have

Growing mushrooms – is that possible? In fact, it is not that difficult to grow your own mushrooms. We will explain to you which varieties and methods are best suited.

Growing mushrooms at home: why it’s a good idea

Mushrooms – which are not plants, by the way – are low in calories, but provide important nutrients. Most mushrooms are a relatively good source of protein and can also contain important ingredients such as the important nerve cell component potassium, B vitamins or iron and phosphorus. Mushrooms, for example, contain 91 percent water, potassium, phosphorus and vitamins B1 and B2.

In contrast to wild-collected mushrooms, you don’t have to worry about the fact that home-grown mushrooms are contaminated with heavy metals or radioactive. If you grow mushrooms yourself, you can harvest all year round.

When it comes to where they grow, mushrooms are undemanding. However, they prefer shady places to sunny ones. Many varieties, such as mushrooms, can even do without light, which is why you can even grow mushrooms in the basement. They don’t like direct sun that much because they dry out too quickly there. Some mushrooms depend on sufficient humidity, more about that in the next sections.

This is what you need to grow mushrooms

You don’t need much to start your mushroom cultivation. Essentially, there are two things: the fungus and a substrate.

You have two options when choosing the mushroom: Either you only buy the mushroom culture, the so-called mushroom mycelium. Or you buy a mushroom culture kit, where everything you need is already prepared. Making a mushroom culture yourself is quite difficult for you as a hobby mushroom grower, so you will probably have to buy it. Ready-made sets also have an advantage: the substrate is usually already penetrated by the fungal tissue, so that the fungus very quickly begins to form its fruiting body, i.e. the part that we eat. That’s why you already have the first harvest successes after three to five weeks.

Choosing the substrate is easier. Ordinary residual products are used here. For example, you can use the following as a substrate for growing mushrooms:
coffee grounds
straw
sawdust
wood (untreated and unvarnished)
tree stumps

Make sure the substrate is as clean as possible. Because mushroom cultivation needs a lot of moisture, which in turn promotes the growth of germs or mold. If in doubt, you can treat your substrate with steam over 60 degrees Celsius. This kills germs and unwanted fungal spores.

You can fill the substrate in a bucket, pot or box, for example. Depending on the location you choose, a mushroom grow bag may also come in handy. It prevents the mushrooms from drying out. Mushroom growing bags are used in particular when your chosen location is very dry. You can buy together with the mushroom cultures.

Grow mushrooms yourself: This is how you start your mushroom cultivation

Once you have the mushroom culture and substrate together, you can get started. With these tips you will succeed in growing mushrooms:

Before you put the mushroom culture in the substrate, water the substrate and then let it drain. It should be damp but not soaking wet.
Also make sure that the humidity in the area is high. 80 to 95 percent relative humidity is ideal. The basement, bathroom or kitchen are probably best suited here. If you don’t have a room with high humidity, you can support the growth of your mushrooms with a mushroom grow bag or indoor greenhouse.
Make sure the temperature is right: Mushrooms like a warm, humid climate, so the temperature should be between ten and 25 degrees Celsius. But it is worth taking a look at the packaging of your mushroom culture. This often indicates a temperature window.
Mix the mushroom culture under the substrate and fill it in a bucket or box. The layer should be a few centimeters thick.
Now it’s time to keep wet and wait. Check daily that your substrate is still damp. It is best to moisten it with a spray bottle. Be careful not to let the water stand in it and always use fresh tap water – otherwise mold can form here too.
If you only work with a mushroom culture, it will take a few weeks for the mycelium, i.e. the subterranean networks of your mushroom, to develop. Only then does the fruiting body form.
When the mushrooms are the size you want, you can harvest them. The best way to do this is to cut them off with a clean knife.
As a rule, a mushroom culture will sprout three to four times after you have harvested it. In between, she always needs a few days off.

Food

Vegan Chips: You Have to Pay Attention to This

You don’t always recognize vegan chips at first glance. In addition to potatoes, oil and salt, there are often flavors and additives, which is why not all chips are vegan. We’ll show you what to look out for.

Vegan chips are not a matter of course due to various additives. Animal ingredients are hidden in the salty snacks, especially in the form of flavor enhancers and flavorings.

