of water.

With water scarcity on the up-rise due to global warming, To Soil Less’ lower methods might be a viable option to grow crops.

What Does this Mean for the World?

My first thoughts when Campbell explained his process is what could this mean for the world. My thought immediately went to Africa with its low soil fertility. A 2006 report noted that 29% of African land is high or medium quality for cultivated agriculture with the balance of the land being either unsuitable or low potential. Could Campbell’s methods change how African farmers can grow their food? Given the low water requirement and ability of plants to thrive, To Soil Less’ method could change the landscape of Africa.

But What About the River Rock?

Here is where I was stumped. What about the river rock mining? How would we furnish that amount of river rock to countries with poor soil? Could it be sourced from local rivers and streams to reduce transportation cost and impact? Could local rock be used as well? If so, would mining cause environmental issues? These are issues that would need to be flushed out to make To Soil Less’ concept be a viable world option.

But, Richard Campbell is onto something. A concept with a little tweaking could change the world. My wish is that an agricultural department at a university works with To Soil Less to help make Campbell’s vision a reality. The Planet needs this fix. All it took was a watermelon seed fifteen years ago.

Download the Instruction Manual

Campbell is so sure To Soil Less’ method will work for others that he prepared a manual for download. If you are a home gardener, you can download the manual for $20. However, if you are a commercial grower, the technology is slightly different, and you can download the manual for $100.

Join the Conversation

Would you grow your plants in river rock?
Could this concept change the way we grow our food?
How do you feel about this technology being used in countries with poor soil fertility?
What are your thoughts about To Soil Less’ system?

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Making Almond Yogurt Without a Yogurt Machine

Anna@Green Talk — Fri, 16 Sep 2011 14:17:44 +0000

Homemade Almond Yogurt

Since starting the garden, I have been obsessed with food blogs. So that you know, I don’t have an ounce of recipe creativeness in my pinky finger. My favorite recipes are ones that make everything from scratch. Hard, yes. But really fun and sometimes less expensive. So, I jumped at the chance to make my own almond yogurt. It is not as daunting as it sounds. Pretty straight forward.

Why not Make it Like Grandma?

Over the last month, I have been mulling over making my own coconut and/or almond yogurt without having to buy any more equipment. Which means no yogurt machine. Now, before you do the “Anna, are you serious? Why on earth would you want to make your own yogurt” bit with me, hear me out.

I am lactose intolerant and sometime even yogurt bothers me. Almond yogurt is delish. So much better than soy yogurt. Want to know how delish? Try Amande cultured almond yogurt. Once you go almond, you will never look back. The blueberry version is to die for. So, I figured. I can make my own. Right?

Why Make My Own?

Back to the proverbial question. Why make your own if you can buy Amande? I have an issue with plastic waste. Sure, I can recycled my #5 yogurt cup at Whole Foods or give it to my school if they collect yogurt cups. (Remember, Terracycle collect yogurt cups and other products for cash from schools.) But here is the deal. Although recycling is great, it is still uses energy to collect and up-cycle into new products. Why add another cup to the heap?

While we are at pondering the proverbial question, here is another thought to chew on. I am trying to avoid plastic touching my food. Who knows what plastic chemicals could be leaching into my food?

So the next best thing is to make your own. I stepped up to the plate and swung. Read on to see if I got to first base or struck out.

(Such, suspense Anna. I am not use to this with you. Go on.)

Here Goes Nothing. Strike 1 Or Base Hit?

As I search the internet for an easy almond yogurt recipe, I found Renegadehealth.com’s almond yogurt video. Unfortunately they use a yogurt machine. However, if you have a yogurt machine, I found the video really informative. I finally settled on Gentle Earth Man’s video. Simple and easy to understand. I varied his recipe as follows:

The Recipe, Please

1. First soak a cup of almonds for 24 hours. Cover the almonds with water. Change the water after 12 hours.

De-Skinned Almonds

2. After they soak, the skins will come right off when you pinch the almonds. I didn’t pay attention to this part and was basically skinning the almonds. What a pain. After watching the video again, I figured out that I could just rub the almonds with my thumb and forefinger. The skins stared to come off really easily. In Renegade Health’s video, they only blanch the almonds in hot water and don’t take off the skins. I would suggest removing the skins.

3. Craig says in his video put your almonds in a blender and cover them with water. This is where I don’t agree with Craig. I think you need more water since once you dehydrate the yogurt with such little water, the yogurt comes out like cheese. I would suggest to use using about a cup of water to one cup of almonds.

4. Craig adds the probiotics (my step #5) to the nut milk at this point. Here is where I would differ. You should buy a nut bag or use a cheese cloth and strain the milk from the nuts before putting everything in the blender again. I found the yogurt with the nuts a little gritty. Everyone else strains the milk from the nuts. Note, you can use the leftover nut pulp to make crackers or bake the pulp to make flour. (Yep. Another post, people.)

4. Once you separate the nut pulp from the milk, add the powder of 2 probiotics pills. I use PB 8. (Chef Tina says in her video you don’t need any probiotics since it ferments naturally.) Some people say your milk must be at body temperature. Clearly, Craig’s yogurt was not at body temperature. Also, some people use a yogurt starter in lieu of probiotic capsules. What is your opinion about room temperature versus body temperature for the probiotics?

5. Pour the milk back into the blender on a low speed. Blend for a short period.

6. Place the milk in the dehydrator at 100 degrees for 12 hours. Put a paper towel or nut bag on top of the yogurt. (I have a Weston Stainless Steel Dehydrator. Just warning you, the dehydrator is noisy since it is so big. I didn’t want a plastic dehydrator.)

7. Alternatively, you can sit the yogurt in a warm dark area for 12 hours. Don’t put a cap on it and simply put a tea cloth over it. Craig puts a nut bag over his yogurt bowl.

Cheese Like Almond Yogurt

Results? I found it to be quite sour since I am used to sugar laden yogurt. In addition, I found the yogurt really thick and cheese like. I added more water to the yogurt to give it a better consistency as well as a soaked date. It still needed honey, agave, or whatever. Maybe the sourness is an acquired taste?

So, what do you think? Did I get a base hit? Next time, I am going to try the no machine version and see if this makes a difference.

Just in case you want more information, here are a few other recipes:

Join the Conversation

Have you ever made nut yogurt. Does it taste sour?
If so, what is your recipe?
Do you use a yogurt maker, dehydrator, or leave your yogurt out to ferment?
What do you add to yogurt to make it less sour?

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