Hidden Sources of MSG

Every pregnancy I experience different aversions and/or cravings, and my current pregnancy is no exception. My first pregnancy I could not tolerate any onions at all--and I normally love them. The second time, I constantly craved fish and potatoes. This time, after a lot of trial and error and paying close attention, I figured out that I can't handle MSG (monosodium glutamate). Like a whole host of other people in this world, MSG gives me headaches, nausea, and a generally yucky feeling. Though for some people the reaction is much more dramatic, my symptoms are enough to steer me clear.

But avoiding MSG entirely, I'm finding out, can be more difficult than I thought (even when eating at home), because of all the hidden sources of MSG. And this is coming from someone who was already consciously trying to avoid MSG and eats almost exclusively home-cooked foods from scratch.

One reason is because "more than 40 different ingredients contain the chemical in monosodium glutamate (processed free glutamic acid) that causes these reactions." Can you believe that?! I had no idea before I started researching. Some of these ingredients include anything with "glutamate," "hydrolyzed," or "caseinate" in the label. (Click here for a more detailed list.)

And, get this: There are 3 ingredients that "work synergistically with MSG to enhance flavor. If they are present for flavoring, so is MSG" even if there is no MSG listed in the ingredients! I found this out when I ate a few croutons that I thought didn't contain any MSG. But they still made me feel yucky, so I investigated. And sure enough, they contained 2 of these 3 ingredients that work with MSG: disodium guanylate, disodium inosinate, disodium ribonucleotides.

Companies are very clever with labeling these days, so we've got to be even more clever.

Knowledge + action = improved health = power

Making and Canning Applesauce

My aunt and uncle's trees produced more apples this fall than they could handle, so they asked around the family for anyone interested in taking some of them off their hands. I ended up taking about 100 pounds, with the intention of doing a lot of canning. Since my family likes applesauce and could potentially eat a lot of it (just plain as well as in recipes) over the next couple years, I decided to make most of the apples into applesauce.

Because of my schedule I haven't been able to dedicate even one whole day to this endeavor and have to do it in a few hour chunks here and there. So it's a good thing apples save! Yes, it takes way too long, and no, I don't particularly enjoy the whole process.

But there is something so satisfying about seeing the results of my labors.

And there is also a lot to be said for the example this sets for my children, and how they learn that applesauce isn't just something you buy at the store. They are also learning from the experience of watching and participating, just as I did growing up.

Lastly, I love how none of the products of this process are wasted, since we compost it all.

Merry Christmas!

Before I take a Christmas break, I wanted to wish each of you a Merry Christmas! May you enjoy the warmth and joy of the season with your loved ones.

And the Winner is...

Carolyn! I did another random drawing of those who entered and I'm so happy Carolyn won because she is one of my most faithful readers and says she never wins these things.

So a big congratulations goes to our Christmas giveaway winner! I'll send you an email with the gift code, Carolyn, and you can get busy choosing your item. :)

Christmas Cranberry-Orange Bread

I used to try to make our family's traditional Danish pastries to have on hand for Christmas morning's breakfast--the authentic kind that was passed down from my Danish great-grandmother. While we really enjoy even the healthier version of these pastries, it requires such a time commitment on my part that I have come to realize I just can't plan on doing it each and every year. So over time I have come up with a different Christmas breakfast bread that we all love, that is healthful and way easier/faster to make than Danishes!

Christmas Cranberry-Orange Bread
Yield: 1 loaf

1 1/4 c. warm water
1/3 c. honey
2 Tb. butter, softened
2 c. bread flour (I usually just use whole wheat for all the flour)
1 1/4 c. whole wheat flour
1 1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp. ground nutmeg
1/4 tsp. ground cloves
2 tsp. active dry yeast
1 c. sweetened dried cranberries
1 Tb. grated orange zest
Directions for mixer or for hand mixing:

Combine warm water and yeast. Let sit until yeast is softened.
Add salt, honey, and butter.
Add remaining ingredients while mixing, except cranberries.
When dough is correct consistency, add cranberries.
Place in greased bread pan, cook at 350 degrees for about 35 minutes, or until browned and cooked through.

Directions for bread maker:

Place all ingredients (except cranberries) in pan of bread machine in order recommended by manufacturer. Select Sweet Bread cycle; press Start.

If your machine has Fruit setting, add cranberries at signal, or about 5 minutes before kneading cycle has finished.

Tamale Loaf

This is a classic recipe in my family. I remember eating it as a child and I still really enjoy it. And this time around I even found a Jimmy Dean sausage with minimal processing and no MSG to use in it!

Tamale Loaf

Mix #1:

1 1/4 lbs. sausage meat (I used less than 1 lb.); cook thoroughly, then add onion below
1 large onion, chopped; cook till tender before adding following ingredients
1 can creamed corn (I used 1 1/2 c. frozen corn)
3 c. diced tomatoes (I used 1 1/2 cans)
2 tsp. salt
2 tsp. chili powder
1/4 tsp. pepper
1 can whole olives

Mix #2:

2 1/2 c. milk
1 2/3 c. cornmeal

Add Mix #2 to Mix #1.

Then separate 2 large eggs in another bowl and beat egg whites until stiff peaks form. Fold egg whites into the combined mixes.

Grease 9 X 13" pan and pour mixture in before cornmeal settles. Bake at 375 for 15 minutes, then turn down to 300 for 30 minutes.

My mom's note: With leftovers, either eat cold or warm in fry pan in a little butter.

Winter Neti: or My Favorite Product of 2010

A while back I told you about my neti pot. Since then, I have continued to use it whenever I have allergy symptoms, feel like I'm getting a cold or sore throat, or even (in the case of home repairs) to simply clear my system of dust. Since I'm one of those lucky allergy sufferers who is allergic to dust mites (as well as many of the seasonal airborne allergens), I have the potential of having allergies year round. And I have noticed lately that I am using my neti pot in the winter as often, if not more often, than I did in the summer. It has been a lifesaver in stopping my early sore throats (which, for me, is often my first allergy symptom), postnasal drip, sinus pressure and headaches, and just improving my general sinus (and probably overall) health. So, again, if you suffer from any of these symptoms and are ready to feel better using a healthier, drug-free method, I seriously recommend the neti pot! Mine has been my favorite new product of the year, hands down.