Dehydrating Frozen veggies and Fruits

[mom11]

Has anyone dehydrated frozen fruits and veggies. I bought a big Excaliber and now need to get it smoking! I read on Fluwikie where some had, but I am not having good luck with the new forum. I can buy 30lb. boxes of frozen fruits from the Mennonites...cherries, strawberries, peaches etc. I was hoping these would work. My chicks love those tiny, little frozen green beans they have at Aldi's also.

 

Thanks! Maybe this info is somewhere around here already!

Sorry for all the questions today...We are at the library and my chicks are actually being GOOD! It will be payback time, when we get home!!!!

[Mother]

I have dehydrated a lot of frozen fruits and vegetables over the years. What I found is the quality that you put into the dehydrator is exactly the quality you get back. If the product had been frozen for a long time and would be starting to taste a bit like the freezer, that taste would be intensified after drying but if the product is fresh, without a lot of ice crystals in the bag it will be fine.

 

I once had our freezer quit and had to dehydrate a lot of six month or a bit older produce and it all turned out fine. I've also dehydrated meats and even bread for bread crumbs in the same way.

 

There are other things you can use your dehydrator for also. Cookies, crackers, grain products and etc. I dry herbs and all sorts of medicinal plants. One of my dehydrators has temperature adjustments and I can use it for making yogurt and sour cream. There are lots of books on using dehydrators. Check them out and you'll be amazed at how versatile they are.

 

Good luck,

 

[mom11]

Thanks Mother!

 

Do you thaw the foods first or just let them thaw in the dehydrator? I have the 9 shelf Excaliber dehydrator with the timer. I've used it for a few things...fresh strawberries and apples. I want to get it cranking with lots more.

 

Do you dry at the recommended temperature for fresh produce, even if it is frozen?

[Mother]

I put the frozen foods directly into the dehydrator without thawing them and dry them at the reccomended temps. I often dry mixed frozen vegetables this way as they are all ready-cut to a convenient size. Then I use them in soups.

 

Something you might consider doing with your dehydrated foods is making instant products with them. I use powdered or ground dehydrated veggies, spices, herbs and tiny noodles or instant rice to make instant soups, like the cup-a-soup varieties. These are great in a BOB if you know you will have water handy. I also make up rice, noodle, or potato mixes for taking camping and find them so much better than any bought mix. You can use instant rice, dried fruit, sugar and spices to make a desert. Most of these things you can put into zip lock bags and just use the bags themselves to "cook" them in. I make my own instant oatmeal, granola bars, protein bars and etc with my dehydrated foods also. It's amazing what a person can do if you put your mind to it and you can almost always save money doing it yourself. Just look on the store shelves and see what's there then decide if you can make it yourself cheaper.

 

Happy drying

[GoatLady]

How do you make your protien bars??

[Mother]

I'm allergic to peanuts and also gluten so conventional protein bars are out of the question for me. I make mine with almond butter or other nut butters, protein powders and rolled instant oats along with honey and oil, fruit and nuts. You can use peanut butter if you like.

 

Here's one I like real well. It's actually a dried type of cookie.

 

4 or 5 apples, cored but not peeled,

3/4 cup oil,

3/4 cup honey more or less

1/4 cup protein powder (I use rice protein) or nut butter or both

(these amounts can be variable and still work well)

 

Blend them all together in a blender until smooth then pour the mixture into a large bowl.

 

Stir in a mixture of 3 cups oatmeal (more or less) ,and 1 or two cups of a mixture of dried fruits, nuts, and etc.

 

Let set for about an hour for the dry ingredients to absorb the liquid. You might have to add more oats if too moist but these will be sticky to handle.

 

Form into cookie shapes by hand or into bar shapes pressing them together firmly.

 

Place in a dehydrator or even just on waxed paper in a warm dry area.

 

Drying time varies depending on the size of the bar but take approximately 8 or 10 hours in the dehydrator or a day or more on the waxed paper. You want them dry enough to keep well but not crispy. These should be chewy.

 

I wrap these individually and store them in the freezer but I’ve had them in the Motor Home for months at a time in a cupboard without them spoiling.

[mom11]

Hi Mother!

 

Thanks for all the tips!

 

I am planning to make some instant oatmeal...I have found a few recipes, but there is one that I just bought from an Amish store, that my chicks love...It is called Cinnamon Pecan Sticky Bun. There is no list of ingredients on the bag...Would you have a recipe for something like this? They also sell a 7 grain hot cereal. NO ingredient list for this either. There is some small grain ball of something in it. It is a perfect, tiny ball, I have never seen this grain before.It also has oats, probably wheat germ, but...again...I have no clue what else. These kids will beg for this...Of course the scoop of ice cream I plunk in the center of each bowl doesn't hurt their appetites for this. Do you have a recipe for this? It isn't an especially quick cooking cereal.

 

Well, My bi-polar son is wrecking havoc, the other one just went after another brother. There are some problems that just shouldn't come in pairs!!!!!!! Mental illness is one of them! Thanks for your help!!!! Wood heat is my next stop...So I'll be back.....

[Mother]

I make my instant oatmeal by using quick oats. I grind about a cup of them and add them to four or five cups of non ground along with about a teaspoon of salt. I stir in whatever else I want like dried fruit cut in small pieces, nuts, brown sugar, cinnamon and etc. I almost always vary it each time I make it so we don't get bored but my favorite is made with dates and maple sugar. This stores well. I use a 3/4 cup mix to one cup of boiling water, stir and let it set a few minutes covered but you will have to experiment with the thickness you like.

 

The 7 grain cereal you are talking about probably comes balk from Bob's Red Mills or one of the other mills and it s repackaged for sale by the Amish. I don't have a recipe for it but I'm sure you can find one on the internet. The rounds grain you are talking about is most likely millet if it's golden colored. I use millet and millet flour quite often. It's quick oooking and has a fairly bland taste.

 

Wood heat is a good place to stop next. We've heated our home with wood for over 3o years. Lots of work, lots of savings.

[Cat]