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I bought some gelatin and would like some ideas as to how to work it into my diet. I've tried it in hot soups ... made a bit of a sticky mess but I still ate it ... and I've put it into water ... but the taste and consistency prevent me from downing it.

Do you have any ideas? :)

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I'm curious to hear the answers - people on here seem to find it helpful for constipation but I'm not sure how to make it appetizing. – Renee Jan 24 2012 at 1:19
I know we never figured out something good, so I want to know too. – Caleb the Hobbit Jan 24 2012 at 2:30
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What about gelatin interested you? – Matt Jan 24 2012 at 2:39
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My joints in my shoulders, knees, back, etc pop a lot ... sometimes it feels as if things that shouldn't be rubbing together are rubbing together ... thus, I thought gelatin would help with this issue, in addition to other things. Also, my fiance has joint issues. – Allie Jan 24 2012 at 14:19
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the efficacy of glucosamine and chondroitin is pretty dubious: quackwatch.com/01QuackeryRelatedTopics/DSH/… – Futureboy Jan 24 2012 at 16:46
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12 Answers

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Oh! I have a can of that in my cupboard, I used over summer when it was hot and I was lazy in the 100+ heat. Loads of things you can use it for just make sure to read the instructions on the side - you can still add to broths for the benefit of the collagen and such but change out the ratios so you don't have the stickum mess.

Several ideas below to get you going OR just have some super fun and make your own marshmallows. Yes. Marshmallows. EDIT --> Also, PH's own Melissa has a Panda Cotta recipe that is quite nice on her Hunt.Gather.Love site. I personally would make a fruit and herb maceration, run through a chinoise and let the natural pectin in the fruit will stabilize and thicken, then pool it on the top of the dessert so each bite down would have a sweet fruit bite. But I'm a dork :) Her fruit gel seems aces.

Great Lakes' website has quite a few recipes just swap out the ingredients that you don't want to utilize for those that you do.

Add to shakes if you're drinking juice OR just sub juice for cold tea, caffeinated or not - lemon ginger, green, etc:

Fresh juice or tea + one tbsp gelatin + pinch of salt. Blend in blender. Don’t let it stand around too long or it will gel

You can also do 1/2 juice or tea or liquid (any amount) + 1/2 milk or coconut milk 1 tbsp of gelatin pinch os salt Blend until smooth

Optional additions

Fruit of your choice - banana, strawberries, etc. Yogurt, if you prefer to milk, vanilla, maple syrup, or honey.

You can also add a tbsp of gelatin to whatever you're eating: scrambled eggs/omelet, cottage cheese, yogurt, smashed tubers or sweet potatoes, soup or stew, etc. Lots of playing to be had, experiment and have a good time :)

Nerd Alert: Oh.. just some other ways gelatin can be or has been used;

  • Blocks of ballistic gelatin simulate muscle tissue as a standardized medium for testing firearms ammunition.
  • Gelatin is used by synchronized swimmers to hold their hair in place during their routines as it will not dissolve in the cold water of the pool. It is frequently referred to as "knoxing," a reference to Knox brand gelatin.
  • When added to boiling water and cooled, unflavored gelatin can make a home-made hair styling gel that is cheaper than many commercial hair styling products, but by comparison has a shorter shelf life (about a week) when stored in this form (usually in a refrigerator). After being applied to scalp hair, it can be removed with rinsing and some shampoo.
  • It is commonly used as a biological substrate to culture adherent cells.-
  • Also used by those who are sensitive to tannins (which can irritate the stomach) in teas, soups or brews.
  • It may be used as a medium with which to consume LSD. LSD in gelatin form is known as "windowpane" or "geltabs."
  • Gelatin is used to make the shells of paintballs, similar to the way pharmaceutical capsules are produced.
  • Gelatin is also used as an ingredient in implantable medical devices, such as in some bone void fillers. Doctors may discuss this with their patients in cases of religious beliefs.
  • Gelatin is also used in nail polish remover and makeup applications. The gelatin is often tinted in different colors to match a model's natural skin tone.
  • Leaf or sheet gelatin is also used directly in food-based model-making, for example to make translucent, edible, diamond-paned windows in gingerbread houses.
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Wow. Thanks; I feel smarter! I always wondered (but was afraid to ask) what 'windowpanes' are. – legup Jan 24 2012 at 4:25
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19 upvotes for a post that recommends making marshmallows? There's hope for PH yet! – Matt Jan 24 2012 at 12:56
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The marshmallows are magnificent! I suspect that all the wonderful upvoting is due to appreciation for my answer, that I took the time to make it as complete as possible, easy to read, with as many usage ideas offered in addition to providing extra knowledge for a future trivia game. – jesuisjuba - paleorepublic.com Jan 24 2012 at 15:57
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I didn't even get to this answer before thinking "this is a question for jj." Glad to see she's got it covered. I might be making marshmallows this weekend. – Tom R. Jan 24 2012 at 18:49
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NorCal Margarita Jello Shooters, of course!

