None of these dehydrated veggies and fruits is that exciting but since I dehydrated them all this week at different times, I thought I would put them all into one post. If you follow my posts, you'll know that I am on the board of the local food bank. They get overages of fruits and vegetables at times and so when they have more than they can give out, they call me and I dehydrate them and give them out or use them.
This week, they had a large bag of celery sticks come 
in as well as some green peppers that were a bit soft to eat as well as a palate full of boxes of parsley that held two large bags each of ready to use parsley. I didn't have time this week to make the parsley into snacks so I had to just dehydrate it plain. I have made them into snacks using the "Kale Chip" recipe and actually eat them like potato chips.
in as well as some green peppers that were a bit soft to eat as well as a palate full of boxes of parsley that held two large bags each of ready to use parsley. I didn't have time this week to make the parsley into snacks so I had to just dehydrate it plain. I have made them into snacks using the "Kale Chip" recipe and actually eat them like potato chips.They also had a huge bin of watermelons. Waterme
lon isn't my favorite thing to dehydrate because it is very sticky when dry because of the natural sugars. I have tried large slices so this time I thought I would try small pieces. It really didn't make
any difference. If you use the fruit leather trays, it is easier so I would use those if you like dried watermelon. My children don't like it and would rather enjoy the watermelon fresh. Making really ripe watermelon into fruit leather works as well.
lon isn't my favorite thing to dehydrate because it is very sticky when dry because of the natural sugars. I have tried large slices so this time I thought I would try small pieces. It really didn't make
any difference. If you use the fruit leather trays, it is easier so I would use those if you like dried watermelon. My children don't like it and would rather enjoy the watermelon fresh. Making really ripe watermelon into fruit leather works as well. The celery, 
I just clipped off the ends to make them fresh again and chopped them up into small slices so that I could just throw a handful into my soups or on my roasts. They dry small and hard and the time it takes to dry depends on the dehydrator you use and what tray they are on, the closer it is to the element or fan, the quicker it will dry.
I just clipped off the ends to make them fresh again and chopped them up into small slices so that I could just throw a handful into my soups or on my roasts. They dry small and hard and the time it takes to dry depends on the dehydrator you use and what tray they are on, the closer it is to the element or fan, the quicker it will dry.I guess I forgot to take a picture of the peppers
cut up on the tray before I dehydrated them. I just chop them into little squares. They are great in omelet's, soups, or I put them in the coffee grinder and make a powder out of them and use it to add flavor to my rice sometimes. I used to dry them in long sticks but they become rubbery in large pieces as they don't rehydrate as quickly as the smaller chunks.
cut up on the tray before I dehydrated them. I just chop them into little squares. They are great in omelet's, soups, or I put them in the coffee grinder and make a powder out of them and use it to add flavor to my rice sometimes. I used to dry them in long sticks but they become rubbery in large pieces as they don't rehydrate as quickly as the smaller chunks. The parsle
y was great. I just pulled out a handful and plopped it onto the trays and because it is thin and doesn't have dressing etc on it, it drys over night or during the day. I crumble it up and put it in my rice cooker with spices which gives nice green specks of color to the rice. I also throw some into 
soups to add color as well. If you remember my omelet tray that I keep with dehydrated veggies in it so we can make a quick omelet anytime, I keep some parsley in that also and it really makes the omelet look pretty using the bright greens. Spinach is another we use often for that.
y was great. I just pulled out a handful and plopped it onto the trays and because it is thin and doesn't have dressing etc on it, it drys over night or during the day. I crumble it up and put it in my rice cooker with spices which gives nice green specks of color to the rice. I also throw some into 
soups to add color as well. If you remember my omelet tray that I keep with dehydrated veggies in it so we can make a quick omelet anytime, I keep some parsley in that also and it really makes the omelet look pretty using the bright greens. Spinach is another we use often for that. Having a dehydrator is nice when you have more than you can eat of something, you can dry it and then use it when you need it. I used to feel that if a dehydrator had a fan, it was OK, but I have found that I really like the one's that have a variation of heat and fan speeds. I like stacking trays better than slide in trays.
I alwa
ys try to "Pay it forward" when I receive a blessing. If someone gives me a box of apples, I dry some and send them back. I dried several bags of parsley for my friends at the food bank to use. How blessed am I to have the food bank in my life!? I am actually headed on a day trip today to a luncheon where the state food bank is awarding us some funding. It should be a fun trip. 
No comments:
Post a Comment