Therefore, you should always take a look at the list of ingredients when shopping. The following substances are often found in conventional chips:
butterfat
sweet whey powder
milk protein
cream powder
buttermilk powder
cheese powder
animal rennet
shrimp powder
honey
pork powder
animal flavors such as game, poultry or fish

Animal additives are also hidden behind some E numbers, such as in emulsifier E471. The substance is obtained from animal fats.

Cooking Tips

Frying Pak Choi: You Have to Pay Attention to That

To fry Pak Choi, you only have to pay attention to a few points. We’ll show you how to prepare the delicious Asian cabbage in a pan or wok.

Pak Choi, or Bok Choy or Pak Choy, is related to Chinese cabbage and is particularly popular in Asian cuisine. The vegetable looks similar to the local chard, but has its own taste with a mustard note. In this article you will find out how to fry pak choi deliciously.

Frying Pak Choi: Preparation

Basically, it is very easy to prepare Pak Choi in a pan or wok. Before you can start roasting, you must first prepare the cabbage:
Cut off the base of the stalk so that the leaves come loose one by one. If necessary, remove wilted leaves.
Wash each leaf thoroughly with water. To dry them off afterwards, you can shake them off or use a salad spinner.
Separate the leaves from the stems by either plucking them off or cutting them off with a knife. Keep the leaves separate from the stems, as you don’t want to add them to the pan at the same time afterwards.
Cut the stems and leaves into bite-sized pieces. Since the thicker stems in particular need a little longer in the pan, you can cut them a little finer.

Frying Pak Choi: This is how it’s done with a pan or wok

After you have washed and cut the pak choi, you can fry the cabbage. In Asian cuisine, the wok is usually used for this. In this you can serve Pak Choi particularly crispy. If you don’t have a wok, you can also fry the cabbage in a normal pan.

In Asian cuisine, pak choi usually goes into the wok with many other ingredients – for example other vegetables and diced tofu. But you can also serve Pak Choi separately with a side dish. The only important thing is to fry the stems first, as they take longer to cook.

How to fry pak choi:
Heat some oil in a pan or wok. In principle, you can use any oil that is suitable for frying. The Pak Choi is particularly tasty with sesame oil.
Then first put the chopped stalks into the pan and fry them for about three minutes.
Then add the leaves and fry them for about one, maximum two minutes.
Take the pan off the stove and season the fried pak choi with salt, pepper and some soy sauce.
Variations: Of course, you can also season Pak Choi creatively. Depending on your taste, some chilli paste, lemon juice, roasted sesame or peanuts are suitable.

Food

Peel Cucumber: Does it Have to be?

To peel cucumbers or not? Many people face these questions when they want to prepare a cucumber. We’ll show you the pros and cons and whether it’s really necessary to peel the cucumber

Many consumers are unsure whether they should peel the cucumber. There are several reasons to peel the cucumber:

There are a number of vegetables such as carrots or beetroot that are usually peeled off before eating.
Another reason is that consumers bought the cucumber without plastic packaging in the supermarket and are afraid that there are microorganisms on the skin.
The cucumber is damaged on the peel.

peel cucumber? That speaks against it

There are good reasons not to peel the cucumber:
The skin of the cucumber contains a relatively large number of vitamins and minerals. They are very important for the body and you should therefore eat them. However, one cucumber is not enough to cover your daily requirement: 100 grams of cucumber, for example, contain an average of 160 milligrams of potassium – you need 4000 per day. In addition, the cucumber also contains vitamin K (16 of 60 µg per day).
Dietary fiber, which is important for digestion, is also mainly found in the peel. 100 grams contain about 0.5 grams of fiber – you need about 30 per day.
By scrubbing and rinsing the cucumber under running water, you can easily remove any bacteria that might be on the cucumber. However, detergents or sprays are superfluous.
If you buy organic cucumbers, you can avoid many pesticides. Because synthetic sprays are forbidden in organic farming. The organic seal provides orientation.

cucumber is healthy

The cucumber is a summer vegetable: its main season is between July and September. Whether peeled or not: Cucumbers are tasty and also help to improve the fluid balance on hot days. Because they consist mainly of water.

The nutrients of 100 g of cucumber:

12 calories of energy
0.2 grams of fat
0.6 g proteins
1.8 grams of carbohydrates
0.5 g fiber

Tip: Sliced cucumbers taste good with a dip or in a salad, for example.

