Essential Ingredients Podcast

"Be mindful that what you put on your plate makes a difference. Change your plate to change your body to change your health." -Jennifer Marcks

Episode Description:

Globally, 250 million individuals suffer from food allergy, a hike of about 50 percent in the last decade. Gluten is found in almost everything we eat but sometimes, it can also cause allergic reactions to some. In this episode, Justine and Jennifer Marcks, CEO of Gluten Free Marcks The Spot talk about how gluten and other allergens adversely affect health and lifestyle. They discuss where to find gluten substitutes and how to make healthier versions of your favorite recipes without sacrificing the flavor. Jennifer also shares how she was able to create a gluten-free kitchen and recreate tasty and nutritious gluten-free meals. Tune in for more tips that positively impact your health and lifestyle!  

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Episode Highlights:

02:15 Going Gluten-Free

10:25 Impact Of Gluten-Free

16:03 Pre COVID & Post COVID Gluten-Free

19:28 Create & Learn New Things

25:47 Tips For A Better For You Food Entrepreneur

28:05 New Recipes To Try!

 "There's power in the collective. There's incredible change as a result of these little decisions. Tiny water drops create waves." -Florencia Ramirez 

Episode Description:

Lack of water is a global crisis. Billions of people experience a scarcity of clean fresh water. Without urgent intervention, a great fraction of our population will experience recurring water supply interruptions within the next few years. In this episode, Justine invites the author of Eat Less Water, Florencia Ramirez to discuss this pressing issue and how practicing regenerative agriculture can save a tremendous amount of water. But why agriculture? Because the agricultural sector accounts for one of the most water consumption. Learn the benefits of regenerative agriculture, the misconception around organic food, shopping tips to make sure you are buying bio dynamic products, and more! If water, which is a primary requirement for life, becomes more inadequate than it is now, we can only expect an unutterable disaster. So if you are a landowner, a farmer, or a consumer, you certainly play a huge part in this advocacy. Listen in and find out how we can give back to the soil as much as it gives to us! 

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Episode Highlights:

03:22 Shower Timers

07:05 Water Footprint12:21 Regenerative Agriculture

18:31 Eat Less Water

23:05 Organic Food Are Healthy Food

34:14 Recipe Guide

“Create a movement that's bigger than yourself. It starts by having a team that can create a place for people to come, to be drawn to, and then bringing them together to do something that is really powerful.”  - Daniel Kurzrock 

Could upcycling food be the most promising solution to reducing food waste? This week, we sit down with upcycling pioneer Daniel Kurzrock, CEO and Co-Founder of ReGrained. Daniel relates how his simple hobby of brewing beer turned into a greater purpose. As an organization, their goal is to bring together companies and people who are passionate about food-system level solutions. Daniel also talks about promoting the best use of ingredients, market failures, misconceptions about expiry dates, and collaboration.  If you are an entrepreneur, farmer, chef, or consumer wanting to be a part of this movement, this episode will surely resonate with you. Press the play button and listen to Daniel's advice on building an organization that unites with a single message and purpose.     

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Episode Highlights:

04:30 Brew Your Own Beer

09:11 Upcycling Ideas

14:32 Working With Chefs

21:10 Upcycling At Home

24:59 Upcycled Food Association

31:36 ReGrained

37:02 Creativity In Action

“The word waste itself implies blame and you have behaved in a certain way to create this waste, which is problematic.”  - Lisa Johnson

"As long as we're thinking about food as waste, we're not going to value it. The most important thing we can do around this issue is to think about the words that we use." -Adam Kaye

Episode Description:

This week, we are reframing the discussion around food waste. Tune in as Justine interviews Lisa Johnson and Adam Kaye about how they help solve the issue and how we can engage more deeply in this endeavor. Food waste is a major problem not only in agriculture but also to the environment and economic sector. Lisa and Adam discuss how the terms we use impact the way we manage food. Our guests also talk about how the stream of food loss is becoming more alarming and how to turn surplus foods into appetizing, sustainable, and marketable products. We are looking at a global food crisis, and we can do something about it. Tune in and you will never say the word "waste" again!

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Episode Highlights:

02:02 Meet Together

09:37 Spare Food

13:04 More Ways To Use More

18:30 Food Waste In US versus Other Countries

23:51 Food Waste vs. Food Loss

33:44 Food: What To Use

37:52 Cook What You Love 

“The biggest impact you can make is by your plates.” -Sonalie Figueiras 

Episode Description:

Are you looking for a new protein alternative? Why not make one yourself? Join us in another episode of the New Meat Focus Series, where you can enjoy meat that is good for you and good for the environment! Today, Justine and Yvette interview the Green Queen, Sonalie Figueiras. Sonalie teaches us how to solve a fast-approaching global food insecurity crisis through impact media, along with some techniques you need to know in product development, marketing, and packaging. She also shares the secrets of creating a product that your local consumers will love and patronize. Listen in and create a new spin in alternative protein!   

