Using mostly freeze dried ingredients, this is an easy dish to prepare for the pantry, ready when you need to pull a great meal together in less than half an hour. Meal in a Jar! Imagine that. LOL *when my kids were little, one of our favourite story books to read was STONE SOUP. A hungry traveler convinced uncharitable villagers that he could make Soup from a Stone. Curious villagers contributed assorted ingredients, shaking their heads and musing “Soup from a Stone! Imagine that.” Well it wasn’t that long ago that the idea of a shelf stable Meal in a Jar was just as novel and just as curious to me. Now its a way of life, and I always have several on hand in the pantry – for times that a quick hearty meal will make the day go better, or when I want to send a meal out to someone who could use a lift.
Servings: 6 Time: 15 mins Layer ingredients into quart sealer in this order:
1 quart of home canned tomatoes or 1 796 ml can of tomatoes (your choice of type) 4 cups water
Directions:
if preparing a Meal in a Jar (MIJ), layer all ingredients in the jar. I like to arrange very neatly so that it looks nice. End with the corn – and put as much corn as you can to fill the jar.
Put the lid on and label with name, date and brief instructions.
Store in pantry for up to a year. It’s okay if you pass a year, but shoot to use it within a year. This is no longer long term ‘food storage’, it is intended for the convenience of a kitchen pantry. For up to 5 year storage, insert an oxygen absorber and vacuum seal.
Dump contents of jar into a pot and refill the quart jar with water to add. Stir to combine thoroughly and dissolve spices. Add quart of tomatoes.
Turn heat to high and bring to a boil. Stir and reduce heat to gently simmer approximately 20-25 minutes until beans are tender. Remove from heat and let sit 5 minutes.
if you prefer to have chili soup, just add another 2 cups of water.
If preparing meal straight in the pot (without a jar), just put all dry ingredients in the pot, add water and canned tomatoes and follow directions above.
Serve with dollop of sour cream on top and corn chips. Or cornbread (see recipe for cornbread mix).
When I try a new recipe, I make the recipe once into the pot, and again into the jar. That way I can check the measurements that fit into the jar, and sample the soup to know how much I’d like to store. After we finish dinner, I know if I’d like to make a few more. I’ll make up to four jars to store of a recipe that we enjoy, to keep on hand in my pantry or to share.
using mostly dried ingredients, this is an easy dish to prepare straight from the pantry
Servings: 6 Time: 20 mins Ingredients:
1 + 1/2 cups freeze dried chopped or diced Chicken hydrated in water to cover (I use the bouillon here) 1-2 Tbsp Olive Oil 1-2 cloves minced or 1 Tbsp freeze dried garlic 1/4 cup freeze dried Sliced Onions 1/4 cup freeze dried Diced Green Chilies 1/2 cup freeze dried Green Peas 1/2 cup freeze dried Green Bell Peppers 1/2 cup freeze dried Red Bell Peppers 1 tsp Garam Masala 1Tbsp Yellow Curry Powder 1 Tbsp Chicken Bouillon 1 tsp Black Pepper 1 Tbsp Turmeric 1 Tbsp Cumin 1 Tbsp Paprika pinch of Cayenne 2 Tbsp Brown Sugar 3 Tbsp Tomato Powder 2 cans Coconut Milk 1/2 – 1 cup freeze dried Zucchini, Green Beans, or your choice of other vegetable
Directions
Pre-cook your favourite type of rice.
While your rice is cooking, place freeze dried chicken in a bowl covered with water and 1 Tbsp bouillon. Set aside to refresh 10-20 minutes.
Heat a large skillet with sides, to medium-high heat. Add the olive oil heat. Saute garlic, onions and chili peppers in the oil. Add the chicken (with water used to refresh), and saute until the chicken is tender and warm.
Add all of the seasonings and stir to mix well, continuing to simmer.
Add the coconut milk, tomato powder and brown sugar and stir well to completely dissolve tomato powder and brown sugar.
Add the peas and zucchini and any other freeze vegetable you want to use. Don’t be afraid to add a little more water if needed.
Simmer till warmed through, then remove from heat and let sit for 5 minutes Serve over hot rice.
for Meal in a Jar: 1. layer in dry seasoning – one at a time; I like to put the smaller amounts against the glass so that they show better. Top seasoning with the tomato powder, unless you’re using tomato paste later. 2. 1/4 cup each of freeze dried Sliced Onions, and freeze dried Diced Green Chilies, 1/2 cup each of freeze dried Green Peas, freeze dried Green Bell Peppers, freeze dried Red Bell Peppers 3. 1+1/2 cup freeze dried chopped or diced chicken 4. Top the jar up with 1/2 cup of your choice of Zucchini or Green Beans, or your choice of another vegetable. Add as much as you can till jar is full. 5. Put the lid on, label and date, put it away in your pantry to use within a year. Store away from light. For best results, don’t push the shelf life passed a year. 6. To prepare – cook your rice ahead; pour jar ingredients into a fairly large skillet and add 2 cups water. Stir to combine well, while bringing to a boil. Reduce heat to medium, add coconut milk, stir well to combine. Lightly simmer till chicken is tender, then remove from heat. Let sit covered for 5 minutes and serve over top rice.
Pro Tips: – if you don’t have tomato powder, use tomato paste (not in the jar – at the time of cooking) – if you don’t have all those spices (other than curry), not to worry; just use what you’ve got. CURRY however is important. If you don’t have curry – don’t make the dish. – to simplify the preparation I spoon the spices into a small (1/4 pint) jar, arranged beautifully. I save this seasoning mixture in my spice cupboard to add all together when preparing similar dishes later.
dry mixes, sauces, salsas, mayo, dips and dressings
First of all, let me state for the record that I am a die-hard, back-to-basics kind of a cook in my own kitchen. I prefer everything homemade, and I’m not opposed to spending a lot of time on the creation of certain meals. I am not a fan of prepared meals or processed food, and normally I avoid ‘mixes’, at least commercial mixes. But I am also not willing to spend inordinate amounts of time or inconvenience if there is a homemade alternative that promises to shorten my kitchen time without compromising nutrition. Enter in all sorts of mixes, dressings and sauces to make my life easier.
Let me share some of my favourites that I think you’ll enjoy. Each recipe closes with my suggestions on: how to use it in a dish, how to store it, and how to use it up (when you have leftovers that you’re trying to use up). I hate wasting things.
I’m all about using FRESH foods in season, but will use preserved foods as long as nutritional value isn’t compromised. For this reason, I often use FREEZE DRIED options when I can. This serves 3 purposes:
a) I ALWAYS have it on hand, it being shelf stable in sealed CANS (not mylar bags or pouches) having a shelf life of 25 years. Once opened the shelf life is generally up to a year. With proper rotation, I can always count on it.
b) Freeze dried produce is highly nutritious and I found a company who’s standards are so close to my own, it was a natural fit. Thrive Life has a 40+ step process of ensuring the highest quality, and only after completing those 40 steps, do they put their iconic NUTRILOCK symbol on that item. They call that the NUTRILOCK guarantee. You’ll do well to remember this term.
c) Freeze Dried food is exceptionally easy to handle, easy to refresh and delicious. I often refer to it as FRESHER than FRESH because it is picked ripe and flash frozen within 2-4 hours of harvest.
DRY MIXES
Easy to make up and easy to store in your panty – for convenience. I keep the date I package it + instructions for recipe on the back.
Sauces add character and interest to almost anything we’re eating. And the sky’s the limit with the variety! Here are some of my favourites: enchilada, teriyaki, hoisin, sweet & sour, ketchup (x2), plum, peanut, salsas, chutney, pesto to see recipes for Homemade Sauces click HERE
FRESH MAYO and Salad Dressings
FRESH MAYO Not only is fresh mayo a great alternative if you run out of the more ‘shelf stable’ mayonnaise from the store, but it can be a game changer in terms of flavour and texture. And its so easy to whip up (in 5 minutes) you may wonder why were so dependent on the store bought version all your life. You can expect it to last about two weeks in the fridge.
In its basic form, mayonnaise is an “emulsification” oil into other ingredients, but it helps to understand the process. Emulsification happens when two substances that don’t want to mix are forced to mix. In the case of mayo, oil is emulsified into a mixture of lemon juice or vinegar, mustard, egg, and salt by whisking it in drop-by-drop at the very beginning—and vigorously. The droplets of oil become tiny enough, and evenly suspended in the liquid creating a creamy, almost fluffy texture.
There is much opportunity for slight flavour variations in mayonnaise. 1) ACID – You choose the type of acid you want: lemon/lime juice or whatever vinegar you prefer (white, apple cider, herb infused vinegars . . . ). You will get different flavoured mayo in the end. It doesn’t take much acid, so you can be brave and experiment with different kinds to find different flavours. Perhaps in the beginning while you’re still getting the ‘hang of it’, stick to a plain white vinegar or lemon juice, and then go from there.
2) OIL is what make mayonnaise – MAYONNAISE, but you get to choose what kind. For a neutral flavoured mayo use neutral flavoured oils like canola or vegetable. For a richer, more flavoured mayo, use olive oil. Or use another oil if you have a favourite, or use a combination.
3) SEASONING is not necessary but nice. Use it or not. I like pepper, but if you want a pure white mayo then use white pepper. You can also use dried chiles, ginger, paprika, garlic, chives, a dash of sesame oil, . . . no end to the possibilities. For a standard all purpose mayonnaise, I just use pepper, but a little more than you might. If you use a lot of mashed garlic, your mayo becomes something wonderful called AIOLI.
recipe: 1 large egg 1 T lemon juice or vinegar (your choice – remember) 1/2 t dry mustard 1/4 t salt 1/8 t pepper 1 cups oil Combine the first five ingredients in a blender, turn on high and begin adding oil SLOWLY in a steady steam, turning off blender to scrape down sides once or twice if necessary during the process. If you pour the oil in too quickly, the mayo will separate. Stop blending as soon as mixture is fully emulsified and thick. Makes just over 1 cup mayonnaise. Store in refrigerator. Personally, if I’m going to go to the trouble, of washing my blender, I’m going to double this recipe and end up with about 2 1/2 cups mayo, especially if I know I see dishes like potato salad, tuna sandwiches, or toasted pesto mayo tomato sandwiches in my immediate future. Store – You can expect it to last about 2 weeks in the fridge so plan accordingly. link to recipe
substitute 2 Tablespoons Thrive Scrambled Egg Mix (just freeze dried eggs) and 3 Tablespoons water for one egg. Add everything else exactly the same way as for above.
Short cut if you have an immersion blender. Use a pint jar, put the immersion blender in the mayo jar right to the bottom. Start the motor and as it is blending, ever so slowly, raise the blender upward. This has the same effect as drizzling the oil into the regular blender slowly. If you start the blender anywhere other than at the bottom, you run the risk of having your mayo separate on you. If you raise it too fast – same thing.
You’ll be able to see the mayo form beautifully as you raise the hand blender to the top. Cover the jar and refrigerate. A lot easier clean up too.