Or for something less boozy, mix with deseeded raspberry puree, and make a yummy and tart gelatin dessert.

Or for the adventurous spirit, there is the olde tyme: aspic. chowhound.chow.com/topics/516149

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+1 for recommending something FUN and Chowhound. I'm a CH regular - it's a great board. – syrahna Jan 24 2012 at 16:04
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I dissolve a tablespoon of gelatin in cold water and then add black coffee to fill my mug. The gelatin adds a little richness, for lack of a better word, and isn't unappetizing in texture until the coffee cools completely and starts to gel.

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totally going to try this at some point... – Caleb the Hobbit Jan 24 2012 at 20:22
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Yay, I get to double post my pudding recipe! I make pudding with gelatin, when I'm not mixing it into my bone tea. Warm one can of coconut milk, add unsweetened cocoa powder until it looks right, throw in a hint of cinnamon, a dash or four of cayenne, stevia sometimes, to taste. Prep whatever the equivalent of two Knox gelatin packages is, whip it all together, pour into a bowl and refridgerate.

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We're trying it today! – Caleb the Hobbit Aug 20 at 20:41
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I make a lot of thick soups in a blender out of veggies and squashes. I find that the gelatin is very good in those. It makes them richer and more satisfyingly without a strong flavor. The trick is to put it in a small amount of cold water to "soften" before adding it to hot soup. It should turn into a clear gel in the cold water.

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In the good old days my great aunts used to make jellied vegetable salads in the summer. I always tried to hide them under my fork, but they may taste OK. Just Google 'Jellied Salad recipes' and weed out the ones with sugar.

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I still have flashbacks around the holidays to my grandma's orange jello with shredded carrots. No matter how many times she made it, I never did get used to it. – Happy Now Jan 24 2012 at 9:06
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I mix a tablespoon into my smoothies to thicken it like itty bitty teeny boba. Be a bit careful stirring it in so you don't get huge clumps, and give it about 90 seconds to plump up and thicken it.

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I add gelatin sometimes to soups or to yoghurt. It can also be added when making whipped cream.

Here is a Knox Gelatin recipe book from 1915. It is mostly dessert recipes, but there are molded vegetable salads, meat aspics, and such at the back of the book.

This link opens to the Salads and Savories chapter of that book.

This link opens to the page with a recipe for mayonnaise, using olive oil.

Here is a recipe, if one dares, for corned tongue in aspic.

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I put some in all my crockpot recipes, and also add some in when I make rice (although I usually use stock to make rice instead of water anyways so I suppose that's a little redundant).

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I put a tablespoon of the stuff in a cup and then pour hot tea or coffee on top of it, stirring as I do so. It dissolves better that way and there is less of that taste. I'm usually doing this with unsweetened chamomile or ginger tea.

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It's a super awesome handheld protein/fat snack!

Here's the two recipes I go back and forth between (one, obviously is purely protein, the other pro/fat).

Start with room temp fluid, 1 cup water or 1 can coconut milk. Add 1 oz (I have a gram scale, but I think this is 4 TBS) gelatin and let it bloom for a few minutes. It will soak up and fluff the liquid.

While waiting, heat to boiling 1 cup of water. Add to the gelatin and stir until it looks smooth/dissolved.

A. If you started with water, add 2oz lemon juice and optional ginger juice or extract, a few drops of stevia, and a few dashes of salt.

C. If you started with coconut milk, add a smeedge of stevia (or not! or honey!) and a pinch of salt.

TASTE in either case, then fridge it for 6 hours. Cut into blocks for finger jello! This sets up VERY firm.

The lemon/ginger one is basically 25g of protein and not much else. The coconut one is 85g fat, 32g pro, 11g carb. That's probably at least 2 servings.

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Using misstenacity's recipe for my basic instructions, I just made blocks with the second cup of liquid using 1/2 cup of white vinegar. I added stevia to taste, a bit of sea salt, a turn or two of coarse black pepper, and some cucumber shavings and a bit of cucumber juice. I'm a pickle nut and this is a great substitute and an excellent way to eat my gelatin.

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