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Episode Highlights:

02:59 Impact Media

04:13 Alternative Protein Products

11:01 Foods Impacts All

13:38 Protein Movement In Asia

19:58 Price Sensitivity In Asia Versus US

25:49 Impact Of Alternative Proteins

30:45 Plant Based Food All Over The World

“When you teach kids about food, you teach them about life. You teach them that you can't rush growth. You can't go from seed to harvest without cultivation in the middle.”  - Stephen Ritz 

Today, we’re delighted to have a powerful conversation with Steve Ritz, an internationally acclaimed award-winning educator, best-selling author, and founder of Green Bronx Machine. Education has always been an excellent avenue for creating the transformation we want. But like any path, it has some obstacles of its own. What if we can solve some of these barriers through the power of food? Steve talks about the benefits of bringing vegetable cultivation as a part of the curriculum in terms of student performance, teacher satisfaction, and parent engagement. Amazingly, we're also speaking about reaping these advantages for a long time. He also narrates the inspiring experiences of kids who benefited from this project. Food is not only created to fill and satisfy an empty stomach. Listen as Steve talks about how the process itself of growing, cultivating, and nurturing it can also unlock the greatness in all of us and awaken the spirit of equality and unity. Truly, food is a language we all should start learning and using more often. Check out today's episode and be amazed at how food is changing schools one vegetable garden at a time.      

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Episode Highlights:

02:18 It All Started With A Dream

06:01 Food Justice Is Racial Justice

12:09 Unity In The Community

16:32 Scaling All Over The World

24:55 Farming Is The New Sexy

27:54 Growing A Greener World

32:46 Start In Order To Be Great

35:00 Sustainable Gangster

“We can be part of the answer. We don’t have the luxury of letting things run as they are. We need to start making changes in farming today.” - Xinyi Lim

Episode Description:

Is there a way to help local farmers earn more without placing a heavy burden on consumers? Yes, there is! And it's in the palm of your hands! Join Justine, Yvette, and Executive Director of Pinduoduo, XinYi Lim and discover how to harness the power of online platforms. As consumer awareness increases, the demand for healthy alternatives and organic produce is increasing rapidly. We're discussing the barriers to the agriculture industry, ways to solve oversupply, and how to bridge the gap between technical and traditional farming. Find out how to get started in the agriculture business and get your message out into the market in today's episode!   

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Episode Highlights:

02:49 Farm Food Through Your Phone

07:26 New Farmers & Entrepreneurs

12:18 Connecting With Farmers

18:06 US Farming vs China

22:53 COVID Impacts Farmers

29:06 Pinduoduo Platform

34:41 Bridging the Gap Between Technologist Traditionalist Farming

“Food needs a soul. This is where you live and live food.”  -Fabio Ziemssen

Episode Description:

The food industry is now shifting fast. Consumers are looking for healthy and better food alternatives. Can businesses cope up with the increasing demand? Today, Justine and Yvette introduce us to Fabio Ziemssen, a passionate advocate of sustainable food development. Fabio opens the door to the new food universe. Find out how you can create a sustainable story behind every food development and be equipped to face challenges in technology, resource allocation, and the food ecosystem. Fabio also shares their survey on the top 3 most important consumer concerns and business tips for product development, validation, marketing, partnership, and increasing demands. If you are looking for ways to bridge the gap between the operational field of food and your consumers or wanting to expand your market globally, jump right in because this episode is for you! 

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Episode Highlights:

02:14 The Digitalization of Food

06:47 The Consumer’s Dilemma

12:10 The New Food Universe 

16:14 Going Local to Global

20:19 The Use Case  

23:01 The Consumer’s Top 3 

26:19 Business Tips

32:00 Vertical Farming Solutions 

39:33 Get Access to the European Food Ecosystem

 “As a manufacturer, our very first responsibility is to keep our people safe.” - Nona Lim 

Episode Description:

Product development is tricky. Some entrepreneurs tend to choose between creating a product that captures the taste and something that promotes health. But that era of compromise is now behind us! Today, Justine interviews fencer turned foodie, Nona Lim about blending all of these factors and more! Let's look deep into the different aspects of creating CPG that tastes fantastic, is healthy, and unbelievably convenient, with a touch of Asian flavor added to it. Nona also shares with us the challenges and barriers around product development: from choosing the right ingredients to pricing architecture and marketability. Tune in, and together, we can elevate the future of food!  

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Episode Highlights:

02:02 Fencing To Food

10:18 Making Better-For-You Asian Food

15:27 COVID-19 And Businesses19:26 Challenges In Building New Business

22:17 Right & Clean Ingredients

25:30 Medicinal Bone Broth

34:39 Quick Meal Recipe

37:59 Stir Fry Kit

“Take a leap of faith and jump. The ground is not going to hit you on the way down.” - José Hernandez

Are you into keto diet and the likes? If you are cutting down on your carbs and sugar intake, you'll probably love today's specialty cookies. In this episode, Justine sits with José Hernandez, the co-founder of ChipMonk, a specialty baking business that creates low carb, better-for-you desserts. If you're planning to launch a start up or turn your side hustle into a full-time gig, you'll surely face some challenges along the way. In line with that, José shares 3 tips to help you successfully navigate the food industry. He also gives some advice on how to survive the fierce online market and the economic downturns resulting from this pandemic. Of course, this episode won't be complete without yummy and healthy recipes you can enjoy this quarantine period. Tune in and fall in love with these new dessert variations you can add to your diet list. 

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Episode Highlights:

01:52 The Birth Of ChipMonk

08:34 Keto Cookies

11:03 Trial & Error in Marketing & Social Media

13:11 Health Conscious: Sugar Issue In Food

18:43 Keto Cookie Ingredients

21:58 Tips To Start A Business

23:38 New Recipe In Keto Bites

28:36 Sugar Is Everywhere