HOMEMADE SALAD DRESSINGS
Yes there’s something to be said about the convenience of store bought salad dressings, but really – try buying a few different vinegars instead and make your own. It is SO easy to make your own salad dressings at home – you’ll wonder why you ever thought you needed to buy them. The benefits are taste, and control over all the ingredients – simple, whole food. That’s what its about. Nothing you can’t pronounce. Make them as you go and then they’re always fresh. 🙂
ASIAN SALAD DRESSING 1/4 cup soy sauce 3 T sesame oil 2 T honey 3 T rice vinegar 2 t freshly grated ginger root 2 cloves garlic minced 1-2 T lime juice sprinkle sesame seeds over top the salad can Store in fridge for a week
SESAME GINGER SALAD DRESSING 3 cloves garlic minced 1 3inch piece of fresh ginger root (peeled and grated) 1/4 cup mayonnaise 1/3 cup rice vinegar 1/4 cup sesame oil salt and pepper Toss dressing into salad. Top with toasted pumpkin seeds and sesame seeds. can Store in fridge for a week Salad: 1/2 small cabbage finely sliced or chopped about half as much fresh kale finely chopped 4-6 small Persian cucumbers coarsely chopped or 1 large English cucumber 1 or 2 peppers (your choice of colour) coarsely chopped
TACO SALAD DRESSING 1 cup sour cream 1/2 cup mayo 1 cup tomato salsa 1/2 t chili powder Stir with a spoon and chill till ready to serve on top of Taco Salad. can Store in fridge for a week Salad: romaine lettuce – large chunks of tomatoes and cucumbers – black beans – taco flavoured ground beef – shredded cheddar – tortilla chips
variation to use in a fajita rice bowl: I use the sour cream and mayo to make a nice light white dressing that cools the hot chili spice. I add the salsa on top of it for extra flavour, colour and zip. In this picture, I have drizzled a little candied jalapenos (Cowboy Candy) over top.
RED RASPBERRY POPPYSEED DRESSING 1/2 cup raspberry vinegar 2 T sugar 1 t salt 1 t dry mustard 1/4 cup water 1/2 onion finely chopped (I use 1/4 cup Thrive freeze dried chopped onions) 2 T honey Blend all ingredients EXCEPT RASPBERRIES AND POPPY SEEDS in blender. Pour into serving container. Add 1 cup fresh raspberries (I used 1 cup Thrive freeze dried raspberries) 1 t poppy seeds. Gently stir to blend berries and seeds throughout and serve. can Store in fridge for a week.
Homemade BALSAMIC VINAIGRETTE (I love the powerful taste of dark balsamic vinegar – it stands alone) 1/2 cup olive oil 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar juice of one lemon (2-3 Tablespoons) 2 cloves of garlic minced 1 T honey salt and pepper Put all ingredients except salt and pepper into a pint mason jar with a lid. Shake well till honey dissolves. Taste, then decide if you want to put in about 1/4 t salt and 1/4 t pepper. Shake again. Taste again. This makes about a cup, but will Store in the fridge for a week or two so make a bigger batch if you want. Just shake it up when you want to use it again.
Substitute the olive oil for TAHINI to make it creamy and rich. Add 2-3 Tablespoons of water if it’s too thick.
Tahini is ground toasted sesame seeds similar in texture to peanut butter, in fact, it is sometimes used as a substitute for peanut butter. Rich is protein and trace minerals it is a healthy addition to add to your salad dressings.
CURRY TAHINI DRESSING 1/2 cup tahini 1/4 cup olive oil Juice of 2 lemons (about 1/3 cup) 1/4 cup water 1 T honey 2 cloves garlic minced 1-2 teaspoons curry powder (start with lesser amount then taste test before adding more) 1/4 – 1/2 teaspoon ginger (start with lesser amount then taste test before adding more)
Whisk in pint bottle till honey is dissolved.
RHUBARB SALAD DRESSING 1 cup apple cider vinegar 1/3 cup honey 1 cup vegetable oil – your favourite 1/2 cup finely chopped fresh garlic chives – or regular fresh chives if you don’t have them 1 cup finely chopped rhubarb Whisk the vinegar, honey and oil together to totally dissolve the honey. Add chives and garlic and mix well. Set aside for at least an hour to combine flavours. Stir as you serve to keep garlic and chives incorporated throughout. can Store in fridge for a week
BUTTERMILK RANCH DRESSING 1 cup buttermilk* 2/3 cup mayo 2/3 cup sour cream 1 clove garlic minced 1 T minced onion or Thrive freeze dried chopped onion 1 T chopped fresh chives 1 T fresh or frozen dill greens 1 T chopped fresh parsley or half that dried parsley crumbled 1/2 t each: salt and pepper Mix all ingredients and let sit 30 minutes before serving. Reduce buttermilk to 2/3 cup to make ranch dip. Store in the fridge for up to a week.
*making buttermilk from Thrive Instant milk powder is easy. 1/4 cup Thrive Instant milk powder 3 Tablespoons of vinegar or lemon juice 1 cup water Mix well and let stand for 5 minutes. Use in a recipe as you would buttermilk.
AVOCADO LIME DRESSING 1 avocado 1/2 cup sour cream (I use Thrive sour cream powder) 2 T mayo 2 T lime juice or 1 T limeade powder 1/2 t salt 1/2 cup water Add everything to the blender Dressing perfect for salad or for Chili Lime Chicken Tacos can Store in fridge for a week
CILANTRO LIME DRESSING 1 cup cilantro 1/2 cup plain yogurt 1 clove garlic minced 1 T apple cider vinegar 1/4 cup olive oil 1/3 cup mayo 1/4 t salt 1 T Thrive freeze dried chopped onions OR 1/2 teaspoon onion powder juice of 1 lime Puree in blender. Chill till ready to serve. can Store in fridge for a week
LIME VINAIGRETTE 1/2 cup cilantro 3 T olive oil 2 T apple cider vinegar juice of 1 large lime 1/2 t each: salt, cumin, chili powder, black pepper 1 lg clove garlic 1 T tomato powder Puree in blender till smooth. Chill till ready to serve. can Store in fridge for a week
Savoury Sauces, Salsas, Dips and Spreads
SWEET AND SOUR SAUCE Sweet and sour sauce is a exactly what its name suggests: sweet AND sour. Many people use a splash of red food colouring to give it it’s signature red colour. Don’t do that! Use my secret ingredient to get a full bodied flavour, and an all natural, gorgeous red colour.
I grew up on sweet and sour meatballs or short ribs – complete with food colouring. It was the way of things in those day. You could go out and buy a bottle if you crave that food colouring, but it’s SO easy to whip up your own. It tastes better. is free of all those nasty “unpronounce-ables”, and it’s cheap. Great to use as a Dipping sauce for ribs, egg rolls, and dumplings. Great to serve your meatballs in, or to even add to your pulled pork dish. Great to use in your stir fried vegetables and chicken over rice. Great to use as a glaze when grilling chicken pieces, hamburgers or porkchops. Great to even use as a pizza sauce for an Asian twist. Be creative.
In small saucepan, dissolve 1/2 cup brown sugar in 1 cup pineapple juice Bring to a boil, then reduce heat. Create a cornstarch slurry with 1 1/2 Tablespoon cornstarch and 2 Tablespoons water. Pour into the pineapple juice and stir while it simmers and begins to thicken. Add 3 Tablespoons of *TOMATO POWDER* and continue stirring to completely dissolve. Add 2 Tablespoons soy sauce and 1/2 cup rice vinegar, continuing to stir. When its the perfect consistency, turn the heat off and serve!
Pour into a pint jar and allow to cool. Makes almost 2 cups. STORE in fridge for 2-4 weeks.
TZATZIKI Tzatziki is a creamy cucumber yogurt dip made from simple ingredients including thick yogurt, cucumbers, garlic and fresh herbs. It is primarily used as a dip or a topping. Traditionally of course, fresh cucumbers are used, but I most often use freeze dried cucumber dices. Makes it so much easier! If you’re using fresh cucumber it needs to be grated and strained before you start making the tzatziki so get to that right away. * 1 medium cucumber finely shredded, tossed in 1/2 t salt. Set in colander to drain about 30 minutes. Squeeze excess moisture out as much as you can. Set aside. I skip this step entirely because I generally use Thrive Life freeze dried diced Cucumbers. So much easier. Start with 1/2 cup and add more as desired one T at a time so you don’t add too much.
1 1/2 cup Greek yogurt (or another nice thick plain yogurt) 1 T lemon juice or 1/2 t Thrive lemonade powder 2-4 T fresh dill chopped (I freeze fresh chopped dill in the summer and use all winter long) 1-2 cloves garlic minced 1/4 teaspoon black pepper 2 T olive oil – divided. Mix one tablespoon oil into the tzatziki and drizzle the other on top in the bowl at presentation. * if you’re using freeze dried cucumbers, add 1/4 teaspoon salt
Mix everything except cucumbers. Add at the end and gently toss cucumbers in. Set in the fridge for an hour or so to blend flavours. Can Store in the fridge for several days; if you’re using freeze dried cucumbers, it will keep a good week. * the only time I use fresh cucumbers is when I picked them fresh from my garden minutes beforehand. Otherwise, I use freeze dried.
CHEESY BUFFALO CHICKEN DIP I could never figure out what made hot chicken wings “buffalo chicken wings”. Didn’t make any sense. I kept thinking there’s gotta be a good reason, but in the end, it’s stupidly simple. The hot sauce gets its name from it’s origin: the Anchor Bar in, you guessed it – Buffalo, New York. So why don’t they call it Anchor Sauce? Who knows? 2 cups shredded cooked chicken (I use Freeze Dried chopped chicken refreshed) 3/4 cup of your favourite hot sauce 2 – 8 oz packages of cream cheese, cubed 1 cup ranch dressing (I use 1 cup Thrive Life Sour Cream powder with 1/2 cup water) 1 1/2 cup shredded cheddar (I use the same amount of Freeze Dried Cheddar refreshed)
Skillet method: In large skillet over medium heat, pour hot sauce and add chicken. Stir to coat evenly and heat through. Add cream cheese cubes and ranch dressing. Cook to melt cheese, stirring occasionally. Lower heat and cook till hot and bubbly. Slow cooker method: Add all the ingredients into slow cooker set on medium. Stir occasionally to keep from scorching until all is blended, cheese is melted and sauce is hot and bubbly – aprox 45 minutes. Serve with a loaf of crusty sour dough bread or fresh vegetable wedges. Can Store in fridge for a week.
SPINACH DIP Personally, I choose NOT to add any seasoning to this dip because I don’t want it to over power the subtle taste of spinach (which I love). But you do you. If you have a favourite seasoning, then go ahead and use it. 2 – 8 oz packages of cream cheese 1 cup sour cream (I use 1 cup Thrive Life sour cream powder + 1/3 cup water) 1 cup mayonnaise optional – 1/2 cup freeze dried chopped onions (you won’t see the onions but you’ll get their wonderful taste) OR 2-4 chopped green onions lots of Spinach slight steamed and wilted, then chopped and strained (make sure you get all the liquid out of it). I used Freeze Dried Spinach straight from the can. A LOT easier and more nutritious than store bought spinach.
Blend the cream cheese with hand mixer till smooth and creamy. Add sour cream continuing to blend till completely mixed. Add mayonnaise, mixing the whole time till completely combined and smooth. I add spinach a cup at a time, mixing with a spoon. The steamed chopped spinach will be wet of course, the freeze dried spinach (my preference by far) will be dry. I add as much spinach as I can, judging by texture, colour and personal preference. I don’t want it to get too dry, but if I’ve added too much FD spinach, I simply add a little water to moisten. Can Store in fridge for a week.
PESTOS
PESTO I am a huge fan of PESTO – in fact, many PESTOS. I grow a lotta Basil for the sake of Pesto, but don’t limit yourself to just basil. You can use many different green herbs, or a combination of some of them. A whole new world of pesto awaits. I have a few different Pesto recipes elsewhere on this site, so instead of pasting them all here – I’m including the links. basil pesto oregano pesto nasturtium pesto radish green pesto I hope you’ll go check them out, and even make up a batch or two in the summer when all is fresh and green.
