11
Veggie Chips
A delicious option with dehydrated vegetables is veggie chips. Veggie chips
have the great crunchy texture of chips, with all the nutritional benefits of
vegetables. Cucumber, eggplant, zucchini, or parsnips are ideal for chips.
There is no need to peel. Simply cut them into very thin slices (about
⅛
inch
thick). If the chips will need to be stored longer than five months, it is
necessary to steam them prior to drying for 3 to 4 minutes. Sprinkle them
lightly with salt or seasoning before drying as desired for extra flavor. Dry until
very brittle.
Vegetable Powders
Vegetable powders can be used to make juices, soups, chip dips, salad
dressings, and even baby foods. Simply puree the vegetables and dry them into
leathers. Dehydrate until very brittle, then immediately blend them into a
powder with an electric blender (The
NutriWare
™
Whole Foods Blender
™
is an
excellent tool for creating powders and for any other blending needs. For more
information visit our website at
www.mynutriware.com
).
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Important Note: All meat and fish, except beef jerky, must be cooked prior to
drying to ensure safety. Do not store dried meat, fish, or poultry longer than
two months.
Dried meats are perfect for camping and backpacking, to preserve game, or
even as a delicious everyday snack.
It is important to use only very lean meats and to cut away as much fat as
possible. Meat should be marinated before drying to add flavor and to
tenderize. The marinade should contain salt as well, since it will help to extract
water from the meat and to preserve it. However, no oil should be used. Most
marinades contain some sort of acid (like tomato sauce or vinegar) because the
acid breaks down fibers to help tenderize the meat.
Slicing meat while partially frozen will also make it easier, especially for very thin
slices. A food processor or specialized meat slicer can be very helpful, or simply
ask the butcher at your local store to slice it for you.
36
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Radishes
PREPARATION:
Wash, trim and cut into
¼
-inch slices.
PRETREATMENT:
Not necessary.
DEHYDRATE:
Dry at 100
º
approximately 15 hours, until crisp.
REHYDRATE:
Soak in cold water for 30 minutes, drain.
NOTE
•
Dried radishes add spiciness to cooked dishes.
•
Toss dried radishes into salads for spiciness and crunch.
•
Mix rehydrated radishes into cream cheese as a dip for crudités.
Rhubarb
PREPARATION:
Wash, trim and slice stalks into 1-inch pieces. Do not use the
leaves as they are poisonous.
PRETREATMENT:
Optional. To guarantee tenderness, steam-blanch rhubarb for
1 to 2 minutes; drain.
DEHYDRATE:
Dry at 100
º
approximately 12 hours, until crisp.
REHYDRATE:
Soak in cold water for 1 hour; drain. If using as a filling or sauce,
place in a saucepan, cover with hot water and simmer until just tender.
LEATHER:
Because rhubarb is very tart, it should be mixed with other sweet
fruit purees, such as strawberries or apples.
NOTE
•
Rhubarb has a tendency to lose color after drying, but also tends to
be less tart.
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