MSG Questions and Some Mix Recipes

Posted by Cindy on July 26, 2008

I’ve tried to briefly answer most of the questions that have come from the MSG and homemade mix posts.  I’ll be happy to continue answering questions if you have any.  I’m only speaking from my experiences, but I sure hope something here helps someone!

What Pre-packaged Foods Can I Eat?

Let’s see.  Just taking a quick scan through my pantry and refrigerator, these are some pre-packaged things I found.  Take note – some people will be more sensitive than me and possibly not able to tolerate what I can.  NONE of the products on my shelf have MSG as an ingredient, but their could potentially be some hidden MSG in terms like flavorings, seasonings, or spices.  Personally, I can eat all the following without incident.  Oh, I ought to mention that sometimes I won’t react to something the first time I eat it, but I will after eating it a second time, say the following day as a leftover.  Unfortunately, knowing those things only comes with experience.

• Daisy sour cream – or any all natural
• Any natural yogurt
• Most Annie’s Organic and Newman’s Own salad dressings
• Real butter
• Most cheeses
• Heinz ketchup
• Most plain yellow mustards
• Hellman’s Real Mayo
• Many pickles
• Any canned fruit or veggie canned only in water and salt
• Starkist Tuna Select – the more expensive can with only water and salt added
• Canned salmon with only water and salt added
• Plain refried beans
• Most canned beans with no added seasonings – personally, I can tolerate Bush’s baked beans, too.
• Ragu spaghetti sauce
• Ragu pizza sauce
• Plain bread crumbs
• Most cake and brownie mixes
• Plain Chips, Fritos, plain Sun Chips
• Any meat that hasn’t been seasoned or injected
• Breads and baked goodies without seasoning or L-cystein
• Walmart’s brand of French fried onions
• Annie’s mac-n-cheese
• Most cereals (although we don’t buy any with BHT)
• Pancake and biscuit mix when I don’t feel like making my own
• Jiffy cornbread mix
• Salted nuts
• Natural Popcorn
• Peanut butter
• Jams and jellies
• Canned biscuits
• Most sweets like Oreos (although we prefer to make our own sweets)
• Most juices, bottled or frozen concentrate
• Plain crackers – saltine, butter, oyster
• Breyer’s ice cream
• I can tolerate the Walmart and Food Lion brands of chicken nuggets
• Frozen soft pretzels
• Frozen veggies with no seasonings or sauces
• Papa John’s pizza – no sausage
• Sausage from the butcher with no msg

What did I give up forever?

• Canned soups and broths – these are easy to make on your own in huge batches to freeze
• Ravioli and Spaghettios – now I think, “YUCK!” anyway
• Seasoned Rice boxes
• Seasoning Packets (taco, gravy, chili, etc)
• Scalloped potato boxes
• Most lunchmeats – partly because of nitrates and nitrites, too
• Seasoned fries
• Pre-battered or pre-breaded meat
• Seasoned chips – Sour Cream ‘n Onion, Doritoes, Cheetos….
• Chip dips – easy to make on your own
• Bottled bbq sauce, tartar sauce, A-1 – really all bottled sauces that aren’t very specific in their ingredients – all are easy to make quickly on your own
• Jello
• Most sausage
• Most prepared pizza
• Dry roasted nuts
• Frozen pizza
• TV dinners, diet dinners in a box
• It’s hard to remember because I really don’t miss any of this anymore!

What Are My Favorite Cookbooks?

The one that got me started on my MSG-free quest is the one offered at www.msgmyth.com.  The first half of the book is full of wonderful information, while the second half is full of recipes for meals as well as things like mixes and appropriate substitutes.

I don’t have other cookbooks that are dedicated to living MSG-free.  It’s really a matter of finding cookbooks that teach you how to cook from scratch rather than most of the ingredients being convenience foods themselves.  I didn’t pitch my recipe books where every other recipe calls for a can of cream of mushroom soup, I simply learned (from the msgmyth cookbook) how to make my own white sauce to use in place of the can of soup.