SOMETHING SWEET
CONDENSED MILK or EVAPORATED MILK This is the milk my mother’s generation prepared baby formula out of. My mom and all my aunts diluted it with boiled water and put it into baby bottles. It was the opinion of the time that enlightened western women did not need to breast feed anymore, as it was “quite inconvenient” and cows milk was just as good, in fact some considered it better. Evaporated milk was the first food of every child I knew – certainly myself, my siblings, and my cousins. That generation of western women was fully indoctrinated that bottle feeding and cow’s milk was better, and it took a lot of convincing to turn the tide back around. Not an easy sell. I was one of the few young moms of my peers who chose breastfeeding against the better judgement and advice of most older women I knew – including nurses on the maternity floor. My in-laws considered it quite a radical move, but they were becoming accustomed to my ‘radical’ ways and just rolled their eyes.
Nevertheless, there is a place for condensed/evaporated milk, and from a food storage perspective it can be a good resource – ie: a substitution for half and half cream in recipes. Yes, you can use ‘fresh’ milk and reduce it over heat – but you don’t need me for that. You can find a recipe for that online. However, making it from your shelf stable INSTANT Milk powder is super convenient since you already have everything on hand. 1 cup Thrive Instant Milk 1 1/4 cup water. Blend thoroughly in blender or with whisk. Makes 12 ounces Evaporated milk. Store in the fridge for up to two weeks.
SWEETENED CONDENSED MILK (not to be confused with ‘Condensed’ milk or ‘Evaporated milk’) An alternative to spending $4.99 – $5.99 for a 10 oz (300 ml) can of sweetened condensed milk, this takes less than 5 minutes and costs pennies. You can even make *Dulce de Leche from it, the same way you would regular canned Sweetened Condensed Milk.
2 Tablespoons butter 1/2 cup HOT water 1 cup Thrive Instant Milk powder 1 cup white sugar 1/2 teaspoon vanilla Put your butter in the blender and add your HOT water. Blend on low, gradually adding 1 cup white sugar and 1/2 teaspoon vanilla. Continuing beating till completely incorporated, scraping down sides as necessary. Makes 14 ounces sweetened condensed milk. Pour into a glass jar with a lid and refrigerate till needed. Mixture will thicken a little as it cools. May be Stored for up to two weeks in the fridge.
Personally, I don’t use sweetened condensed milk a whole lot. Maybe once a year if that. But when I do, I don’t want to have to run out to buy some, and I don’t use it enough to justify having it in my food storage. But since I have the milk and sugar on hand all the time, this is my best option.
*what is Dulce de Leche? Also called: caramelized milk or milk candy, it is a popular confection in Latin America, France, Poland and the Philippines – prepared by slow boiling an unopened can of sweetened condensed milk for 3 hours. The resulting substance is a sweet, gooey caramel coloured, spreadable, thick sauce (hence the name caramelized milk). Use as a spread in layered cake or buttery sandwich cookies, a filling for dessert crepes (topped with whipped cream to add to the calories lol), in homemade cheese cake filling, or as a topping for classic cheese cake, to sweetened home made eggnog, or in any number of sweet and delicious ways.
STRAWBERRY CREAM CHEESE DIP for fruit, graham crackers, sugar cookies, bagel wedges or apple wedges
8 oz package cream cheese softened 2 T honey 2 T milk 2 cups freeze dried strawberries In medium bowl, beat cream cheese, honey and milk until smooth. Add strawberries and continue to beat another minute or two – until strawberries are broken up and dip is a beautiful strawberry colour and taste. If it appears dip is getting a little dry, add another tablespoon or two of milk (one at a time to test texture). Let sit for ten minutes to completely refresh the strawberries. Can Store in the fridge for up to a week.
WHY MAKE YOUR OWN?
The biggest advantage of making your own mixes is that you know exactly what’s in them. It allows you to control salt, eliminate MSG and every other artificial or harmful ingredient. Consequently the storage time will be shorter, but in most cases, they’re so quick to make up – using ingredients that are common in most kitchens, that you can whip them up in minutes.
The other advantage is that I don’t have to run to the grocery store for common things we’ve become accustomed to using. Once we get over the fact that we’re also “accustomed” to store bought taste, we can replace that – and get used to – the natural homemade goodness of FRESH.
The video I promised to include about Thrive Scrambled Egg Mix (freeze dried eggs). And yes, they really are better than other ‘powdered eggs’. Much better!
Really? No, I mean REALLY? How is this possible? You can take my word for it. They taste THAT good.
*What is Tomato Powder? Made from dehydrated tomatoes, ground into powder, tomato is exactly what it purports to be. It adds the gentle acid of tomatoes to the full bodied, concentrated flavour of a tomatoes in all your favourite dishes. You can make your own – you go girl! – or buy it from a good natural source. My favourite is from THRIVE LIFE.
Rhubarb gets it’s own post because there’s just so much to say about it.
Rhubarb as a plant has been used for centuries as a medicinal herb for digestive complaints such as constipation, diarrhea, heartburn and stomach pain. Even for cold sores. Whether it was ever effective for any of those concerns, I don’t even have an opinion. My only interest in rhubarb is as a food.
Though perfectly suited to our climate, it is not a native of North America. Originally from central Asia, it was introduced to Europe in the 1600’s, and within a hundred years, made it here where its been at home ever since. Botanically it is a VEGETABLE, but its so often use as a dessert that we commonly think of it as a FRUIT. But we need to get over that type-casting, and let it be what it wants to be. I’ve always thought of it as the vegetable-who-wants-to-be-a-fruit, but in actual fact, it is probably the most versatile food in your garden, lending itself as easily to savory dishes as to sweet dishes. And contrary to what I believed most of my life, it doesn’t need a whole lotta sugar to make it palatable.
The leaves are poisonous so lets get that out of the way right off the bat. They contain a lot of oxalic acid which in the amount present is toxic to both humans and animals. Oxalic acid is in a lot of things we eat including the rhubarb stalks, many fruits, and leafy green vegetables, nuts and whole grains. We need some of it so its good, but not to the degree that rhubarb leaves contain.
You won’t die from eating some rhubarb leaves, so don’t fret about that. And neither will your kids, so don’t avoid growing rhubarb because of some perceived danger. It would take a LOT of rhubarb leaves to kill someone and they’d have to be pretty dedicated to eating them. Poison doesn’t always mean ‘kill you’. In this case the oxalic acid will upset your stomach, make you sick, and probably cause vomiting and diarrhea if you ate enough. I doubt you’d eat too much to begin with, especially if it made you sick. I don’t know why someone would, but you’d have to eat a LOT of rhubarb leaves to be poisoned, and the symptoms are stomach, vomiting and diarrhea, (with your body trying to get rid of it).
Sadly, I had a chicken named Lacey who had a thing for rhubarb leaves. No matter how much I tried to make it INconvenient for her, it was impossible to keep her out of them since she was free range in the yard. Seemed like she was addicted. I rarely caught her in the act, but she could polish off a leaf in record time. For a long time, she seemed healthy enough but since the most common symptoms of oxalic acid poisoning are stomach pain, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, weakness, and difficulty breathing – its kind of hard to pin those down in a chicken. The other hens didn’t seem interested in the leaves at all, but Lacey couldn’t stay out of them. Poor Lacey; she slowed down over a few days until one morning she just didn’t wake up. I don’t pretend to know for sure what killed her. She was older than the other hens, and she could have been nearing her end anyway. Or it could have been the stupid rhubarb leaves. The other ones didn’t seem to care, and no previous hen ever seemed to care. You’d think that an animal would have an inner instinct not to eat things like rhubarb leaves, but I guess Lacey missed that memo.
I use the leaves to compost, and sometimes chop them up with the lawn mower first to use as mulch. The oxalic acid breaks down fairly quickly during the decomposition process. Some I know make a ‘tea’ from the chopped leaves to use as a natural pesticide in the garden, but I have never tried it. It seems like too much work to me.
The stalk is the edible part, and many people find it delicious. I can’t say I’ve always found the taste of rhubarb to be my favourite, and I never craved it, but I certainly would have missed it if I didn’t have it. Rhubarb always tasted like ‘spring’ to me. However, in the last few years, as I’ve learned to take better advantage of this wonderful garden offering, I can say that I have come to very much like the taste. I love the freshness it adds to a morning smoothie. Like a true friend it’s stayed with me all these years, selflessly giving to me, always under appreciated, and under used, until I saw it for its true value to me. And now you could say that our friendship has developed into a true love affair.
Rhubarb is always there for you – a true friend
Many of my friends and cousins as children, used to eat rhubarb raw in the summer, dipping the stalk in sugar or even salt. I could never do that – I’ve actually never even tried it, waaay too sour for me to even wrap my mind around it. Although I consider myself an excellent “tryer”, I just can’t bring myself to take a bite of raw rhubarb, and I cannot even think about eating straight sugar. Combining rhubarb with sugar and cooking it however, changes the natural tartness into something quite delightful. Whether in a jam, jelly, syrup, cake, pie or punch, rhubarb’s bitterness fades when combined with a sweetener, and it becomes uniquely refreshing.
I decided many years ago, that since rhubarb grows so readily in cool climates (my part of the world), I should learn to take best possible advantage of it and make it very familiar to my family. Loving the taste of something that we can grow and use freely, seems like a happier place to be than loving something exotic that might be difficult to get one day. For instance, while I love pineapple, it can be quite expensive in my world and it is impossible to get field-ripened-pineapple (which we know is the most nutritious) when you live in Edmonton. Rhubarb however, is in my garden and always at it’s plant-ripened-best when I pick it. I am all about IN SEASON, field-to-fork eating, and though my grow months in Edmonton Alberta are limited, I want to take full advantage of everything they have to offer. Though rhubarb is at its best in May, June and July, you can also pick from a well established plant as early as April and right through to the end of the growing season. How accommodating is that right? Rhubarb really WANTS to be your friend! Just don’t pick too much in the earliest part of spring, or the end of summer. Give it a chance to re-establish its strength.
why rhubarb?
Because rhubarb is good for you, that’s why. It lowers cholesterol, aids digestion and gut health, is rich in natural fiber and Vitamin K which improves bone density. It is an antioxidant powerhouse, containing as much or more as an EQUAL AMOUNT OF KALE. Since antioxidants support collagen production, that means healthier, younger looking skin, as well as protection from harmful free radicals that can lead to chronic disease. The antioxidant ‘anthocyanins’ (which gives rhubarb stalks their deep red colour), have been found to reduce inflammation, and improves heart health by reducing the narrowing and hardening of blood vessels. And rhubarb WANTS to be your friend. It’s easy to grow, is hardy in Alberta, is forgiving when you move it, separate it, or forget to water it for awhile, and doesn’t hold a grudge when you ignore it. And it’s versatile as heck, lending itself superbly from desserts to drinks, from salsas and chutneys to beautiful refreshing summer smoothies (all year long if you freeze some), from breakfast muffins and scones to deep fried fritters – and everything in between.
* I’ve had rhubarb doubters (and even those who considered themselves haters of rhubarb) tell me they converted to rhubarb after partaking of it at my table. It wasn’t something magic about my table, and it wasn’t that I am some amazing cook (heaven knows I’m not). It was simply because they had never really given rhubarb a second chance after tasting something they didn’t like. One man who attended a Food Drive meeting at my house in the late spring told me “I used to make fun of rhubarb, and believed no one really liked it. They just pretended.” If he reads this, I have no doubt he’ll recognize himself. He came for information about the upcoming Food Drive, and left – a convert to rhubarb LOL. You can never go wrong trusting rhubarb.
growing
Rhubarb is a perennial plant that will be at its best for close to ten years. Though it will grow and produce, much longer than that, its helpful if you dig it up and separate it once in a while. When selecting a plant, always go with a type of rhubarb with the reddest stalks. They’re sweeter and richer in anthocyanins and other valuable antioxidants. Rhubarb needs a dormant season – winter, and grows best in cool weather, so it’s one of the first garden fruits in the springtime. It wants sun, the more the better, so give it a nice sunny spot. It prefers slightly acidic soil, well drained and rich. Good to prepare your spot with well rotted compost.
