NON-ELECTRIC DEHYDRATOR-Interesting

Just fooling around, viewing different dehydrators by different manufacturers for fun, just to reassure myself after all these years (8 or 9, I’d say) that my Excalibur  dehydrator was and continues to be the right choice, the onliest choice for me, I found this interesting gizmo.

If you don’t have electricity, or if you live in a warm, dry place, the FoodPANtrie [sic] might be right up your alley. (Me, I live in a city apartment – no place to dry outdoors, no space to deal with this indoors). I’ve seen instructions for “build-your-own” dehydrators before, but this one is very uniquely creative. In addition, you can read the instructions and find out some interesting things that people do to the food when they are dehydrating. Do check it out, if only to see what ingenuity can do.

Advertisement

WHAT TO DO WITH LOTS OF TOMATOES – my tomato shares are coming soon

If you haven’t seen what I did last year with my two (surprise) shares, please check out the post from 9/2/07:
https://prettysmartrawfoodideas.wordpress.com/2007/09/02/buried-in-tomatoes/

I’m readier this year. I actually paid for two shares this time, on purpose.

Here is my information, based on judicious research as well as my experience and final action last year.

HOW TO MAKE SUN DRIED TOMATOES FROM FRESH TOMATOES

SELECT TOMATOES

• The best tomatoes for dehydrating are Roma tomatoes (small oval-ish tomatoes). Romas are thicker, meatier, have fewer sides, and are less watery than other kinds of tomatoes.
• Avoid mushy, soft, bruised, and rotten tomatoes.

TO PREPARE FOR DEHYDRATING

• Remove any bruises or soft parts, as well as cores/stem parts (usually yellowish or greenish).
• Halve or quarter tomatoes lengthwise, or thickly slice horizontally.   (Although dehydrated tomato pieces normally shrink to 1/4 of the original size, keep in mind that, the larger the pieces, the longer it will take to finish dehydrating them.)

DEHYDRATING

• Place tomato slices evenly on dehydrator trays as close as possible without touching (remember that the end-product will be 1/4 the original size).  If desired, sprinkle with salt or herbs of choice.
• Set dehydrator for 140 degrees for 1 hr.
• After one hour, reduce temperature to 125 or 115 degrees (depending on which guru you believe — I do mine at 125 degrees)
• Dehydrate until done – regardless of the kind of dehydrator you use (I recommend the Excalibur — mine is a 5-tray model which lets me easily check the progress of whatever I am dehydrating, and is easy to and fast to load and unload), this will depend on where you are and what kind of humidity there is.
• When the tomatoes are properly dehydrated, they will be flexible, or leathery, like raisins.  They should be deep red in color, and not be tacky to the touch.
• Cool the dehydrated tomatoes to room temperature (20 or 30 mins.), then place in zipper bags, leaving some small space for expansion.  Squeeze out as much air as possible when closing the bags.  (A vacuum sealer is ideal, and will prevent spoilage and retain flavor best, but judicious squeezing out of the air will do.)  Make sure any storage containers are completely airtight, as dehydrated tomatoes readily absorb moisture, and can quickly become moldy.
• Store bagged dehydrated tomatoes in the freezer or in a cool, dry place.
• Frozen dehydrated tomatoes will last for  9 – 12 mos.
• Check packs of dehydrated tomatoes frequently for signs of moisture condensation for a week or so. At the first sign of moisture, put the tomatoes into the dehydrator and re-dry them

PACKING IN OILS
If you want dried tomatoes in oil, it is advisable to wait until just before you are ready to use them, and then refrigerate them only for a short time.
Place dried tomatoes in a jar with a good seal/top, leaving about 1 in. of space at the top, for expansion.  Pour in extra virgin olive oil to cover tomatoes and fill jar.  Check after 8 hours or so to see if you need to add more olive oil.

VARIATION:
If you wish to add herbs to oil-packed dried tomatoes, “layer” them in as you add the tomatoes, then add the oil.