Crockpots and Tomatoes

From the www.msgmyth.com website, some of you have run across the fact that slow cooking and overcooked tomatoes can cause MSG symptoms in some people.  I have never experienced this.  I use the crockpot all the time and tomatoes are a staple in our diet.  I believe the author mentions this for those who are not finding total relief from getting rid of the added MSG ingredients.

Other Food Sensitivities

I have noticed that each person in our family is sensitive in one way or another to foods, medicines, food colorings and/or outdoor allergins.  One commenter mentioned that she is lactose intolerant but still experiencing bowel symptoms.  From my own experience, with no medical proof to back me up, I have found that sensitive people are just that – sensitive.  Their bellies and bodies tend to struggle with more than one thing.  That can make it a difficult row to hoe when trying to identify dietary culprits!

Aspartame and MSG

Aspartame, MSG and cystein (as in L-cystein often found in baked goods) are all excitotoxins.  Chances are, if you are sensitive to one, you are sensitive to all.  I’ve never used or allowed much “diet” sugar into our home, so I don’t have much experience with it.  But, I do react to L-cystein similarly to MSG.

Sloppy Joe Mix

I have never made a sloppy joe mix because I have a wonderful from scratch recipe that I’ve never wanted to stray from.  I’ll post it below.  But, I came across a mix recipe here and here if you’d like to try them.

Homemade Sloppy Joes

1 lb ground beef

1 large onion, chopped

1 green pepper, chopped

1/2 c celery, chopped

1/4 c brown sugar

1/2 c ketchup

2 Tbsp vinegar

2 Tbsp lemon juice

1/4 c water

1 small can tomato sauce

salt, pepper, garlic to taste

Cook beef and onion in large skillet.  Drain.  Add all remaining ingredients and simmer, uncovered, for about 30 minutes to an hour.  Stir frequently to avoid sticking.  Makes enough for eight buns.

This recipe comes from Nina Beach of the Vine Run Baptist Church in Folsom, KY.

A Few of My Favorite Mix Recipes

Taco Seasoning

(I often quadruple this recipe.)

6 tsp chili powder

5 tsp paprika

4 1/2 tsp cumin

3 tsp onion powder

2 1/2 tsp garlic powder

1/4 tsp red pepper

1/4 tsp salt

Mix all together.  Store in air tight container.  Use 2-3 Tbsp in place of store bought mix.

BAM (Emeril’s Essence)

5 Tbsp paprika

1/4 c salt

1/4 c garlic powder

2 Tbsp black pepper

2 Tbsp onion powder

2 Tbsp red pepper

2 Tbsp oregano

2 Tbsp thyme

Mix together.  Store in air tight container.  Sprinkle on food as desired.

Chili Mix

1 c + 2 Tbsp flour

3/4 cup minced onions

4-6 Tbsp chili powder

1/4 cup paprika

2 Tbsp salt

1 Tbsp cumin

1 Tbsp minced garlic

1 Tbsp sugar

Combine all ingredients.  Store in air tight container.  To serve:  Brown 1 lb ground beef, stir in 1/2 cup chili mix, 1 can beans, small chopped bell pepper, 1 can diced tomatoes (undrained), and 3/4 cup water.  Bring to a boil and simmer 30 mintures.  (I usually add more water.)

Fajita Seasoning

(I usually quadruple this recipe, too.)

4 Tbsp chili powder

2 Tbsp cumin

2 Tbsp oregano

2 Tbsp garlic salt

Mix well and store in air tight container.  2-3 Tbsp = a mix packet from the store.

Why Am I Tired?

Posted by Cindy on July 25, 2008

Could it be from a full day at Kentucky KIngdom yesterday?

Or possibly shucking, washing, parboiling, cutting off the cob and freezing 150 ears of corn today?

