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Off the Grid/Homesteading Skills:  Dehydrating Food  |
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amarquardt
True Blue Farmgirl
61 Posts
Amy
Lindenhurst
Illinois
USA
61 Posts |
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countrymommy85
True Blue Farmgirl
898 Posts
Krystle
MT
USA
898 Posts |
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lindagwynn
True Blue Farmgirl
246 Posts
Linda
Deming
Wa.
USA
246 Posts |
 Posted - Feb 02 2012 : 9:13:31 PM
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Right now I am dehydrating the stocks of asparagus that I usually throw out. I read if you dry them and then grind them up you can use it to make asparagus soup. I love this soup so I enjoyed the tops for dinner and now I hope to enjoy the stalks for soup. As anyone else tried this?
With lots of hugs and smiles, have a great day. |
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naturemaiden
True Blue Farmgirl
2569 Posts
Connie - Farmgirl #673
Hoosick Falls
NY
USA
2569 Posts |
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prariehawk
True Blue Farmgirl
2914 Posts
Cindy
2914 Posts |
Posted - Feb 03 2012 : 6:16:07 PM
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I used my dehydrator today. I used some cottage cheese--I can't stand to eat the stuff when it's wet, but after a few hours in the dehydrator, it's pretty good. Mary Jane also recommends it to take along on hikes, camping, glamping, etc.
Cindy
"Vast floods can't quench love, no matter what love did/ Rivers can't drown love, no matter where love's hid"--Sinead O'Connor
"In many ways, you don't just live in the country, it lives inside you"--Ellen Eilers
Visit my blog at http://www.farmerinthebelle.blogspot.com/ |
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queenmushroom
True Blue Farmgirl
985 Posts
Lorena
Centerville
Me
USA
985 Posts |
Posted - Feb 04 2012 : 07:09:43 AM
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Would love to dehydrate fruits and veggies (we have an orchard too) but would have to do without an electric dehydrater or even a solar one. Anyone with experience with drying naturally??
Patience is worth a bushel of brains...from a chinese fortune cookie |
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CountryKim
True Blue Farmgirl
66 Posts
Kim
Pflugerville
Texas
66 Posts |
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lindagwynn
True Blue Farmgirl
246 Posts
Linda
Deming
Wa.
USA
246 Posts |
Posted - Feb 04 2012 : 09:14:47 AM
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Connie, how did your beef jerky turn out? Did you have your own recipe? Do you cook the meat first?
Thank you
Linda
With lots of hugs and smiles, have a great day. |
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naturemaiden
True Blue Farmgirl
2569 Posts
Connie - Farmgirl #673
Hoosick Falls
NY
USA
2569 Posts |
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lindagwynn
True Blue Farmgirl
246 Posts
Linda
Deming
Wa.
USA
246 Posts |
Posted - Feb 20 2012 : 8:04:19 PM
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thank you I shall try that recipe. I like your page, thanks for sharing.
With lots of hugs and smiles, have a great day. |
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Bayou Girl
True Blue Farmgirl
252 Posts
Jennifer
Star City
Arkansas
USA
252 Posts |
Posted - Feb 21 2012 : 07:45:13 AM
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I taught myself to can my veggies and make jelly and preserves a few summers ago (I'm still learning, by the way). I have never tried dehydrating. Are there any books you all would recommend for me to read? Also, how do I use dehydrated veggies and fruits in my cooking? I know it sounds silly, but I really don't know.
~Jennifer~
Farmgirl #3803
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KaleidoscopeEyes
Farmgirl in Training
20 Posts
Stephanie
Amesbury
MA
20 Posts |
Posted - Feb 21 2012 : 12:24:58 PM
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I love dehydrating foods! My favorite thing to make are kale chips. Wash kale and sprinkle with nutritional yeast (which you can find at most health food stores), and dehydrate for 1 hour at 135 degrees, lower to 115 and dehydrate for another hour. Yum!  |
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naturemaiden
True Blue Farmgirl
2569 Posts
Connie - Farmgirl #673
Hoosick Falls
NY
USA
2569 Posts |
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lindagwynn
True Blue Farmgirl
246 Posts
Linda
Deming
Wa.
USA
246 Posts |
Posted - Feb 21 2012 : 3:25:48 PM
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Drying Foods with Attitude is a great book and she has great recipes. I checked it out at the library and then bought it. It has a lot of information for beginners and then the other one I checked out was the Food Dehydrator Bible.
With lots of hugs and smiles, have a great day. |
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Canadian farmgirl
True Blue Farmgirl
482 Posts
Lori
Ontario
Canada
482 Posts |
Posted - Feb 29 2012 : 05:41:48 AM
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Connie, I just ordered the same dehydrator you got, the Nesco FD-80 square model. I also ordered the mesh screens and fruit leather sheets. I can't wait to get started! Hopefully the parcel comes before the weekend. We raise our own beef, so I can do lots of experimenting with jerky, with my freezer full of beef. We also make maple syrup, and the other day I was driving, thinking of ways I could make fruit leather with maple syrup and different fruits! It seems like every time I go into the store, I see more things I can make with the dehydrator: croutons, bagel chips, pita chips, etc. We get a ton of rhubarb in the spring, and now I have new ideas for using it. Even kitty will benefit, with her own supply of catnip I will do for her!