Food

Storing Apples: You Have to Pay Attention to That

If you store apples correctly, they stay fresh and tasty longer and can even be stored for many months – just like grandma used to do! Utopia tells you what you should consider here.

Why is proper storage of apples important?

The ripening process of an apple continues even after it has been picked and the texture of the harvested fruit changes. If you store apples incorrectly, they can overripe, rot, or dry up.

In order to avoid food waste, save money and simply enjoy the healthy fruit for longer, you should follow a few tips and store apples correctly.

Store apples separately from other fruit

Anyone who has ever put together a decorative fruit basket with apples, bananas, plums or pears knows how quickly the fruit ripens.

Apples give off the plant hormone ethylene, which causes the other fruits to ripen faster or even rot. Potatoes also suffer if they are stored with apples – they become shriveled and old faster. Therefore, you should always store apples separately.
You should also make sure to keep your apples cool and dark, ideally in a closet or basement. The vegetable drawer in the refrigerator is also suitable, but it should not contain any other fruit and vegetables because of the ethylene. The fridge shouldn’t be too cold either, because apples don’t tolerate frost.
If you still have old plastic bags at home, you can also use these for storage: the film retains moisture and the fruit is protected from drying out. But make sure that not too much water accumulates in the bag.

Stock up on apples to keep them fresh through the winter

With a few tricks, you can not only store the apples for a few days or weeks, but make them durable for the whole winter or even until the next harvest in autumn. This is far more ecological than buying imported apples from overseas.

Keep the following points in mind when storing apples:
Find a dark, cool storage place with a constant temperature – preferably between three and four degrees Celsius. For example, a basement compartment, a garage or a shed is suitable. Under certain circumstances, an unheated hallway or a cool pantry may also be suitable.
Make sure there is enough humidity so that the apples don’t dry out and shrivel up. For example, regularly set out bowls of water or loosely cover the apples with a perforated plastic wrap, if you have one. In this way, moisture is retained, but excessive condensation can escape.
At the same time, make sure there is enough air supply so that the apples don’t get moldy. If you’re storing them in wooden crates, only put one layer of apples per crate and make sure the fruit doesn’t touch each other. Boxes with side or bottom slots are particularly suitable.
If you store your apples in a shed in the garden, be sure to protect them from frost and rodents, such as mice!
Before storage: Only choose apples that are in good condition for storage – i.e. only fruit without bruises, signs of eating or rot. It is best to store the apples with the stem.

Food

Is Sugar Vegan? You Have to Know That

It actually seems clear that sugar is vegan – it is obtained from plants such as sugar beet or sugar cane. In some cases, however, sugar is refined with animal substances. We explain when sugar is vegan – and when not.

Sugar is often hidden in processed foods in particular. But the sweetener is also often used in your own kitchen, when baking or for coffee or tea. Even vegans do not do without sugar, since the food itself is purely vegetable. A closer look reveals, however, that this is not always entirely true. In some cases, animal substances are used in production.

Sugar is vegan – but not always

Sugar is usually obtained from sugar beets or sugar cane and is therefore a plant-based food. Animal charcoal is sometimes used to make refined sugar.

Refined sugar is a particularly white, pure sugar that is almost 100 percent sugar and contains no trace elements or by-products. In order to obtain this, the sugar is also filtered and decolorized in addition to various other processing steps. Various substances and means can be used for this process – including animal charcoal.

Animal charcoal, also known as carbo animalis, is an activated charcoal made from animal products such as bones, blood, or skin. Since these occur in large quantities as slaughterhouse waste products, animal charcoal is a particularly cheap filter material. Alternatively, sugar is refined with activated carbon from other raw materials or kieselguhr.

Recognizing vegan sugar: you need to know that

Animal charcoal does not have to be specified on the packaging as a production aid. It is therefore not clear by what means the sugar was processed and refined.
To be on the safe side, you have two options:

Ask the sugar producer directly whether or not they use animal products in their production.
Skip refined sugar and buy whole cane sugar instead.

Whole cane sugar has even more advantages over refined sugar: Since the molasses with its valuable minerals and vitamins remains in the sugar, it is considered the healthiest type of sugar.