If planting in your vegetable garden, plant along the edge so they can remain undisturbed each spring. They’d do well against the house or garage, or in the back of a flower garden. Allow about a square yard of space to grow outward. In the Edmonton area, you’ll be picking rhubarb by May, and certainly May, June and July are when it’s at its best. It will however, do well enough throughout the summer, unless it is an especially hot one, but even then – just make sure it has plenty of water. It really wants you to be happy and will seldom let you down.
If you don’t have a yard to grow your own rhubarb plants …. then ask around, often times people have more on hand than they can use. Next best place is a Farmer’s Market. Next best place is a grocery store. It is so plentiful however, that I cannot even imagine having to resort to buying it from a store. Just find more friends.
harvesting
Pulling vs cutting. Don’t cut the rhubarb stalks out. This leaves residue that will decay and invite disease. Pulling triggers the plant to replace what was taken. When harvesting rhubarb, select stalks that are firm and upright, and pull up gently from the base of the stem, twisting just a little. The stalk should pop out cleanly, but if it breaks off, pull out the remaining piece out. Don’t leave it there. See above about inviting disease. Remove all dead, or limp stalks and leaves to throw into the compost. Cut the nice big red stalks from the leaves, and throw the leaves into the compost. Trim any blemishes from the stalks and rinse to clean. From here you can chop into one inch pieces to freeze (in freezer bags) or to use right away. They can be kept a few days in the fridge if needed.
Officially rhubarb is actually a vegetable, but it is most often used as a fruit. Don’t be too quick to typecast it though, just because it’s most commonly used alone or in combination with other fruits to make desserts, doesn’t mean it can’t pull off a respectable part of the main event as a savory dish. Add it to a salsa, use it to make chutney or even as a marinade for meat.
Never harvest a plant completely, leave about 1/3 – the smaller less mature stalks to regenerate new growth. Pick the bigger stalks. At the end of the season, sometime in late August (in central Alberta) or early September, do your last picking, and then remove any plant debris. If you cover the base with a nice thick layer of compost before winter, your plant will be advantaged in the spring. It is not necessary to cover the plant in mulch or hay, but make sure it has a good covering of snow for the winter.
using
when dicing small amounts of rhubarb, you cannot beat an ulu knife and board
Don’t get stuck in the trap of always thinking rhubarb must paired with sugar, and don’t get stuck into thinking it always has to be eaten with a spoon. For years, I had the mistaken idea that because it was ‘sour’, rhubarb NEEDED sugar so I didn’t use it as much as I would have otherwise. It’s nutrition was compelling, but the sugar seemed to neutralize it’s goodness. Until one day, I was brave enough to use it without sugar, in a summer smoothie with other fruits. My eyes were opened! It was delicious, refreshing, and NOT sour, the companion fruits compensated beautifully. Fully converted, I chopped a stalk of rhubarb into every smoothie for the rest of the summer, and froze some to use for that purpose later in the year. Now I anxiously look forward to the fresh, crisp red stalks to get big enough for that picking. I have three rhubarb plants in my fruit garden, and two planted outside my fence for alley gleaners. Yes, I still use rhubarb as a dessert, but I am not bound by that rule.
rhubarb lemonade
Drinking your Rhubarb
*Rhubarb Lemonade Can anything be more refreshing than rhubarb and lemon in a chilled glass? Or more simple? for 8 servings: prep time 10 minutes, cook time 10 minutes. Ingredients: 2 c. chopped rhubarb; the redder, the sweeter 1 c. white Sugar 1 tbsp. Thrive Life Classic Lemonade powder or juice of two lemons 8 c. Water Directions: In large saucepan, stir together rhubarb and sugar into 2 cups water and bring to boil. Reduce heat and simmer on low for about 10 minutes, or till rhubarb is tender, stirring from time to time to prevent scorching. You want the rhubarb to be soft. Remove from heat and strain thru sieve to get a reasonably clear juice. Save the pulp for lots of other uses or to just eat. 🙂 Stir in the unsweetened lemonade powder or lemon juice. Let syrup cool. You can store this ‘syrup’ in the fridge for a few days. When ready to serve, pour cold syrup into a pitcher with 6 cups COLD water. Stir completely to blend. Serve over ice.
Rhubarb Slush I grew up on Rhubarb Slush. It was at every party, or gathering. Every mom had a pail or two in the freezer that they pulled out for special occasions. For all my early ‘mom’ years, I did too. If it was a big gathering, it was served in a punch bowl, if you only had a few guests, then you would scoop into a glass and top up with gingerale.
Basic Slush Recipe with suggested variations: 8 cups coarsely chopped rhubarb equal amount of water 2 cups sugar in a fairly large pot. Bring to a boil and reduce heat to simmer rhubarb till tender. This will only take 5-10 minutes so don’t go too far while its cooking. You can puree in the blender at this point, or pour it through a sieve to remove the pulp. I mash the rhubarb with a potato masher and leave the pulp in it. I like the texture, it adds to the ‘slushiness’ of it in my opinion. Add 1/2 cup lemon juice. Stir well and freeze in an ice-cream pail. For lg jug or punch bowl, dump in the entire pail of frozen slush and top off with 2-4 litres of gingerale, or 7 Up or your fave pop. For individual glasses, thaw enough to scoop slush into glasses. Top up with pop.
variations: Add any one of the following, or a combination of your choice. You’re the boss of YOUR Rhubarb Slush. Create your own signature recipe. Add strawberries to the simmering rhubarb for the last 5 minutes. Cooking the strawberries too long will damage the colour. Add a pkg of strawberry jello to the hot cooked rhubarb, stir to dissolve well. This will add a lot of strawberry flavour, colour and slushiness. Add a can of orange juice concentrate after the liquid has cooled down a bit. Add a litre of pineapple juice after the liquid has cooled down a bit.
*Rhubarb Pie, Crisp or Cobbler There are many recipes to be found, but essentially the basics are to thicken with flour or cornstarch and sweeten with sugar. In a crust for a pie, in a dutch oven with a crumble topping for crisp, or a batter topping for cobbler.
Great combinations are: Rhubarb/Strawberry, Rhubarb/Raspberry, Rhubarb/ Saskatoon
*Rhubarb Coffee Cake or Muffins Such an easy variation to make to your favourite recipes. Just use your favourite recipe and add chopped rhubarb instead of whatever else it calls for. I like to add a little lemon powder to the dry ingredients, it just seems to perk everything up.
Soft Rhubarb Cookies Nice, soft cookies with just the perfect combination of tart and sweet. Makes 4+ dozen.
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Dice fresh rhubarb (about pea size), enough to make heaping 2 cups, and set aside.
In large bowl, cream 1 cup butter or margarine with 2 cup brown sugar together. Beat in 2 large eggs and 1 tsp vanilla. In separate bowl, sift 3+1/2 cups flour 2 tsp cinnamon 1 tsp each of salt, baking soda and baking powder together. Add to to sugar mixture 1 cup at a time, stirring to mix thoroughly between each addition. If it gets a little too dry add a couple tablespoons of milk. Add rhubarb pieces and fold in. Spoon onto prepared baking pan (I use parchment paper) and bake 12-14 minutes or until cooked through. Test by tapping gently with your finger. Cool for 2 minutes then remove cookies onto baking rack. Enjoy!
optional: We’re oatmeal fans in our house. Substitute 1 cup flour for rolled oats. optional: I like to add even more rhubarb. Another cup.
*Simple Rhubarb Sauce 3 cups chopped rhubarb 1/2 cup sugar Stir together and let sit (macerate) for an hour or more to draw out some natural juice. Bring to a slow simmer in a medium saucepan, 10-15 minutes or until rhubarb starts to soften and break down. Add more sugar if desired in small amounts taste testing as you go, and add a small amount of water if it gets dry. Serve stewed rhubarb over pancakes or waffles, ice-cream or in a bowl with cream. * Special treat, add a cup to homemade ice-cream during the mixing process. * Add fresh strawberries right at the end of the cooking process so as not to lose their brilliant red colour. * You will need a lot less sugar than you’re accustomed to expecting, so be cautious as you’re adding it, and taste as you go to prevent adding too much. * I love the added tart taste of lemon – I add a whole lemon worth of juice, 1/4 cup. Enjoy.
*Easy Pickled Rhubarb Okay, I’ll admit, I didn’t think I’d like this, but I determined to give it a try. After all, I like fresh rhubarb salsa . . . . Cut the stalks into 2-inch pieces. Then, julienne the pieces into matchsticks and toss them with red wine vinegar and a pinch of salt and sugar. Set it on the countertop or in the fridge for at least two hours, and you’re good to go! Add the pickled rhubarb to fresh salads, slaws, use as a pickle for sandwiches, or just eat it fresh. Just TRY it.
*hint: last time I made it I only had half the amount I needed of red vinegar so I topped it up with Raspberry Vinegar I made last summer. Oh.My.Goodness! It was amazing. I’m gonna do that from now on. So full of flavour. if you’d like to know more about flavouring vinegars and recipes, click on this link Vinegars from the Garden
rhubarb ketchup
*Rhubarb Ketchup 8 cups diced rhubarb 1 lg onion diced – enough to be about 3 cups 1 quart of home bottled tomatoes, or a 28 oz can diced tomatoes – undrained 1/2 cup white sugar + 1/2 cup brown sugar 1 T pickling salt *optional: 1/4 cup Tomato powder (or tomato paste) *optional: 1 teaspoon cinnamon *optional: 1 cup white vinegar
directions: In a large saucepan, sprinkle the sugar over top the rhubarb and let it macerate for about half an hour. Add all remaining ingredients. Bring to a boil, stirring to prevent scorching. Turn heat down, but keep it at a slow boil till thickened. Cooked rhubarb doesn’t have a beautiful colour, and I thought anything less than red, would be too difficult for my family to accept since I was passing this off as ‘ketchup’. I added 1/4 cup of tomato powder to intensify the tomato taste, and add to the colour. It was perfect! I’ll use it every time. If you want to know more about Tomato Powder click here.
Expect the process of reducing to take at least an hour, but probably not quite 2 hours. Stir frequently to prevent scorching. I set the stove timer for every 20 minutes so I don’t forget. When you’re happy with a nice thick consistency, turn the heat off and allow to cool to room temperature. Store in small jars in the fridge. This amount makes about 3 pints depending on the consistency you like.
The first time I made it I didn’t add the cinnamon or vinegar, but fully expected to do so at some point. It tasted amazing without either of them, and I didn’t want to spoil a good thing, so I didn’t. I will at some point try them both, just out of curiosity. In the meantime I love this recipe the way it is. Adds a lotta class to things you might typically use ketchup for: hamburgers, meatloaf etc.
* If I was going to can it, I’d be adding the vinegar just to be on the acid safe side. I would can it in pint jars and process it for 10 minutes just like for jam.
Fresh Rhubarb Salsa – use both recipes so that you get a feel for how easy and ‘varied’ it can be. Don’t ‘not’ make salsa because you don’t have some of these ingredients on hand. Be flexible, and use what you have.
Rhubarb in the early spring is almost alone in the garden. That’s when freeze dried veggies in the pantry come to the rescue.