I currently have the Mary Bell books from my library, and they are great! I think I will buy my own copies. Another good book is "Dehydrating Food: a beginner's guide" by Jay & Shirley Bills. It has lots of charts and photos.
I have also been inspired to expand my garden this year, trying to tuck in a few more things here and there that I can use in the dehydrator.
Here's a recipe I want to try, from Vegetarian Times:
Rosemary Sweet Potato Chips
1 large sweet potato
2 Tbsp. olive oil
1 Tbsp. lemon juice
1 tsp. dried rosemary, crushed
1/2 tsp. sea salt
Cut sweet potatoes into paper-thin slices. Place slices in a bowl, and gently rub in oil and lemon juice until well coated. Add rosemary and salt, and toss to combine.
Lay slices on dehydrator trays without overlapping. Dehydrate 6 to 10 hours, or until crispy, shifting trays if necessary to dry chips evenly. Turn off dehydrator and cool chips completely. Store in airtight container for several weeks.
Instead of rosemary, you can substitute other dried spices such as garlic powder, onion powder, nutritional yeast, paprika or cayenne pepper.
Lori
Farmgirl Sister #183 |
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lindagwynn
True Blue Farmgirl
246 Posts
Linda
Deming
Wa.
USA
246 Posts |
Posted - Feb 29 2012 : 12:06:26 PM
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Stephanie I tried the kale chips and they were great. I shall try the rosemary sweet potato chips next Lori. Thank you for that recipe. I know what you mean when you say you see all the things you can dehydrate. I have been so busy dehydrating I haven't used anything but the onions for cooking yet. Most of the stuff says it will not last for that long so I feel I had better start cooking with it. How long has the stuff lasted for any of you ladies? Mostly I am referring to vegetables and spices. I am planning my herb garden now so that next fall I can have my own teas.
With lots of hugs and smiles, have a great day. |
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naturemaiden
True Blue Farmgirl
2569 Posts
Connie - Farmgirl #673
Hoosick Falls
NY
USA
2569 Posts |
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FieldsofThyme
Farmgirl Guide & Schoolmarm / Chapter Leader
4928 Posts
USA
4928 Posts |
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FieldsofThyme
Farmgirl Guide & Schoolmarm / Chapter Leader
4928 Posts
USA
4928 Posts |
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lindagwynn
True Blue Farmgirl
246 Posts
Linda
Deming
Wa.
USA
246 Posts |
Posted - Mar 14 2012 : 4:39:03 PM
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I made this granola recipe that I found on the internet and tweaked it a little and it turned out great. I had to make the second batch the next day.
First you soak 2 cups of walnuts for 8 hours(Soaking the walnuts first removes the enzyme inhibitors, making the easier to digest, and giving your body access to all the nutrition available in nuts.) Rinse and then drain.
Add to a bowl with:
1/2 cup shredded coconut (unsweetened if desired)
1/2 cup raisins
1/4 cup almond meal flour
1/2 cup sugarless applesauce
1 teaspoon Stevia Baking Blend ( or other sugar, liquid vanilla stevia, stevia)
In a separate bowl mix:
1/8 cup Chia Seed meal ( I grind mine in coffee bean grinder)
2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 sea salt
Combine the two bowls and dehydrate at 130 for 6- 10 hours or until dry and crunchy.
I hope you like this as much as my family does. Have a great day ladies.
Linda
With lots of hugs and smiles, have a great day.
Farmgirl#3864
Linda
www.gwynnsgifts.com |
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pennyhenny
True Blue Farmgirl
304 Posts
Missy
Dayton
OH
USA
304 Posts |
Posted - Mar 17 2012 : 4:15:03 PM
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Great tips and recipes. I have a dehydrator on my "must have" list.
hugs,
-missy-
Happiness held is the seed; Happiness shared is the flower.
John Harrigan |
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FieldsofThyme
Farmgirl Guide & Schoolmarm / Chapter Leader
4928 Posts
USA
4928 Posts |
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FieldsofThyme
Farmgirl Guide & Schoolmarm / Chapter Leader
4928 Posts
USA
4928 Posts |
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Mountain Girl
True Blue Farmgirl
806 Posts
JoAnn
Colville
Washington
USA
806 Posts |
Posted - Jul 29 2012 : 06:23:32 AM
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I just got done dehydrating meals for my husband's backpacking trip--spagetti sauce and shepherd's pie. His friend really raved about the Shepherd's Pie last year. The Mary Bell books are great. He newest is really interesting.
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SandraM
True Blue Farmgirl
295 Posts
Sandra
Coldwater
Michigan
USA
295 Posts |
Posted - Jul 30 2012 : 10:45:51 AM
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I have a homemade dehydrator (excalibur type)
I love that it has so much room for drying. We dry a LOT of apples.
I also have been doing Beef Jerky.
The girls like Fruit Leather.
I have two smaller ones that I got really cheap at garage sales.
They work fine, I just wanted one that does a larger quantity.
If I am doing a smaller batch of something I would use those still.
Sandra
www.mittenstatesheepandwool.com |
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Off the Grid/Homesteading Skills: Dehydrating Food |
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Dehydrating Food