Cooking Tips

Freeze Pizza Dough: You Have to Pay Attention to That

Freezing pizza dough is useful if you have misjudged the quantity or want to build up a small supply. We’ll explain how to freeze.

Freeze pizza dough in portions

Ideally, you freeze the pizza dough before it has risen – this way the pizza doesn’t get soggy. If you’ve made a lot of pizza dough, you should freeze the dough in the portions you need for one pizza at a time.

When freezing, it is important to pack the dough airtight. This works with cling film or freezer bags, but for the sake of the environment and your health you should avoid plastic. A good plastic-free alternative is a beeswax wrap.

You can freeze pizza dough particularly well in a cake tin: Roll out each portion of dough into a circle and place them in a round cake tin. Always put a layer of baking paper between the flatbreads (you can use the baking paper later).

Then you pack the whole thing airtight, for example in wax paper. The advantage of this method: You can take individual pizza bases straight out of the fridge. They thaw faster thanks to their flat shape and you don’t have to roll them out after freezing.

thawing and shelf life

Well packaged, the pizza dough can be stored in the freezer for up to three months. That’s enough to create a small supply.

You should defrost the dough slowly, ideally over a few hours or overnight in the refrigerator. This allows the pizza dough to rise again. If it has to be quick, you can save yourself the hassle, the pizza will be a bit crispy.

Cooking Tips

Baking Basic Bread: You Have to Pay Attention to That

Baking alkaline bread is not difficult and does not take long. We present three recipes with which you can bake the healthy and low-acid bread in your kitchen.

Alkaline bread differs from conventional bread in the way it is made: For alkaline bread, the grain must first begin to germinate before it is crushed. The baking result most closely resembles crispbread. Basic bread is said to prevent an overly acidic diet. However, this has not yet been scientifically proven.

The big advantage is rather that with basic bread you do without unhealthy foods such as white flour or sugar.

Alkaline bread can consist not only of germinated (!) grain, but also of germinated oilseeds such as pumpkin seeds or sesame. In addition to herbs and spices, fruit and vegetables can also be part of alkaline bread. This works for example with bananas, zucchini and celery.

We recommend that you use organic food from regional suppliers for the following recipes. In this way you can support food with a low transport distance and a good carbon footprint.

Bake basic bread: Recipe for buckwheat bread

The first recipe is for a basic bread with grains. You can prepare it with chia seeds or alternatively with sunflower seeds or sesame:

You need these ingredients for a buckwheat bread:

500 grams of buckwheat flour
2 tbsp chia seeds
120 grams of buckwheat
100 g pumpkin seeds
3 tsp honey
450ml + 440ml + 400ml water
50 g amaranth
3 tsp sea salt
some olive oil
You should start preparing your basic buckwheat bread the day before:

Soak the buckwheat and pumpkin seeds in a glass of water in the morning. Use about 440 milliliters, twice as much water as seeds. Then let them dry overnight. The best way to do this is to spread the seeds out on a baking sheet lined with baking paper and place them on the heater.
Soak the chia seeds in a glass filled with water overnight. The chia seeds should be completely covered with water. Use about 400 milliliters of water for this.
Preparation:

Puree the buckwheat grains and pumpkin seeds in a blender and then set them aside for a moment.
Blend the soaked chia seeds and water again in the blender.
Now put the chia seeds, buckwheat, pumpkin seeds, honey, water, sea salt and amaranth in a bowl and stir vigorously with the buckwheat flour.
Spread the batter on a greased baking sheet.
Let the basic bread dry in the oven at around 40 degrees for eight hours.
Turn the bread and let it dry for another eight hours, then it will have the right consistency.
Tip: If you like, you can sprinkle your bread dough with sunflower seeds or sesame seeds before you put it in the oven.

Baking basic bread: A sweet variant

You can bake sweet basic bread with the help of fruit, sweet spices and nuts. How about a sunflower seed bread with banana and cinnamon?

You need these ingredients:

500 g wholemeal flour
100 g sunflower seeds
150 grams of flaxseed
1 liter of water
1 banana
3 tsp honey
3 tsp vanilla
3 tsp cinnamon
some sunflower oil
How to prepare this basic bread:

Fill a jar with 1 liter of water and let the sunflower seeds and flax seeds soak in it overnight.
Then let the seeds dry for a few hours without the water.
Puree the dried sunflower seeds and flaxseeds.
Peel the banana and cut it into small pieces.
Put the banana, honey, vanilla and cinnamon in the blender and blend until smooth.
Mix the seeds, the mixture from the mixer and the whole wheat flour.
Spread the batter on a greased baking sheet.
Let the basic bread dry in the oven at around 40 degrees for eight hours.
Turn the bread and let it dry for another eight hours, then it will have the right consistency.