MY TWO FAVORITE CRACKER RECIPES

SUNFLOWER SEED CRACKERS
based on a recipe in Living in the Raw, by Rose Lee Calabro

2 C sunflower seeds, soaked 6 hrs., rinsed, and drained
2 C flaxseed, finely ground
1 lg. onion
sea salt to taste
3 T Italian herbs (or 1 T each basil, oregano, and thyme
1 T chili powder (optional)
1 T garlic powder (optional)
1/2 – 1 C water

• With the Champion juicer fitted with the blank plate, process the sunflower seeds into a large bowl. (Alternatively, grind very fine in a food processor)
• Add remaining ingredients and mix well, to a medium thick dough. Add more water if you think you need it.
• Spread mixture 1/4 “ thick on a teflex sheet on a dehydrator tray. Keep hands wet to make spreading easier.
• Score the crackers with a spatula.
• Dehydrate at 105 degrees for 5 – 6 hrs.
• Remove each tray from the dehydrator. Place a dehydrator mesh screen over the crackers, place another tray over top of the screen, and flip the entire assembly. Remove the top dehydrator tray and peel off the teflex sheet.
• Replace the trays in the dehydrator and continue dehydrating for another 5 – 6 hours, until the crackers are completely dry.

CORN CHIPS
based on a recipe from Lillian Butler

1 C almonds, soaked, rinsed, drained
1 C flax seed, finely ground
3 C corn kernels
1 yellow bell pepper
Oregano to taste
Chili powder to taste
Salt to taste
Water as needed

• Process the almonds through a Champion juicer, with the blank plate, into a large bowl. (Alternatively, grind almonds fine in a food processor)
• Process corn and bell pepper in a food processor.
• Combine all ingredients in a large bowl. Add water, if necessary, to form a stiff dough.
• Spread mixture 1/4 “ thick on a teflex sheet on a dehydrator tray. Keep hands wet to make spreading easier.
• Score the crackers with a spatula.
• Dehydrate at 105 degrees for 5 – 6 hrs.
• Remove each tray from the dehydrator. Place a dehydrator mesh screen over the crackers, place another tray over top of the screen, and flip the entire assembly. Remove the top dehydrator tray and peel off the teflex sheet.
• Replace the trays in the dehydrator and continue dehydrating for another 5 – 6 hours, or until the crackers are completely dry.

MINIMAL KITCHEN: how I started

In the past two days, I have had two people tell me they couldn’t handle raw recipes because they could not either afford all the equipment, or find space for all the equipment.

I love excuses!!!! I have, of course, made them, myself!!!

When I started raw, way back when, I had no advice, and no role models. I had a knife, and I had a book about Zen cooking that told me how to hold the knife to cut things into incredibly small pieces. As I was in graduate school at the time, I spent most of my non-study/non-working/non-sleeping time cutting things into incredibly small pieces.

Then I heard about the Cuisinart . Back then, in the early 1970s, a Cuisinart cost what it costs now. (to help you understand this: my rent , for a studio apartment was $60, and a Cuisinart cost approximately $150). Of course, I couldn’t afford such an expenditure. I continued with my knife.

I discovered another food processor, which cost only $100, and I got that, after months of saving (I still remember proudly carrying home the 25-lb box in my arms). That food processor opened up a world of food (all described in Live Foods, by George and Doris Fathman)

When I left the country, I gave my food processor to my mom and went back to my knife. When I came back to America, in 1978, I bought a blender. I still had my knife.

Fast forward to 1998. I found a reasonably priced food processor for for about $30.00. My world changed. My knife got a rest.

In 1999, my mother gave me a cookbook, Living in the Raw, by Rose Calabro , which mentioned the Champion Juicer. I wrote to Ms. Calabro and asked her if I could “fake” the “pate” effect of a Champion with a food processor, and she kindly wrote back and told me that I could get by with the food processor, but that I would get a much better effect with the Champion. (I began to crave a Champion)

In 2000, I finally bought my Vita-Mix (I say “finally” because I first saw a VitaMix at a Virginia State Fair, when I was 12, and I fell in love. (I begged my mom to buy one, but she wouldn’t). In 2000, I went to a New Age Expo, and saw a Vita Mix demo (not much different from the one I’d seen when I was 12, and I decided then and there that rend and food were not as important as owning a VitaMix, and so I have a VitaMix..((I will say that, while my VitaMix is my dream machine, I use my food processor much much more…. so, if you had to make a choice, if you got a good food processor, and a good blender, you could manage quite well– not to say I regret for a moment owning my VitaMix!!!!)

In addition to the Champion, Calabro mentioned a dehydrator. Living in a raw food vacuum, I had never heard of such a thing. After researching, I decided that I should get an Excalibur, as recommended by Calabro.

I finally got my Champion juicer in the beginning of this year.

Long story short:

I started with a solid stainless steel Chinese chopping knife

I got a blender.

I got a food processor.

I got a dehydrator.

I got a Champion juicer.

Now, I want a small coffee mill, to be able to finely grind up nuts, seeds, and herbs.