Do you have a bunch of ripe fruit you don’t know what to do with? Frozen enough banana bread to feed the neighborhood for weeks? Kids are sick of smoothies? Dehydrating is a quick and easy way to preserve your overripe fruits, and the roll-ups will keep for a month on the shelf (I’ve read they will keep a whole year if wrapped well and frozen, although they’ve never lasted long enough for me to find out!).
The riper, the betterThis amount filled one tray
I have a nice dehydrator that I use, but fruit leather can also be dried in the oven. The process couldn’t be easier:
Blend your fruit(s)
Pour onto tray
Dry
Store
Blending The Fruit
Basically, any fruit can be used, either singly or in combination with other fruits. Spices may be added for variety, if desired. I prefer to use overripe bananas as my base, and add other fruit to that. The batch I made this week had several combinations: Banana/peach, banana/plum, banana/strawberry, banana/peanut butter, and one tray of just pureed grapes.
Bananas/strawberriesReady to pourA few small chunks are good
The riper the fruit, the better. I like to take my bananas and smoosh them up as I’m placing them into my blender. I then add whatever other fruit I’m using (cut up small), and pulse until everything is blended, with a fairly smooth consistency. Some small chunks are just fine and add a nice texture to the finished fruit leather. I used approximately 2 bananas and two pieces of the larger fruit (peaches, plums) per tray. With the strawberry/banana blend, I used about a cup of berries to every two bananas.
Pouring The Mixture
I have a couple silicone tray liners for my dehydrator that work very well, but they can get pricey. If you don’t have the liners, a layer of parchment paper cut to fit your tray will work perfectly. If using your oven, simply line a cookie sheet with parchment paper.
Pour the blended fruit onto your parchment or silicone and spread out thinly with a spatula. I find that once I get the fruit spread out where I want it, I just lightly tap the tray on the counter and it evens everything out nicely.
Don’t panic if it’s runnySpread out/ready to dry
Drying
To dehydrate in your oven, just use the lowest temperature, place the cookie sheet on the middle rack, and wait 6-8 hours. I usually set my dehydrator at around 135 degrees, and it takes about 8-12 hours. Your fruit leather is done when it is tacky, but not wet. When you touch the fruit leather, your finger should be a bit sticky, but there should be no visible fruit on it.
Peels easilyReady to roll!Ready to slice and eat.
Storage
Peel the finished fruit leather from your silicone/parchment liner, roll up tightly, and slice crosswise into little rounds. They store well in a Rubbermaid container or Ziploc bag.
While I enjoy a bottle of store-bought kefir once in a while, it truly pales in comparison to homemade, whole raw milk kefir. It’s a tangy, effervescent treat packed full of healthy probiotics, and flavor variations are limited only by your imagination.
The legend is that the prophet Mohammed gave the first kefir grains (not actual “grains;” they are colonies of beneficial yeast and bacteria) to the Orthodox Christian people of the Northern Caucasus Mountain region in Russia, with instructions on making kefir. The Caucasus people embraced their gift, considering it a life-giving elixir with many health benefits. For generations, the Northern Caucasus people were well-known for producing more than their fair share of centenarians.
For centuries, possession of these grains was kept strictly amongst the people of the Caucasus region. In 1908, using some underhanded tactics including a honey trap utilizing a company spy, the Blandov brothers obtained ten pounds of kefir grains and began producing kefir for Russian doctors to give to their patients.
By 1960, kefir had been introduced to the West and today almost everyone knows what it is.
Homemade Kefir Recipe(Helpful tips follow recipe)
Quart Mason Jar
Cheesecloth/clean towel and rubber band
1 Tbsp milk Kefir grains (Note: Water kefir grains will not work with this recipe)
4 cups whole milk (I use fresh, raw milk, but pasteurized milk works also)
Beginning the fermentReady to strain finished kefir
Place your kefir grains in a clean quart Mason jar, as well as any liquid they were packed in
Add 4 cups of milk
Cover mouth of jar with clean cloth and secure with rubber band
Place in a warm area for approximately 24 hours (top of the fridge is a good spot)
After around 24 hours, the kefir will be thick and creamy. Using a fine non-metallic strainer, pour your finished kefir into another clean jar. You will be left with your kefir grains in the strainer. At this point, you can simply drop them into another jar and add more milk for another batch, or you can add a small amount of milk and store them in the fridge for later use.
Second Fermentation
Some people like to simply put their kefir in the fridge at this point and use it after the first fermentation. I like to compare the taste to a thin, somewhat fizzy Greek yogurt drink.
However, if you wish to flavor your kefir, make it even more fizzy, and mellow out the tartness, this is the time to do it. You will need some bottles, preferably with a clamp-on lid as seen here:
Storing after second fermentation
Place whatever you wish to flavor your kefir with into the bottles. You can add a couple chopped up raisins, a finely minced strawberry or two, or whatever else you wish to use. Do not add a lot of fruit; the sugar causes further fermentation, and you don’t want an excessive amount of pressure in the bottles. Using a funnel, add your strained kefir to the bottles, leaving 1″ headspace, and clamp the lids down.
