Best Practices for Cooking with Psyllium Husk?

Question

A couple months ago, I went on a diet primarily consisting of Nutraloaf (with Tabasco or other flavor-adding sauces) for meals, and sunflower seeds for occasional snacking. Three weeks in, I started experiencing some digestive problems and a general malaise, and my doctor referred me to a nutritionist. Long story short, my diet was seriously lacking in fiber.

I've found psyllium husk fiber to be far superior to traditional options, and have since been consuming it as a daily supplement. What I'd like to do, however, is integrate it into my cooking. There is a serious dearth of psyllium husk-based recipes on the Internet, which leads me to query the experts here.

How should I go about modifying my recipes to use psyllium husk? Also, should I worry about heating psyllium husk, and possibly changes its digestive qualities?

Answer

I'm guessing that you should be able to simply add it wherever you would add some sort of grain or flour. The wikipedia article mentions:

Other uses include gluten-free baking, where ground psyllium seed husks bind moisture and help make the bread less crumbly.

If you add some to your Nutraloaf, if it's enough to have an effect, it'll help it bind together and absorb some moisture. You might have to add some more liquid to cancel that out, if you find that the result ends up too dry, but otherwise it should be fine. Cooking isn't going to destroy the fiber.

I'd also note that you don't necessarily have to go all-out on the fiber: there's plenty in other grains, too, like oats. You might decide that you simply like it better with a different fiber - justkt suggested a few in the comments; thanks! And I know you're not exactly looking for variety here, but I might as well suggest it. You really could get a little bit of variety for minimal effort, say by adding in a different canned or frozen vegetable each time you make it, or by varying the source of fiber.

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How to get raspberry flavor into a smoothie without seeds?

Question

I often enjoy (when it's not dead of winter) a fruit smoothie for breakfast; generally I use orange juice or some other juice flavor (V8 has a few with fruit flavors masking veggie tastes that I sometimes use), yogurt, and fruit I've frozen myself (removes the need for ice, leading to a thicker smoothie). Typically I use strawberries and bananas; however, when I purchase smoothies, my favorite flavors involve raspberry. I've tried purchasing frozen berries and tossing some in, but the seeds irritate me to no end.

How can I get the taste of raspberries, preferably from raspberries themselves rather than extract (seems healthier), but not the seeds?

Answer

I'd stew the raspberries down with a little water (and sugar if the raspberries aren't sweet) until they're very soft, then pass the whole thing through a sieve to remove the seeds. You can then either store the result in the fridge, or pour it into an ice cube tray for easy portioning and a nice cold smoothie.

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Hulling pumpkin seeds - Possible? Easy?

Question

I have a recipe I want to use that calls for "hulled pumpkin seeds (the green ones)". I have pumpkin seeds saved from carving pumpkins. Do I just... peel them? Any fast way to do this? Is there any other preperation needed?

Answer

Describing the only method I know, and hoping that somebody will come up with an improvement, because this one is quite time-consuming.

First, clean your pumpkin seeds and toast them. They cling to the hull when they are raw. When toasting, it is preferable to use lowish temperature for a long time, so you can prevent strong taste changes and burning. If I remember correctly, it is also a good idea to let them cool them first, because they are more likely to break when hot, but

When the seeds are ready, you want to pop them out of the shell. For this, hold a seed between your thumb and index finger. Apply pressure to the most prominent parts of the edge.

Ideally, the pointed part of the hull will split along the edge, and the seed will fall out, or you will be able to squeeze it out. Even if it goes like that seed after, it is a slow, monotonous work. Often, the hull will refuse to split, or the seed will break within the hull, or it will cling to the hull and refuse to come out after it has split. And then there is no guarantee that you'll get the beautiful plump seeds you see in the supermarket, because carving pumpkins aren't bred for nice seeds, it can happen that yours are very small and thin and not a particularly good decoration.

Conclusion: it is possible, but even if I had the seeds sitting around, I'd throw them out (or feed them to birds outside) and get hulled seeds for cooking, instead of spending half a day to get a handful of seeds out of their hulls. If it doesn't bother you, or if you can find a more efficient method, feel free to do it and share your process improvements here.

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How to store seeds so that they will not get full of insects?