Fresh SPRING Rhubarb Salsa this is what you make in the earliest part of spring, when the most courageous plant in your garden is your ever faithful friend – Rhubarb, and maybe your chives too. This is what you make before anything else in the garden is ready. Its my spring tribute to RHUBARB.
1 cup packed of finely chopped (by hand, NOT a food processor) rhubarb 2 T your favourite vinegar (I use a rhubarb vinegar I made the season before) 2 T olive oil (or your fave kitchen oil) 1 T freeze dried chopped onion – or 2 T finely chopped fresh chives 2 T freeze dried diced cucumbers 1 t sugar optional – juice of a small lime, or 1 teaspoon lime powder Put everything together, toss to dissolve sugar and mix everything well. Serve immediately, or make ahead a couple of hours. Remember YOU’RE the boss, recipes are only guidelines to get you going. I use these amounts only to give you an idea of measurement estimates. Its not very likely I’d ever make a single cup of this salsa. This is a great start, but if you like it a little sweeter, make it sweeter. If you like garlic, add a little garlic. I love the freeze dried cucumber in this version. If you’d like to learn more about freeze dried cucumbers, click here.
*Fresh Rhubarb SUMMER Salsa I call this ‘summer salsa’ because of the many other ingredients that are plentiful in a summer garden, but not so plentiful in the spring as early as rhubarb is ready. This combination is terrific, delicious all by itself. Who said rhubarb has to be sweet? When you use it as a vegetable, you’re a little more willing to use less sugar. Only 1 tablespoon of brown sugar with over 8 cups vegetables.
fresh rhubarb summer salsa
4 cups+ diced rhubarb 1 small red onion chopped finely (same size as rhubarb pieces) 1 lg green pepper chopped (*try to keep dice sizes uniform) 1 lg red pepper chopped * 1 lg yellow pepper chopped * 3 fresh meaty tomatoes (like roma) finely diced 1 T brown sugar 1/3 cup lime juice or 1 T Thrive Life powdered lime crystals 2 t coarse salt I added a few stocks garlic chives including the bulb – chopped slightly smaller than the other vegetables * optional: if you like a little heat, add 1 seeded and finely chopped jalapeno pepper; if you love the taste of cilantro, add 1/2 – 1 cup chopped fresh cilantro. I didn’t have either of these on hand the first time I made it. It’s all about making what you have – work for you. I added about 1/4 cup of chive vinegar – home flavoured. It was a nice touch. * optional: I added a beautiful fresh nectarine – because I had one. It was perfect! * optional: I added two very small garden onions sliced and diced thinly
Directions: Chop the rhubarb quite finely, and measure packed. Stir all vegetables together in large bowl. Sprinkle sugar, lime powder and salt over top and stir to completely distribute. Use immediately, or let it sit in the fridge for a couple of hours. The first time I made this, I used it as a topping for a barbequed hamburger. Some used it as a relish. I put on about 1/2 cup – it was fabulous. It’s excellent as a side dish to serve with plain taco chips, or with anything else.
*Fresh Rhubarb Chutney I love the sweet spicy smell that fills the house with this gorgeous spiced rhubarb chutney. So delicious, you can eat it straight. Personally I wouldn’t can it, simply because I’d prefer not to cook it that long, but you can always freeze the fresh rhubarb so that you can make this a few times in the off season. So quick and easy, and the bonus is that your house will smell GREAT! Lovely served over pork roast, beef or chicken– or wherever you use chutney.
rhubarb chutney
ingredients: 5-6 cups coarsely chopped rhubarb 3/4 cup sugar 1/2 cup apple cider vinegar 2 cloves garlic minced 1 t ginger powder or inch fresh ginger grated 2 t cumin 1 t cinnamon 1/2 t cloves 1 small onion diced (or use freeze dried onion slices) 1/2 cup raisins directions: Combine all in a saucepan. Bring to simmer over low heat, stirring occasionally, until sugar dissolves and very aromatic. Cook only over medium low until rhubarb is tender and mixture has thickened slightly, stirring frequently to prevent scorching. (maybe 15-20 minutes). Remove from heat and let cool completely. Serve fresh, or make ahead and refrigerate a few days, like a fresh cranberry sauce.
preserving
Freezing, canning or making jam are the three best ways to preserve rhubarb. I’ve tried dehydrating it – bleh. But adding it to fruit leather is terrific. The nice tart taste is the perfect match for fruit leather – on its own or mixed with any number of other fruits: apples, raspberries, plums . . . . just a reminder: always pull the rhubarb off the plant rather than cutting it. See above if you forget why.
FREEZING Wash and pat to dry freshly picked rhubarb. Cut into 1 inch pieces. Most of the time I just throw the chopped rhubarb into a labelled (name and date) bag to freeze. If I’m planning to use most of it in smoothies – where I want it to come out loosely, then I spread the chopped rhubarb in a cookie sheet, then I freeze in the chest freezer. The next day, scoop the frozen rhubarb into a labelled plastic bag and seal. Frozen fruit is best eaten within the first year of freezing. I know plenty of people who keep their’s in the freezer for much longer than that, and while its safe to do that, the food value diminishes considerably. Not worth it to me. Just USE it.
CANNING Canning is still the most convenient way of preserving high acid fruit. It is easy to do at home with limited equipment: just good quality, CLEAN jars with proper canning lids and rings, and a pot deep enough for at least two inches of water to cover.
Prepare rhubarb by trimming off the leaves and cleaning the stems. Then chop into 1/2-1 inch pieces. Dump into a large sauce pan. Add a little sugar and stir to cook raw chopped rhubarb in a light dusting of sugar. A good guide is approximately 1/2 cup of sugar to each quart of chopped rhubarb. Let the rhubarb sit for a few hours to draw out the juice.
You can cold pack it or hot pack. Rhubarb is a high acid food so it can safely be canned in a hot water bath canner. Or if desired you can can under pressure.
Cold pack: spoon the fruit into a freshly cleaned pint or quart jar. Top up with juice to about 1/2 inch from the top, leaving this as a ‘headspace’. Add clean lids and rings and gently lower the can into hot water bath in large deep pot – ensuring you have 2 inches or more of water on top of jar. Bring the water to a boil and set timer for 15 minutes, keeping the water at a continued soft rolling boil the whole time. Gently remove the jars and place on insulated surface about an inch apart. Allow to cool without disturbing. Can lids should ‘pop’ when they seal, ensuring a good vacuum seal. You can also pressure can under 10 pounds pressure for 8 minutes. I always prefer hot water bath canning for high acid fruits.
Hot pack: Same preparation, but once rhubarb has sat long enough to draw juice out, slowly heat the pot up to a slow boil. Immediately fill HOT jars with HOT sauce and lower into HOT water. Return the water bath to a full rolling boil and set time for 15 minutes as for above. When the timer goes off, gently remove the jars and proceed as instructed above.
This may or may not be sweet enough for you. If desired, add a little more sugar when serving.
Use your canned rhubarb sauce all winter long as you would apple sauce.
I’d love to hear your rhubarb recipes. Please tell me in the comments below how you use your rhubarb.
Tomatoes are nature’s most potent source of lycopene. What IS lycopene and why do we care? Lycopene is a powerful antioxidant with many health benefits, including sun protection, improved heart health as in lower risk of stroke and heart disease, as well as a lower risk of certain types of cancer. It is most effective when consumed in the form of lycopene-rich foods like tomatoes and other red or pink fruits. Studies indicate that lycopene reduces bad cholesterol (LDL) while increasing good cholesterol (HDL) levels. This balance is important because high cholesterol develops fatty deposits in our blood vessels, which can clot and lead to a heart attack or stroke. Remember, RED foods are good for the heart.
it is difficult to think anything but positive thoughts while eating a homegrown tomato
And now, you’ve got all that natural tomato goodness in a concentrated form right in your pantry! I know right? Who could have imagined that now you can: STOP buying those little 6 oz cans of tomato paste that you never use all of anyway STOP buying canned tomato sauce (in all their varieties) STOP buying tomato juice Because you’ve got all three of these wonderful foods right here in powdered form (just add water). And its a lot more nutritious because it hasn’t gone through the high temperatures of canning (which only retains 40% at best of the nutritional value). Tomato Powder is a super useful food to have on hand in the kitchen at all times. I can’t speak to all tomato powders, but Thrive Life Tomato Powder has a strong, clear tomato taste, like you just picked a ripe tomato out of your garden! It’s got all that wonderful natural tomato acid, because . . . . . . guess what? The ingredient (yes, that’s singular) is: TOMATOES. That’s it. The only thing in the can – is tomatoes. No salt, sugar, colours, flavour enhancers, or other additives of any kind. You can add your own salt to taste. Or not. You do you.
Making your own TOMATO POWDER
drying your own tomatoes for tomato powder
Making your own tomato powder is pretty straight forward. A little investment in the time department, but easy, and if you’ve got an excess of garden tomatoes, its a great use for them. Best practice is in a dehydrator, but you can dry in a slow oven, and if you live in a hot dry climate, you can dry them in the sun. I don’t – so that’s all I’ve got to say about THAT.
The meatier type of tomatoes is preferable, as they have less water and less seeds – like Romas. Simply slice and lay evenly in your dehydrator. All dehydrators might be different, but select a low setting and expect it to take a full day and night. How long exactly, depends on too many factors to estimate with any precision. Factors like: type of tomatoes you are using, and how much water they contain, how thick you sliced them, even the weather – is it cold and rainy, or hot and dry?
You’ll want to continue to dry them until they are brittle. Ensuring that you have removed all the moisture is critical to give you a good product in the end. Use a food processor or blender to grind the tomatoes into a fine powder. It may be helpful to break the tomato slices into smaller pieces as you add to the blender. You can sift the powder through a sieve to separate the larger pieces, which you can put back into the blender.
Store in an airtight container in a cool, dry place. Nothing lasts forever, so plan to use it up in a year (or two at the most). Nutrition will diminish over time of course. Having it be VERY dry in the beginning is key to it staying dry, and it STAYING dry is key to longer shelf life. Keep it well sealed, as it will want to absorb the moisture from the air.
Thrive Life Tomato Powder is just that – tomatoes powdered. You would use it the same way and store it the same way as homemade tomato powder. Its just a LOT easier.
1. Tomato paste ratio 1:1-2 1/4 cup tomato powder + 1/4 cup water = tomato paste start with the lesser amount of water, and then add a tablespoon more at a time to reach the consistency you prefer
2. Tomato sauce ratio 1:4 1/4 c. tomato powder + 1 cup of water = 1 cup tomato sauce
3. Tomato juice ratio 1:8-10 1 T. tomato powder+ 1/2 cup (8-10 T.) water optional: add your choice of seasoning ie: onion powder, sugar, salt, pepper, to taste
4. Spaghetti sauce ratio 1:4
or use your own Mediterranean seasoning mix: any combination of oregano, thyme basil, rosemary, garlic, onion,
5. Pizza sauce ratio 1:3
or use your own Mediterranean seasoning mix: any combination of oregano, thyme basil, rosemary, garlic, onion,
6. Cream of Tomato Soup ratio 1:16 Prepare a roux from 1/4 cup butter and 1/4 cup flour over low to med. heat Add 1/4 cup tomato powder – whisk in Add 1 T. chicken bouillon – whisk in Slowly stir in 4 cups of milk, whisking all along to prevent lumps from forming. Simmer over low heat, whisking to combine well, heat thoroughly and thicken slightly. Add more liquid if needed. *optional: I like to rub some Freeze dried chopped onions through a sieve to create onion powder. Nice addition to the soup. *optional: add 1 tablespoon of Italian or Greek blend of herbs, or your own combination of oregano, thyme and basil. *optional: add another tablespoon or two of tomato powder if you want it richer
Thrive Life Tomato Powder label
7. Ketchup 1 cup tomato powder and 3 +1/2 cups water 1/3 cup honey or brown sugar 1/2 cup apple cider vinegar 1 t. onion powder or 2 T Freeze Dried chopped onion crushed to make onion powder 1/2 t garlic powder or 1 T Freeze Dried garlic crushed to make garlic powder 1 t salt + 1/2 t pepper 1/2 t dry mustard pinch of allspice and a pinch of cloves Combine all, and simmer over low heat stirring frequently to prevent scorching – till reduced to desired consistency. Expect it to take 30-45 minutes depending on your preference of thickness. Pour into jar and refrigerate. Expect 2 pint jars. Best to let it sit a day to allow flavours to fully blend.