Food

Green Beans: They Have These Nutritional Values

With their good nutritional values, green beans are a healthy legume from the region. In this article you will find out which nutrients are in the beans and how healthy they are.

The green bean is also called garden bean or beans and grows as bush or pole beans. Originally from Latin America, it has been cultivated in Europe since the 16th century. As a legume, it binds nitrogen from the air with the help of bacteria on the roots, which is why it also thrives on nitrogen-poor soils.

As a regional legume, green beans are in season in Germany from July to October. We will explain to you what nutritional values are in the bean and how healthy it is.

Green beans: nutritional values at a glance

Like all legumes, green beans are a good source of plant-based protein and fiber. In addition, the bean contains vitamin B2, vitamin B6, vitamin B7 and beta-carotene, the precursor of vitamin A. When it comes to minerals, they contain significant amounts of potassium, calcium and magnesium. (Source: Apotheken Umschau)

Due to the high proportion of B vitamins, green beans contribute to a healthy metabolism and a strong nervous system. The minerals it contains are important for healthy muscles, bones and teeth. Green beans provide a long-lasting feeling of satiety, but can sometimes lead to flatulence and other digestive problems. Read the next section to find out how to prevent this.

Green beans – nutritional values per 100 grams:

Calories: 33 kcal
Carbohydrates: 5g
Fat: traces
Egg white: 2.5 g
Minerals:

Potassium: 225 mg
Calcium: 65 mg
Magnesium: 25 mg
Phosphate: 35 mg
Beta carotene: 320 mcg
vitamins:

Vitamin B1: 76mcg
Vitamin B2: 111mcg
Vitamin B3: 570mcg
Vitamin B5: 500mcg
Vitamin B6: 264mcg
Vitamin B7: 7mcg
Vitamin B9: 56mcg
Vitamin C: 20 mg

Healthy beans: Important tips for preparation

In addition to the healthy nutritional values, green beans also contain lectins such as the protein phasin. This is difficult to digest and is considered toxic to humans. That’s why you should never eat green beans raw, but always cook or boil them sufficiently: heating destroys the dangerous protein compound. According to the Bavarian Consumer Advice Center, you should cook, boil or blanch green beans for at least ten minutes. Important: pour off the cooking water, as this is also poisonous.

To prevent digestive problems such as flatulence, you can add caraway and/or fennel (seeds) to the dish. Alternatively, you can also prepare a caraway tea or tea made from fennel or aniseed and drink it after the meal.

Recipe ideas: In separate articles we will show you how to prepare bean salad and other green bean recipes.

Food

Are Pretzels Vegan? What You Have to Look Out for with Pretzels

Many people wonder whether pretzels are vegan at all. After all, many foods contain animal products that we would not suspect. How about the pretzel?

Pretzels are not always vegan

A pretzel traditionally consists of a lye dough, i.e. flour, yeast, water, salt and baking soda for the lye. In some regions and in some bakeries, traditionally prepared pretzels also contain lard. This makes the dough smoother and the machines can process it more easily. Especially with fresh dough that has not rested for long, the lard helps with further processing.

Today, however, many bakeries do without the lard and use butter or vegetable fat instead. If butter is used, the pretzel is no longer vegan, but at least vegetarian.

How do I recognize vegan pretzels?

The use of pork fat or butter does not have to be labeled. As a rule, however, bakeries have lists of ingredients on hand so that they can also provide information in the event of allergies. Here it helps to simply ask for the list of ingredients. You can also find ingredient lists online at larger bakeries.

Some bakeries also label pretzels with “vegan” on the price tag. The V-Label identifies vegan products reliably and transparently.

You can be absolutely sure when you bake pretzels yourself.

Do pretzels contain egg?

In some Internet forums you can read again and again that pretzels are coated with egg. They should then look nicer and browner. However, the browning is caused by the bath in caustic soda and the subsequent baking of the pretzel.