Question

I am trying to use my seeds in fruits, but when I store them they become very soon full of insects. Because I do not get a lot of seeds at once, I am not going to dry individual seeds in oven.

What is the best way to store the seeds? Could I freeze them?

Related question about eating seeds: Are seeds in melons and other fruits good to eat?

Answer

The rules are the same as keeping rice, beans, or lentils: keep them in a container that the insects can't chew through, and do not allow them access. This means glass, thick plastic (not a bag), or metal. I would do my best to dry off the seeds to prevent mold growth, beforehand. Even laying them on a paper towel for 15-20 minutes should help.

If you have problems with mold, try using something like a canning jar and use fine cloth in place of the lid. It should keep bugs out and allow moisture to escape.

Refrigeration will greatly extend the life of your seeds; if bugs do not have a chance to lay eggs on them, and the seeds are sufficiently dry to prevent mold, they should refrigerate for months.

Freezing is also good idea, as this will kill any bug larvae and prevent microbial spoilage; I'd try freezing a small batch of seeds first to make sure the moisture doesn't split them open.

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Are seeds in melons and other fruits good to eat?

Question

I usually throw away seeds in melons (and other fruits) and I paradoxically buy different seeds from the store. Are seeds in such things good to eat and where can I use them? Because they are not dry, how can I store for future dishes? Do they have the same nutritional profile as other seeds for sale?

Answer

There are a few seeds which are good to eat. These generally get sold in the supermarket (pumpkin seeds, apricot kernels). If you buy the fruit containing them, you can keep the seeds.

If you want to store them, you should dry them first. Spread the cleaned seeds in a single layer on paper and put it in a warm dry place (not in direct sunlight), and wait a few days. You should deshell them right before consuming, that way they keep longer. If you want to eat them right away, don't dry them. They taste better when fresh. Some should be roasted in the shell before eaten (pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds).

There is little sense in eating seeds not commonly sold in supermarkets, like melon seeds or apple pips. They don't have any nutritional value for humans, or taste bad (e.g. very bitter), or both. It is even dangerous to experiment too much. For example, peach kernels contain poisonous cyanide compounds. So stick to what is commonly eaten, there is a reason the other seeds aren't used.

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Seeds in Melons and fruits good to eat?

Question

I usually throw away seeds in melons (and even in fruits) and I paradoxically buy different seeds from the store. Are seeds in such things good to eat and where can I use them? Because they are not dry, how can I store for future dishes? Do they have the same nutritional profile as other seeds for sale?

Answer

There are a few seeds which are good to eat. These generally get sold in the supermarket (pumpkin seeds, apricot kernels). If you buy the fruit containing them, you can keep the seeds.

If you want to store them, you should dry them first. Spread the cleaned seeds in a single layer on paper and put it in a warm dry place (not in direct sunlight), and wait a few days. You should deshell them right before consuming, that way they keep longer. If you want to eat them right away, don't dry them. They taste better when fresh. Some should be roasted in the shell before eaten (pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds).

There is little sense in eating seeds not commonly sold in supermarkets, like melon seeds or apple pips. They don't have any nutritional value for humans, or taste bad (e.g. very bitter), or both. It is even dangerous to experiment too much. For example, peach kernels contain poisonous cyanide compounds. So stick to what is commonly eaten, there is a reason the other seeds aren't used.

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Are caraway seeds and fennel seeds the same?

Question

My mom always called the seeds in rye bread caraway. But they are in Italian sausage and a jar labeled fennel seeds.

Are they the same thing?

Answer

Fennel and caraway are relatives, but not the same plant. Fennel seeds have a flavor dominated by anise/licorice, where caraway is quite different, being dominated by other flavors. They also have subtle differences in appearance.

Cumin, anise, and dill are other look-alike seeds with very different flavors. Anise and fennel have very similar flavors, and can be substituted for each other. Caraway and dill are likewise similar in flavor. Cumin has a flavor different from any of the above. I am including pictures of fennel, caraway, anise, cumin, and dill seeds so you can see how similar they are, but also how there are subtle differences in shape.

Fennel Seed:

Caraway Seeds:

Anise Seed: It is hard to tell from the picture, but anise seeds are much smaller than fennel.

Cumin Seeds: note, these vary considerably in color

Dill Seeds: (note how much flatter theses are)

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