Leave your bottles out for approximately 6-12 hours, tasting frequently until the flavor has mellowed to your preference. The warmer it is, the faster the ferment. I like to start taste testing at about 6 hours and then every few hours after until it is how I like it. Conversely, you can also just put your second ferments straight into the fridge. It will continue to ferment but will just take longer.
Helpful Tips:
Kefir is an excellent and delicious substitute for buttermilk.
You can make a delightful and healthy Ranch dressing using kefir.
It takes several batches for your new grains to “mature” and reliably produce thick, creamy kefir. Don’t get discouraged if your first few batches aren’t perfect!
It is best not to switch milk types. If you start with whole, pasteurized milk, don’t suddenly switch to raw. I would introduce the new milk you wish to start using over a couple batches before making the change.
Everything that comes into contact with your kefir and grains should be non-metallic.
Kefir grains reproduce! You may get to a point where you have more than you need, or you may wish to just take a short break from making kefir. Simply rinse your grains well with unchlorinated water and place in a clean jar. Cover your grains with milk so they are completely submerged, put a lid on, and store in the fridge for up to a month. When you’re ready to make some more, simply rinse and drop into your milk.
If you don’t have room on your counter or if you work away from home for long hours and can’t be there to take care of your kefir as it ferments, you can actually make it in your refrigerator. Add grains to your milk as usual and place in the fridge. It will take a good bit longer to make your kefir, but it works.
A second ferment is completely optional, but it does add great depth of flavor and increases the effervescence of the kefir. You also receive the added benefits of the nutrients from the fruit, as kefir makes those nutrients much more bioavailable.
Making your own soft kefir cheese is so easy. Simply strain your kefir when it’s done, then leave it on the counter in a warm spot for another 12-24 hours. The kefir will separate into curds and whey (the whey is a great starter for lacto fermented foods, and a healthy boost for people, pets, and houseplants!). Placing a bowl underneath to catch the whey, line a colander with 2-3 layers of cheesecloth and pour the curds and whey through. Let the whey drip out for 5-6 hours, then gather the cheesecloth up, give it a firm twist, and hang it up over the bowl. Once the whey stops dripping, unwrap the cheese and add flavorings if desired. You can make a wonderful fruity spread or go savory with garlic and chives. Stores in fridge for a couple weeks.
I haven’t tried it yet, but apparently you can even make a hard cheese out of kefir using the technique above, but then placing weight on the cheese to express more whey. It makes a crumbly hard cheese that grates well.
I am so excited to finally have a place to make kefir again! It’s something that I love doing and experimenting with. If you have any questions about the kefir-making process or have some suggestions I haven’t mentioned here, I’d love to hear them!
Anyone who gardens knows that obtaining seed stock is currently a hit or miss undertaking. Shortages and shipping delays are disruptive and frustrating. What if you could peruse your late winter seed catalogs and enjoy the anticipation of working in your garden and not have to worry about when or even IF your seeds will arrive? Every vegetable you grow produces seeds–each of which can potentially produce an entire plant full of produce-and more seeds!-generation after generation.
The method I describe here will work for all melons as well as cucumbers. But be sure to start with heirloom (open-pollinated) seeds. If you use hybrid seeds, they will not reproduce true to the parent plant, and any yield realized will be puny and disappointing at best. Also, different types of plants have different procedures for seed harvesting. For example, saving lettuce seeds is quite different than saving tomato seeds. Seed-saving is not a one-size-fits-all proposition.
So you nurtured that beautiful cantaloupe from seed to sprout to flower to fruit and the reward is perfection: Sweet, aromatic, and juicy. Don’t throw those seeds in the compost pile or down the disposal! A few days’ effort will yield seeds for next year which will produce plants with a much better likelihood of passing on the positive genetic qualities that you so enjoy.
The Process
Almost too ripe. Perfect!
This morning, after a few days’ absence, I found two cantaloupes that were an odd yellowish color and were a bit soft. I assumed they were overripe, and hoped that I would be able to salvage at least some of the fruit for us to enjoy. I cut into them with great trepidation. They. Were. Amazing! As I was scooping out the seeds and pulp I decided I should save the seeds for next year. So I took the seeds, pulp and all, out of the strainer (no rinsing), placed them into a Mason jar, and added about 2 cups of warm water.
I needed to add more water to this-approx 2 cups
Now I just let them set on the counter and swirl the concoction once or twice a day. The pulp will begin to ferment and make bubbles. As it ferments, debris and non-viable seeds will float to the top and the viable ones will sink. The fermenting process is very important, as it works to kill off seed-borne diseases, so don’t skip it. Once the components have separated, I pour off the debris water. Then I add some more cold water, swirl, and pour off. I do this several times till I have just the viable seeds in the bottom of the jar. Then I put my seeds into a sieve and rinse very well. Spread out to dry in a single layer: You can use paper towels and sunshine, and it takes a couple of days. I like to dehydrate them at 115 degrees for several hours.
When they are dry and cool, put them into a clean, dry Mason jar. You can add a silica gel pack if you want. Put in a dark place and check it in 24 hours. If you see any moisture at all on the inside of the jar, re-dry your seeds and try again.
Once your seeds are 100% dry, put them into the freezer for about two weeks. Then they get placed in the fridge until you are ready to plant.
The Zesty Bohemian: Homesteading and Living an Authentic, Joyous Life 