8. Barbecue sauce 1/2 cup tomato powder 1 cup water 1/3 cup brown sugar 2 T. apple cider vinegar 1 T Worcestershire sauce 1 T soy sauce 1 T mustard 1 clove garlic, minced 2 T FD chopped onion 1/4 t Cayenne pepper (or your favourite dash of hot) or NOT Salt & pepper to taste Mix all ingredients in large saucepan, heat over low and stir 15 or so minutes till slightly thickened. Stir frequently to prevent scorching.
9. to add that beautiful rich ‘tomato’ zest concentrated To any tomato based soup, stew, chili or pot roast – add a tablespoon or two of tomato powder just because YOU CAN! You’ll be surprised at how it richens things up.
10. As a garnish Sprinkle tomato powder over top potato salad, deviled eggs, hummus, even a lettuce and tomato salad. Be creative.
I’d love to hear your experiences with Tomato Powder, and your suggestions for recipes, please comment below.
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A few years ago I discovered “meals in a jar”, and at the risk of sounding overly dramatic, it kinda changed my life. In a good way. What exactly IS a meal in a jar (MIJ)? Its a good, healthy meal, ready in a matter of minutes, prepared ahead for such a time as this. The variety of options is endless, limited only by your imagination. If you’re short on imagination at the moment, scroll down. I’m giving you a few of my favourite recipes below, with some suggestions for adjusting as seems appropriate.
6 different MIJ – Meals in a Jar
Food storage has been a way of life for me, all my adult years. Why? Because it’s the SMART thing to do, that’s why. I saw the example in varying degrees throughout my childhood, but Dan and I took it to a whole new level as we practiced and learned, and increasingly saw the value of having a food storage. Not everybody’s food storage looks the same. With encouragement, suggestions, and the kinship one feels with other likeminded people, I developed my own plan that fit into our lifestyle. The best piece of advice I absorbed came from Spencer W. Kimball, who counselled “Store what you eat, and EAT what you store.”
When freeze dried food became more readily (and increasingly) available, storing high quality food became easier, and more nutritious. It also opened up a whole new world of possibilities for convenience. Yes, convenience and healthy, and long term shelf stable, can all exist on the same table at the same time. True, we generally focus on food storage as an emergency resource, but consider the innumerable minor emergencies that happen in the regular course of our week. Those days when you’ve been crazy busy, but the family still needs to eat supper. Those days when you just don’t have any good ideas or energy, but the family still needs to eat supper. Those days when you’re sick, and need to leave dinner up to someone else. Those times when money is short, and the fridge is bare, but the family still needs to eat. . . . You get the picture.
Meals in a jar (MIJ), properly sealed can last an easy five years, but personally I’m not interested in them lasting five years. With freeze dried food, I already have an excellent food storage that will last 25 years. What I’m looking for with MIJ – is convenience. I want a few meals our family will enjoy IN the pantry, close and handy for the day I need it. I want a few meals I know I can count on, that I can pass on to a friend or neighbour who could use a helping hand from time to time. But its gotta be healthy. That’s my one big criteria, my non-negotiable. No artificial additives. I still run with the motto “If you can’t say it, don’t eat it“, so homemade with ingredients I can trust is essential.
How long can you expect a MIJ to last with a good snug lid on it? Six months to a year is how long I keep mine, and I’ve never had a problem. MIJ are great options to keep on the shelf for THOSE emergencies! If you’re of a mind, and if you have a vacuum sealer, go ahead and seal them for longer shelf stability. But in the meantime, consider them part of your routine: your emergency dinner-to-the-rescue, to pull out when you need to get dinner on the table quick!
Sausage Corn Chowder on the table with broccoli cheese biscuit
Ingredients:
Most MIJ recipes require freeze-dried foods of course, with perhaps some dehydrated ingredients. These are ever more readily available in stores and to order directly. Truth is, not all freeze dried food is the same quality, so do your homework when picking a reliable source. Personally, I prefer the quality of THRIVE LIFE foods – just Simple, Clean Food. The quality of your MIJ and the confidence you have in it’s shelf stability, can only be equal to the quality of the ingredients you use, and the care and attention you give to cleanliness when packing it.
Equipment:
Containers: I use wide mouth quart jars for family sized meals, and pint jars for smaller meals. I like glass because you can SEE – easy to know what is in there, and that they are airtight with a good lid. Make sure they’re clean and DRY. And store in a cupboard away from light so the vibrant colours are not faded by the sun. Jar funnel: Not necessary, but sure comes in handy to get everything INto the jar. Measuring cups and spoons: Measurements are pretty important when you’re trying to fit it all into a jar. Label: just something to write basic information like the name of the dish and how much water to add of course, but I learned a good lesson about including directions. One day when I had some visiting grandchildren, I was not well. Dan was working during the day, but when he got home, he pulled out a MIJ to whip up a quick and easy dinner. Occasionally, if I am intending to give the meal away, I’ll also include a list of ingredients on the label.
How to create your own recipe:
Fill up these jars with different Meals to keep on hand. I usually make at least two of each recipe, and try to have 6-8 MIJ in the pantry at any given time
Once you have prepared a few MIJ’s, and have stored them and used them, you’ll become more familiar and comfortable with things you like about them. It will become easy to create your own recipes from existing favourite recipes. For instance: in a magazine while waiting to get my hair cut a few years ago, I came across some soup recipes that looked appealing. The one that caught my eye was for a “Bacon Corn Chowder”, using potatoes, corn, onions, celery, and bacon. As I reviewed it, I realized that I had all the necessary ingredients in my pantry (except the bacon). I could make this meal today, and better than that, if we liked it, I could create a MIJ for future meals. One of my favourite MIJ recipes came from adapting that one. I used Freeze Dried Sausage Crumbles instead of bacon. Perfect! When I try out a brand new recipe I’m developing for a MIJ, I make two. One meal goes straight into the pot for dinner today, and the other, straight into the jar. This accomplishes two important things: 1) I want to TRY the recipe to ensure we like it before I invest too heavily 2) I want to see how it all fits together in the jar, so that I can make notes as needed. Ideally, I can fill many future jars from that recipe, so I want to ensure I’m happy with it. Don’t forget a pen and paper to work out amounts and make corrections during the process.
* You can layer your ingredients in the jar in any order you want. If you put the bigger pieces in first, and end with the powders, you can shake the powder down through the other ingredients at the end and get more ingredients into the jar. Very practical but not very visually appealing. I’m all about ‘pretty’, so I prefer to begin my layering with the powders and then transition into bigger pieces as I get to the top. It looks much nicer. But, you be you; do what you want.
Recipes
sausage corn chowder
Cindy’s Sausage Corn Chowder This is the one that originated from that magazine recipe. Layer into a wide mouth quart jar: 1/4 cup Thrive Life Instant milk powder 1/4 cup Thrive Life Sour Cream powder 2 T Thrive Life Chicken Bouillon 1/3 cup Thrive Life Bechemel Sauce (or homemade cream soup base) 1 teaspoon thyme leaves, crumbled by hand 1/4 cup Thrive Life freeze dried chopped onions 2 T Thrive Life freeze dried celery, crumbled by hand 2 T Thrive Life dehydrated carrots (*I’ve tried a few varieties, but Thrive Life is by far the best) 1 cup Thrive Life dehydrated potato chunks* 1/2 cup Thrive Life Sausage Crumbles Fill the remaining room with Thrive Life Sweet Corn Secure lid, label and store in cool dark place.
* do NOT use freeze dried potatoes as they’ll just fall apart in the length of time you’ll want to simmer this chowder
to prepare: Dump jar ingredients into a pot with 2 cups of water. Turn medium heat on and bring to a slow boil while stirring to prevent clumping or scorching. When everything is beautifully combined and is beginning to thicken, pour remaining 3 cups of water (total of 5 cups). Bring back up to a slow-low boil and then reduce heat to simmer till potatoes are tender – 15-20 minutes. Stir frequently to prevent lumping or scorching as it thickens. When potatoes are tender, remove from heat and let sit for five minutes before serving.
Cindy’s Taco Soup in a Jar in a wide mouth quart jar, layer the following: 1/2 cup Thrive Life Tomato Powder 1 T taco seasoning 1 T Thrive Life’s Chef Choice Seasoning (or your fave all purpose seasoning) 1 teaspoon cumin powder (I always put in more, but you’re the boss, you do you) 1 teaspoon salt 1 + 1/2 cup instant red beans 1 cup Thrive Life ground beef 1/3 cup dehydrated or freeze dried chopped onions 1/3 cup dehydrated peppers 3/4 cup Thrive Life freeze dried Sweet Corn Secure lid, label and store in cool, dark place.
to prepare: Dump contents into 8 cups of water. Bring to boil, stirring frequently to prevent scorching bottom. Reduce heat, add up to 2 more cups water and bring to a and simmer for 20 – 30 minutes till beans are tender. Remove from heat and let sit 10 minutes to thicken. Sprinkle with shredded cheddar if desired and replace lid. Serve with corn bread or taco chips. Enjoy!
Zuppa Toscana in a Jar in a wide mouth quart jar, layer the following: 1/2 cup Thrive Life Sour Cream powder 2 T Thrive Life Veloute Sauce (chicken gravy) 1 T Thrive Life Chicken Bouillon 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder or 1 teaspoon freeze dried garlic 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper (optional) 1/2 cup Thrive Life freeze dried Spinach 1/4 cup Thrive Life freeze dried chopped onions 1 cup instant refried beans 1/2 cup Thrive Life Sausage crumbles 1 cup Thrive Life dehydrated potato chunks Secure lid, label and store in cool, dark place.
to prepare: Dump contents into 8 cups of water. Bring to boil, stirring frequently to prevent lumps or scorching bottom. Reduce heat and simmer for about 20 minutes till potatoes are tender. Remove from heat and let sit 10 minutes to thicken. Serve with grated parmesan cheese and fresh bread on the side.
Chicken Pot Pie Soup in a wide mouth quart jar layer the following: 1 cup Thrive Life Bechemal Sauce (white cream sauce) 1 T Thrive Life Chicken Bouillon 1/4 cup Thrive Life Sour cream powder 1 T dried sage crumbled 1/4 t pepper 1 T parsley 2 T Thrive Life dehydrated carrots 1/3 cup Thrive Life freeze dried chopped onions 1 cup Thrive Life dehydrated potato chunks 1 cup Thrive Life chopped chicken 1/2 cup Thrive Life freeze dried peas 1/2 cup Thrive Life freeze dried sweet corn Secure lid, label and store in cool, dark place.
to prepare: Add contents to 6 cups of water. Bring to a slow boil, stirring frequently to prevent lumping or scorching. Reduce heat and simmer 10-15 minutes stirring once in awhile to keep from scalding on bottom. Remove from heat and let sit 5 or 10 minute to thicken before serving.
what about meals that are NOT soups? no problem!