Quick Fresh-Pack Dill Pickles

Posted by Cindy on

A few people have asked for the pickle recipe I used in canning cucumbers this week.  My recipe came straight from Complete Guide to Home Canning, Part 6, which is where most of my canning/freezing recipes come from.  I found mine for free at the local extension office.

A quick disclaimer:  If you’re hoping for dill pickles like you buy at the grocery, this isn’t the recipe.  I have yet to find a recipe that makes them taste like store-bought.  On the other hand, everything in the store seems to have Polysorbate-80 as an ingredient.  I have no idea if that’s what makes the taste difference or not, but I prefer plain old sugar.  Anywho, these pickles are delicious, but have a little different twang to them.  I wanted to be sure you knew!

Oh, and it DOES make a difference to cut off the blossom end.  Your pickles will be much firmer.  Again, these aren’t going to be quite as crisp as Vlasic pickles, but done correctly, they shouldn’t be limp either.  And, cut the cucumbers up as you like – slices, spears, wholes.  These were cut into slices because they were a tad bigger than the typical 3-5″ pickling cucumbers.  Plus, the jar holds more this way and jars are expensive!

Okay, on to the recipe….

Quick Fresh-Pack Dill Pickles

• 18 lbs of 3- to 5-inch pickling cucumbers
• 2 gals water
• 1¼ cups canning or pickling salt
• 1½ qts vinegar (5 percent)
• ¼ cup sugar
• 2 quarts water
• 2 tbsp whole mixed pickling spice
• 5 tbsp whole mustard seed (2 tsp per quart jar)
• 21 heads of fresh dill (3 heads per quart jar)
  or 7 tbsp dill seed (1 tbsp per quart jar)

Yield: 7 quarts

Please read Using Boiling Water Canners before beginning. If this is your first time canning, it is recommended that you read Principles of Home Canning.

Procedure: Wash cucumbers. Cut 1/16-inch slice off blossom end and discard, but leave ¼-inch of stem attached. Dissolve ¾ cup salt in 2 gals water. Pour over cucumbers and let stand 12 hours. Drain. Combine vinegar, ½ cup salt, sugar and 2 quarts water. Add mixed pickling spices tied in a clean white cloth. Heat to boiling. Fill jars with cucumbers. Add 2 tsp mustard seed and 1 tbsp dill per quart. Cover with boiling pickling solution, leaving ½-inch headspace. Adjust lids and process according to the recommendations in Table 1 or use the low- temperature pasteurization treatment. For more information see “Low-Temperature Pasteurization Treatment” .

Reviewed June 2006.

July’s Creation Club

Posted by Cindy on July 23, 2008

July’s meeting was less of a nature day and more a celebration of water.  We had a water field day!  Each of the moms brought a water game or two which turned out to be tons of fun.

Let’s see, the kids played a relay carrying containers of water on their heads, a sponge and bucket relay, and competed in a water obstacle course.  They had to try to keep water in their cups while jumping rope ten times, and they had a water balloon launching contest.  They also had a frozen t-shirt contest, trying to be the first to thaw and put on a wet t-shirt that had been folded and frozen solid.  And apparently, it doesn’t matter where the water is, kids will jump in and have fun (see the cow watering container below.  It was clean!)  Here are a few pictures from the day.

And look!  My friend, MonkeyX4, brought me a whole box of cucumbers since we haven’t been having any luck with them this year.  I was able to can 14 quarts of dill pickles this morning!  Thank you, D!!

2008-09 Overall Plans

Posted by Cindy on July 21, 2008

School will be starting up again soon!  We’ll probably wait until the rest of the garden has been harvested and canned/frozen, but the serious planning is well underway already.  Following is our overall plan for the year.

Bible

Since working through the Old, then New Testaments over the last two years, I think we’re going to branch off into various devotionals and kid-friendly Bible studies this year.  Some of which will include both kiddos, while some will be seperate.  A couple will be completed as part of our kid/youth group studies at church, too.  These are just to get us started.  I haven’t decided exactly where we’re headed after these are finished.

