Avocado sub for lecithin and Irish Moss?

[Seabie]

No one locally sells Irish Moss and I am trying to cut back on ordering. The shipping cost really start to add up. I've seen some recipes where avocado was sub for lecithin. Can I use an avacado in place of Irish Moss?

[rawviveyourself]

what type of recipe are you looking to sub in the avo for?

depending on the dish, you could always put a little (very little!!) psyllium if you are looking for bulk.

irish moss is a thickening agent and demulcent, which makes it excellent for the mucus membranes. avo is a high fat fruit, so different components and nutritional profiles entirely.

if you can purchase it in bulk (no pun intended), irish moss will keep well.

or, you can go to your local health food store and ask them to order it. you'll pay retail, but they aren't going to charge you shipping! i do this all the time and also get a % off from the store. plus they are often curious as to how i'm using it, and many times it shows up on the shelves later on.

[GlimR]

Psyllium will change the texture of what you are making. Irish moss is very smooth and fairly tasteless. Avocado would totally change the taste of the food and certainly the color...it adds creaminess but only thickens if you add a substantial amount. The lecithin and moss thickens in a way the others do not.

Maybe you can experiment by cutting the recipe down by half or more and see how it goes and if you like it.

I order mine from Living Tree community and it will keep for a very long time in the fridge. Best of luck.

[Crazy Healer Lady]

Is it possible to grow your own? Are the mosses available at plant stores the same species? We grew Irish & Scottish mosses for years, until we moved.

[GlimR]

The Irish moss used in cooking is actually a north atlantic seaweed and it's the salt and sand that helps preserve it when dried. The irish moss used as ground cover in gardens is a different kind of plant.

[Crazy Healer Lady]

Thanks, GlimR!

[GlimR]

No problem Lady~:)
Irish Moss is one of the things I splurge on...don't use it too often but when making a raw dessert or making a sauce or dressing really smooth and thickened it is great stuff...and has so many incredible health benefits~

[RawDancer]

GlimR How do you use Irish Moss? I bought a bag of it but I don't know how to prepare it...I read some instructions online but am still very confused:(

Thanks for the help

[lsadeseyens]

rawdancer,

You rinse and clean a handfull of moss (cleaning off sand and stones) and then I soak it from 4-24 hours rinsing several times during the process. The moss will turn a creamy white to translucent color and double in size. It is ready to blend with a little liquid until smooth and creamy. You can store the gel you blended in the fridge to use and will keep about 2 weeks in the fridge. When added to a pie recipe, it takes about an hour in the fridge to firm up.

Second source Soaking Instructions (long, but detailed)
Another book I have says that you can soak irish moss covered with water and it will last a week in the fridge. It says that after one week, the moss may look transparent and swollen and you may need to add 1/4 to 1/2 ounce more irish moss to your recipe. It says soak only the amount you think you wil use for one week. Unsoaked moss wil last in an airtight container in the fridge for months. This book says to rise small amount of irish moss to remove sand andother seaweeds or any plastic treads (leftover from harvesting) As you wash each piece, place into empty container. Whatever size container you use, do not fill more than three-quarters of the way. Once finished rinsing, fill with water. Shake container with lid on to release any more impurities that might be in the moss. Drain water and do again if necessary. Water from the previous rinse should look really clean. If so, fill container one more time and completely cover moss. Put lid on container and place in fridge for at least 24 hours. DON'T rinse irish moss after soaking period is complete and don't drain or replace soaking water.
Irish Moss Blending Instructions
Using scale, weigh amount of irish moss called for in the recipe. When measuring Irish moss, always double check the weight. Remove moss from scale, dry any excess water on scale top, and weigh IM again. The first measurement may contain up to 1/4 ounce of water and affect the recipe.
Coarsely chop IM and add to blender.
Add to blender specified amount of liquid required for initial blending phase.
Blend until mixture becomes smooth and jelly-like and no visible pieces of IM. Amount of time varies from blender to blender.
There will always be small pieces of IM on sides of blender. Stop blending and with a spatula scrape down sides of blender and under the lid. Resume blending until all IM is completely broken down. ( Actually, I find it easier to get a paper towel and just wipe the sides of the blender to clean moss off)
Stop blending and add remaining ingredients of recipe you are making~~coconut oil and lecithin (if used) always go in last.

Wheeewww........ I have used IM in recipes and it really firms up the pies or puddings.
If you have any questions, let me know.
Linda

[GlimR]

Linda's second source is what I do too. You have to very thoroughly wash it before soaking...constantly rinsing in clean fresh water to get rid of all the sand..there's a lot. Also..soak only as much as you think you'll need for a week, depending on what recipes you will make. I have a soaked batch ready now and am going to make it into a paste which is suppossed to keep for three weeks.



How to store Irish Moss:
Dry Irish Moss can stay up to a year in a cool dry place, as the salt will preserve it.
If you have soaked more Irish Moss than needed you may keep it in the fridge and change the water every few days and it will keep fresh up to 3 weeks. You may also blend the Moss with a little water until you get a thick creamy consistency; store it in a closed glass jar in the fridge for up to 3 weeks (it's nice to have some Irish Moss paste ready in you fridge for spontaneous recipes).

[RawDancer]

Thank you!!! The instructions make it very clear :)