Shepherd’s Pie in a wide mouth quart jar, layer the following: 1/4 cup Thrive Life Bechemal Sauce (creamy white sauce) 2 T Thrive Life Tomato Powder 2 T Thrive Life Beef Bouillon 1 teaspoon freeze dried garlic 1 teaspoon crumbled dry oregano leaves 2 T Thrive Life dehydrated carrots 1/4 cup Thrive Life freeze dried chopped onions 1/4 cup Thrive Life freeze dried celery (crumbled by hand) 1+1/2 cup freeze dried vegetables of your choice (here I did a combination of freeze dried peas, corn, green beans, and butternut squash, but you can also add broccoli, cauliflower, peppers, spinach, asparagus, kale . . . etc) Top off the jar with a few more vegetables if needed. Secure lid, label and store in cool, dark place.
This becomes the base of your Shepherd’s Pie. You’ll want to cover with a layer of mashed potatoes, sprinkled with shredded cheese of your choice.
to prepare: Pour contents of jar into casserole dish, add 2+1/2 cup boiling water and stir to completely mix everything evenly, and to refresh it. Spread evenly in pan. Make up some instant mashed potatoes according to package directions (Thrive Life makes the best and purest instant potatoes I’ve ever tried). Layer the mashed potatoes over top and sprinkle with shredded cheese. (Thrive Life also has shredded cheese) Bake in 350 degree oven for about 20 minutes to heat through and melt the cheese.
Beef Stroganoff in a wide mouth quart jar, layer the following: ½ c. THRIVE Life Instant Milk ½ c. THRIVE Life Sour Cream Powder 2 Tbsp Cornstarch 1 tsp Garlic Powder 1 Tbsp THRIVE Life Beef Bouillon ¼ c. THRIVE Life Butter Powder 1/3 c. THRIVE Life Chopped Onions 1/3 c. THRIVE Life Celery – Freeze Dried 2/3 c. THRIVE Life Mushroom Pieces – Freeze Dried 2/3 c. THRIVE Life Diced Beef – Freeze Dried 2 c. Elbow Macaroni , rotini, egg noodles – your choice Top off the jar with a few more vegetables if needed. Secure lid, label and store in cool, dark place.
to prepare: Throw and Go. Add all ingredients to 6 cups hot water and bring to a boil. Stir a few times to prevent sticking. When liquid comes to a boil, turn heat to low, cover, and simmer 12 minutes. Stir from time to time to prevent sticking. When pasta is cooked, turn heat off. Stir and let sit for 10 to 15 minutes to thicken. *Option 1: For variety – substitute Egg Noodles for the pasta. Use a little less water and adjust cooking times slightly as egg noodles don’t take as long to cook. They also take a lot more room in the jar, which is why I usually use macaroni. *Option 2: For the vegetable lover, add ½ c. THRIVE Life FD Red or Green Peppers in the last minute of cooking. You don’t really need to cook them, you just want to plump them up and heat through. *Option 3: For a gorgeous Florentine Stroganoff, stir in ½ c. THRIVE Life FD Spinach after you turn off the heat. *Option 4: Substitute THRIVE Life FD Ground Beef or THRIVE Life FD Shredded Beef for the meat. * DO NOT use freeze dried pulled pork, as the shelf life on pulled pork is considerably shorter (it being a high fat meat).
When you pour your stroganoff into your serving dish, generously sprinkle with Parsley and freshly ground pepper, or better yet, THRIVE’s Chef’s Choice All Purpose Seasoning Blend. Enjoy!
Mac n Cheeseburger in a wide mouth quart jar, layer the following: ½ cup Thrive Life Instant Milk (the very best) 2 T cornstarch 3/4 cup Thrive Life Cheese Sauce 1 T Beef Bouillon 1/3 cup Thrive Life Freeze Dried chopped onions ½ cup THRIVE Life FD Ground Beef 2 cups elbow macaroni Secure lid, label and store in cool, dark place.
to prepare: Pour contents of jar into 6 cups hot water in a ‘big enough’ pot. Bring to a boil, stirring frequently to prevent sticking. When liquid comes to a boil, turn heat to low, cover, and simmer 10-12 minutes till pasta is tender, stirring once in a while to prevent sticking. When pasta is tender, turn heat off. Stir again, and let sit 5 minutes to thicken. *option: add 1/2 cup FD shredded cheddar or mozzarella cheese for an even cheesier dish *option: add 1/2 cup FD peas about 5 minutes before pasta has finished cooking
Fresher than Fresh Berry Muesli This recipe has been adjusted to fit into a pint jar for a smaller, more portable serving. So quick and easy to prep, and portable to throw in your bag to take for lunch or eat on a road trip.
In a wide mouth pint jar, layer the following: 1/2 cup Quick Oats 1/4 cup Thrive Life dehydrated Applesauce 1/4 cup Thrive Life freeze dried Blueberries 1/4 cup Thrive Life freeze dried Raspberries 1/4 cup Thrive Life Strawberry Slices Jar will not be completely full, which is what you want to be able to stir the apple juice in later. Secure lid, label and store in cool, dark place. to prepare: Add 1+ 1/2 cup apple juice, and stir in to completely moisten everything. Let it sit aside for up to five minutes to assure everything is completely absorbed. Enjoy! – link to full recipe –
Smoothie in a Jar now smoothies can be totally portable! For a long time (before RUVI became available) , I would blend small amounts of freeze dried fruits and vegetables in the blender and make a “smoothie-in-a-jar”. Convenient and nutritious to take when I was on the run and didn’t have time for a meal. Those are the times you’re tempted to pick up fast food right? But that’s exactly what I don’t want to do. Did you know? 1 Tablespoon of powdered vegetable = 1 serving. ? I just add a little cold water, shake up the jar and drink it. 4 servings of fruits and vegetables with all the nutritional goodness they have to offer. What a gift. You can use any combination you want but my favourite was the following. 1 Tablespoon pineapple powder (made from Thrive Life FD pineapple) 1 Tablespoon peach powder (made from Thrive Life FD peaches) 1 Tablespoon spinach powder (made from Thrive Life FD spinach) 1 Tablespoon kale powder (made from Thrive Life FD kale) layer it or shake it up to mix. This is POWER in a Jar. The natural enzymes of pineapple, the vitamin C of the peaches (and pineapple). The vitamin A, minerals and antioxidants of spinach and kale.
* Did you know?Thrive Life peaches have 21 times MORE Vitamin C than so called ‘fresh’ peaches from the grocery store in the middle of summer. Not even kidding. You read right – 21X more. Wanna know why? Because unlike the peaches we buy in the grocery store, which are picked green, Thrive Life fruits are picked when they are completely RIPE and at the height of nature’s perfection, being nutritionally complete. Everyone knows that produce begins to deteriorate within the first hour after harvest, so eating it ‘fresh’ is ideal. Thrive Life ensures that not only are those peaches picked ripe, but they are picked, peeled, sliced and flash frozen within 6 hours of harvest. That is why they retain 95% (or more) of their original natural goodness. * Did you know? Spinach loses 100% of its vitamin C within 4 days of harvest! Yup, sad but true. When you buy so called ‘fresh’ spinach from the grocery store, there is ‘0’ (ZERO) vitamin C left in it. Thrive Life Spinach is picked, washed, chopped and flash frozen within 6 hours of harvest, retaining pretty much ALL its vitamin C plus a whole lotta other goodness. Up to 95%!
* hint: the natural sweetness of the fruits will eventually cause the fruit powder to compress. The vegetables will not, they’ll stay loose. So mixing up everything might not be as pretty, but it is more likely to stay loose. Your choice. You be you.
so what about desserts? Can you put those into a jar too? Absolutely!
Lemon Pound Cake from your pantry this cake is good for so many reasons, and for so many things: from a simple elegant lemon pound cake, to a gorgeous berry lemon trifle, and everything in between. And its the perfect choice for a MIJ (except its not a ‘meal’). Just add water.
measure the following ingredients into a clean dry quart jar 1+1/2 cups flour 2 t baking powder 1/2 cup Thrive Life Butter powder 3/4 cup white sugar 1 T Thrive Life classic lemonade – or up to 2 T for those exceptional lemon fans 1/4 cup Thrive Life scrambled egg mix 1/2 t salt 3 T Thrive Life Instant milk Secure lid, label and store in cool, dark place.
Blueberry Lemon Cake (made w the crumbled blueberries left in the bottom of a can of Freeze Dried Blueberries)
to prepare: preheat oven to 350 F. Dump contents into a mixing bowl and with wire whisk, gently mix all ingredients till thoroughly combined. Form a well in the center and pour in 1+1/2 cup water. Stir just until everything is moistened. Pour into greased 9×9 pan and placed in center of oven. Bake about 40 minute, until center is done. Test by gently tapping center, then by inserting clean toothpick. When it comes out clean, remove from oven and set aside to cool. Cut and serve. Enjoy.
* option: drizzle with lemon glaze while still warm. Mix 1 T classic lemonade powder with 3 T water and slowly cream in sifted icing sugar to desired consistency. Drizzle over top. Or use 3 T of fresh lemon juice. * option: add 2 T poppy seeds into dry ingredients * option: add 1/2 cup freeze dried blueberries and a little extra water
Do you make Meals in a Jar already? If so, I’d love to hear about your favourite recipes. It’s always good to share. If you haven’t yet, I hope you’ll give it a try. If you don’t have enough freeze dried foods to get started, here’s what THRIVE LIFE has available. They are the biggest freeze drying company in North America, and their quality is second to NONE.
If you’d like suggestions of best ways to purchase, or if you have any questions on particular products, ask away – I use them ALL, and I can suggest best ones for MIJ.
Oats are a staple food in my house for many reasons, and in all the variations. Although I usually prefer the nice thick rolled oats, and even the oat groats, quick oats have a firm place on my list of favourites too. Quick oats are where wholesome goodness and convenience meet, and because of that they’ve earned their spot in my pantry. Adding a little quick oats to baby food helps provide well balanced protein, good representation of vitamin B, and a sustainability that will help baby feel satisfied longer. Keep some handy to add a tablespoon to pureed fruit, soups and yogurt.
I grew up on oatmeal porridge, and oatmeal raisin cookies. Moms for generations instinctively knew that oats were ‘good for you’, and since they’re relatively inexpensive, they were the perfect choice. Good and affordable. Oats had the reputation of “sticking-to-your-ribs”, so were a popular choice for breakfast. But what does that even mean? They are actually, a great source of dietary fiber, (both soluable and insoluable). The primary type of soluble fiber in oats is beta-glucan, which is slow to digest (hence they stick-to-your-ribs), and YES, this is a good thing, as it increases satiety, and suppresses appetite. In short, it is satisfyingly filling, and keeps you comfortable for longer.
But did you know that oats are even better for you than your mom and gramma understood? In fact, oats are among the healthiest grains on earth! They are a gluten-free whole grain and a great source of important nutrients. Although delicious and nutritious, most people are unfamiliar with the whole grain – groats: the hulled, whole seeds of the plants. We’re more familiar with rolled oats.
Oats are a great source of important vitamins, minerals, fiber and antioxidants, like potassium, calcium, magnesium and several B vitamins and Vitamin E, as well as trace minerals: manganese, copper, iron, phosphorus, selenium and zinc, AND – big bonus . . . Oats are a good source of protein. One of the richest sources of protein in the grain family: 11-17% dry weight. Truly, the humble OAT is a grain that deserves a place in your kitchen and in your family’s daily diet.