How To Study Your Bible for Kids

Boy, Have I Got Problems

Biblical Responsibility lapbook – Jr. Church

Friendship study – Girl’s group at church

Science and History

This year’s science cycle is chemistry.  Besides a once a month chemistry club that a friend is going to host, we will work our way through:

Christian Kids Explore Chemistry

Library books about chemistry and chemists

Of course, nature study will continue at least weekly, too.

Our history cycle is Early American History.  The plan is to get through as many of the units below as possible and pick up where we leave off as we head into Modern American History next year.  I’ll be posting detailed unit plans as we get to them.

Explorers

Native Americans

Pilgrims

Colonial America

Revolutionary War (and other significant wars – French Indian, 1812)

Pioneers/Westward Expansion

Salvery/Underground Railroad

Civil War

I’m also considering buying the Audio CD of Story of the World Volume III for our listening pleasure.  (And to keep up with world history of the time period.)

Mahayla – 6th Grade

Math

Saxon 7/6

Problem Solving from various sources

Logic from various sources

Math literature

Grammar

I picked up a variety of resources at the used curriculum sale this year.  We will poke our way through each and decide what we like the best.

Grammar lapbook

Winston Grammar

Easy Grammar

Spelling

We’re going to see how the program below goes.  If it doesn’t go well, we’ll be on the hunt for something else as I haven’t really found a spelling program that jumps out at me this year.

Making Spelling Sense II

Writing

We’re continuing the blog, journal, field trip journal, writing prompts and newsletters.  We’ll also be adding things here and there from:

A Beka Creative Writing

Daily Paragraph Editing

Reading

With each unit, she will be assigned at least one book.  Otherwise, I never have to worry about her reading and comprehending.  In fact, I often have to ask her to stop reading so she can get other things done!

Handwriting/Typing

Handwriting and typing will be practiced thoroughly through writing assignments.  Within each unit, there will be some copywork, though.  And at least weekly, she will practice keyboard skills at:

Nimble Fingers

Caleb – 3rd Grade

Math

Horizons 3 workbooks

Miquon blue and green workbooks

Problem solving from various sources

Logic from various sources

Math literature

Reading/Phonics

Right Track Reading

Christian Light Education readers

Library books

Spelling

Making Spelling Sense I (Again, we are trying this to see how it goes.  I will most likely switch to Spelling Workout if needed.)

Writing

We will continue with the journal, field trip journal, writing prompts and newsletters.  Additionally, we will work from:

Story Writing

Grammar

We’ll pick and choose from the following programs:

A Beka Language 2

A Beka Language 3

First Language Lessons

Rod & Staff 2

Daily Language Review 3

Handwriting/Typing

Cursive practice worksheets

Nimble Fingers

Other Things That Will Be Tackled At Least Weekly

Art/Artist Study

Adventures in Art – an out of print book I found at a used curriculum sale

Discovering Great Artists

Library books

Drawing books

Music

Paid piano lessons for Mahayla

Madonna Woods Piano Course for Caleb

Classical Kids CD’s / composer library books

Foreign Language

We don’t hit this hard, but here are some resources I at least plan to pull out once in a while.

Prima Latina

English From the Roots Up

Rummy Roots

Spanish CD-ROM

Home Skills, Homestead Skills & Handicrafts

Hopefully, our Keepers At Home group will continue.  If not, we are always busy learning or perfecting some sort of home skill and/or handicraft.

Indoor and outdoor chores

Weekly cooking responsibilities

Serving others

4-H Club

I know this looks like A LOT, but remember I don’t do everything from every curriculum, nor do I teach everything every day!  Life is education!!!  I’ll be keeping you posted on our school year and I wish you a very blessed, productive and smooth school year at your house!