Groats: All oats start off this way: the whole, unbroken grains. Before being processed into any other form, groats are usually roasted at a very low temperature. This not only gives the oats their nice toasty flavor, but the heat also inactivates the enzyme that causes oats to go rancid, making them more shelf-stable. If you have never cooked up groats, then you owe it to yourself to give them a try. Because they are the original source of oats, they should always be the first “go-to”, but admittedly, they take a little longer to prepare (which is still worth it bytheway), so in our fast passed society, they often get sidelined. Cooked groats have a beautiful chewy texture that retains much of its original shape, and more of a nutty, earthy flavour than regular rolled oats. – see recipe below –
Steel Cut Oats: are simply groats that have been cut to make them quicker to cook. Sometimes referred to as Irish oats, these oats look similar to rice that’s been cut into pieces. Chopping them makes them easier to cook and exposes the starches inside to the water. These starches dissolve during the cooking process, creating a thickened, creamy porridge. It takes a little less time to cook than the whole groats, but has that same beautiful chewy texture. True Scottish oats are ground on stone mills from whole oat groats. They are not rolled, nor cut; they are ground. The texture of Scottish oatmeal is fairly fine.
Steel cut groats are more than porridge: add to stuffing, and even made a savory congee. – see recipes below –
Rolled Oats (or Old Fashioned Oats) These are the oats I grew up with, but in those days we mostly used them for porridge and cookies. My mom also used them in meatloaf.
I’ve since, taken oatmeal to a whole new level and I think I make the best in the world. (only slightly kidding). See recipe (such as it can be) below.
When I was a young mom, my mother in law introduced me to OATMEAL SOUP. The name is not very inviting, but it became a family favourite in our house. I’ve often made it for others, but I never call it by that name because of the images it conjurs up lol. – see recipe below –
My first experiments with Muesli were with the old fashioned rolled oats, which I started the night before. It was pretty much rolled oats and chopped dates in milk, soaked over night. I liked it, but my daughter disliked dates. Immensely. The concept of an uncooked ‘oatmeal’ intrigued me though, so I determined to keep it up, with some necessary adjustments. See below for more on Muesli.
Quick Oats Oat groats that are steamed for a longer period of time and rolled into thinner pieces so that they can absorb water easily and cook very quickly, or not even at all. NOT to be confused with the boxed “instant oatmeal”, available in stores now which contains quick oats plus a lotta sugar and artificial flavours. Instant oatmeal does not deserve a spot in my pantry.
For porridge, I never use quick oats, but they do come in handy for other things. Their convenience justifies their position in my pantry, and I though I rarely used them when my kids were younger, I wouldn’t want to be without them now. They are the base for my Muesli recipe (below), and I often add quick oats and blueberries to yogurt.
the flexibility of oats Truly, I do not know why oats are not more of a common food in most households. They are SO much bigger than the porridge of our childhoods.
Oatmeal: Yes, that generational breakfast favourite – cooked rolled oats. I have fond childhood memories of oatmeal on winter mornings before school, and I hope my kids have those same memories. I’m doing my best to make sure my grandkids do. – see recipes below –
Oat Flour: Your can buy or grind your own oat flour. Throw a little into cookies or bread for a boost of nutrients, and added chewiness.
Oat Bran: Oat bran comes from the outer part of the groat. If you grind your own flour, you can get oat bran by sifting coarsely ground groats. Or you can buy it. When oatmeal is processed, the bran (outer layer), is removed. Oat bran is a good source of protein, B vitamins, iron and soluble fiber. It is used to make porridge, and as an ingredient in a variety of hot and cold cereals, as well as in breads, cookies and muffins. Fiber adds bulk (not calories) to foods, so it helps “fill you up without filling you out.” Oat bran is particularly rich in a type of fiber called soluble fiber, which turns into a gel-like substance in your stomach. This helps you take in fewer calories overall.
Oat Risotto: Simply replace oat groats in your favourite risotto recipe. Easy peasy.
Oat Congee: Congee is a thick Asian comfort food, traditionally made with rice in a meat broth. Simply substitute in oats. Because it uses more water and is cooked longer, congee began as a way to stretch the rice in hard times. Usually a thick stew, or even a porridge (or gruel) type of dish. From its humble beginning, who knew it would turn into a favourite food of so many, and even find its way onto restaurant menus? I guess that’s the way with most comfort foods, they start out as necessities: poor people’s food. Adding rice to a brothy soup and simmering it till the rice actually thickens the soup, essentially IS ‘congee‘. Well you can do the same thing with barley, so why not oats? Remember, you’re the boss. You can add it to any soup recipe that calls for rice or barley. And you can flavour it any way you like. – see below for sample recipe –
Muesli
Let’s talk about Muesli, because it really does deserve more attention than it gets. Developed in the early 1900’s by pioneer nutritionist, Swiss physician Maximilan Bircher-Benner, he used it for convalescing patients in his private hospital. It was not originally intended as a breakfast, but more of an appetizer. Bircher-Benner’s focus was a diet rich in fresh fruit and vegetables which he used as an essential part of his nutritional therapy. Truly, he was ahead of his time. Who knew that over a hundred years later we’d finally understand how important a focus on fruits and vegetables is to our health. And Muesli has stood the test of time, as it is ever growing in popularity.
The original 1900 Bircher-Benner recipe consisted of : apples and nuts in a base of rolled oats, with lemon juice. The oats were pre-soaked water for up to 12 hours, then mixed with grated apples (the most readily available fresh fruit in Switzerland at the time). They were served with milk or cream, sweetened with honey or a small amount of sweetened condensed milk. The lemon juice helped keep the apples from browning. The idea was to serve a small amount of muesli immediately before every meal, as an appetizer of sorts. Modern adaptations of Bircher-Benner’s recipe includes more fresh fruit.
Years ago, when my older kids were little, I came across what was referred to as a traditional Swiss Muesli recipe: large flaked oats, dates and other dried fruit and topped with yogurt and toasted almonds. It was delicious and nutritious. Soon enough I realized the potential for flexibility, and muesli progressed to include whatever fruit was fresh in the summer, or whatever home canned fruit I had on hand in the winter. Some things were constant: usually shredded apples and raisins. Some things varied: sometimes apple juice, sometimes milk. Muesli is like that. Flexible and wonderful.
Though my recipe has evolved over the years, I’ve generally depended on apples as the fruit base, mostly because they were so readily available throughout the year. Other fruits I added depended on the season. As time went on, and freeze dried fruit became more available, my dependence on seasonally available fruit lessened. And less nutritious canned fruit became a thing of the past. The base is still oats, but it fluctuates between rolled oats or quick oats. Rolled oats if I start the night before, quick oats if I decide at the last minute (which is more often these days). Its a breakfast for us, or a lunch, or even a late day snack. – see recipe below –
RECIPES
Oat Groat Porridge ready to go!
Oat Groat Porridge(for two servings) remember, you’re the boss. If you prefer all water, or all milk, or all another type of milk – you do you. This is just how I do me.
1/2 cup oat groats 1 cup water pinch of salt (not more than 1/8 t) 1 cup milk I T maple syrup or brown sugar or honey
Because groats are a whole grain, they take longer to cook, so I find it helpful to give them a little head-start. 1/2 cup whole groats in 1 cup water, bring to a boil, stir, then turn heat off. Let sit overnight (8 hrs-ish). In the morning, t will already be tender and chewy, turn the heat back on and stir, bringing the groats to a boil again. Add a cup of milk and lower the heat a little to bring it back to a slow boil, stirring frequently to prevent sticking. Reduce to low, cover and let simmer gently for about 15-20 minutes, stirring once in a while to prevent sticking. The texture will be gently soft, but still chewy. If desired, sweeten with your choice of sweetener. I like maple syrup. Serve and Enjoy.
Steel Cut Oat Porridge A basic ratio for making steel-cut oat porridge is 1 cup of oats to 3 to 4 cups of water. Less water keeps the oats more intact and chewy. More water makes a silkier porridge. Try it a few times to nail down the way you prefer it. I like to start with 3 cups water, and then add the last cup in milk toward the end. Or use all milk. You’re the boss. Add a pinch of salt of course.
Cooking steel-cut oats is easy. Simply boil water, add oats, reduce heat, and simmer. But give it ‘time’, like 20 to 30 minutes to become tender. Start testing your porridge around 20 minutes, and continue slow cooking, testing every few minutes till its perfect. If the oats are tender at 20 minutes, it will still thicken up a little to leave it on heat for a little longer. Try it a few times to find your favourite way. To serve, pour a little more milk over top, and add a spoonful of brown sugar. Try using maple syrup to sweeten instead of sugar. I like putting raisins, or dried or freeze dried apricots on the top.
Because groat porridge takes so long to prepare, you might want to cook a little more, and refrigerate some for tomorrow. It will get dry in the fridge, but don’t despair, just add a little more milk and warm it up. Problem solved.
If you’re the type of person that must see an actual recipe, then see below, but remember, you can edit the details to your heart’s content.
1 cup steel cut oats 2 cups of water and 2 cups milk a pinch of salt (about 1/8 teaspoon) Bring 2 cups of water to a boil. Add the salt and groats, stir well to prevent sticking on the bottom. Return water to a boil, stirring. Reduce heat to low, add 1 cup milk, stir again and cover. Allow to gently simmer for about 10 minutes, checking every once in a while and stirring to prevent sticking. Cover again, and continue to simmer for another 10 minutes. Add that last cup of milk if you want and simmer another 5-10 or so minutes. That’s where personal choice comes in. When it is the way you want it, spoon into bowls and serve with a little more milk over top and a little brown sugar. Serves three or four depending on how much milk you added at the end.
Cindy’s Oatmeal: I cook mine as little as possible. Bring 2 cups water (with a dash of salt added) to a boil. Add 1+1/2 cups rolled oats. Return to a boil, stirring to prevent clumping. Add 1 cup milk and a little sweetener (usually brown sugar). Gently simmer a few minutes and serve. I occasionally add raisins to the boiling water (just before the oats), as a special treat. Or maybe some freeze dried fruit at the end: blueberries, raspberries, apricots. To me, oatmeal is great with several different fruits like apples, peaches, pears and cranberries. I never use Quick oats for cooked porridge (too mucky, I like the integrity of whole rolled oats). I do however, use them for Muesli, or to add to yogurt bowls.
Overnight Oats: a quick, easy no-cook option. For one person use a pint sized jar: put ½ cup rolled oats + 1 cup milk of your choice + ½ cup fruit of your choice (banana, apple, peaches, etc). Add 2-3 T Greek yogurt + 1 T brown sugar or maple syrup. Put lid on, and shake vigorously till all is incorporated. Refrigerate overnight. The oats will soften and the mixture will thicken. Optional: sprinkle toasted nuts or seeds over top in the morning. Ready to “Grab n Go”.
fresher than fresh muesli made with freeze dried fruit
FRESHER THAN FRESH MUESLI serves 2 or 3, uses mostly freeze dried fruit and takes five minutes to prepare. It doesn’t get any easier than this. 1 c. Quick Oats 1/2 c. dehydrated Applesauce 1/2 c. freeze dried Blueberries 1/2 c. freeze dried Raspberries 1/2 c. freeze dried Strawberry Slices 2 c. Apple Juice (approx)
Lightly stir to moisten completely, and let sit for 5 or so minutes to absorb juice. Add more juice as desired to keep it the texture you want. Serve. That’s it. It really IS that simple, and that quick. And that delicious. NO fat, NO sugar, NO dairy, NO wheat, NO additives of any kind. Super Nutritious and Delicious. Remember, you’re the boss. If you don’t have or want berries, then use what you have or prefer. Option 1: use any kind of fruit, substitute your faves or what you have on hand Option 2: use any kind of juice or milk, substitute your fave or what you have on hand. I prefer apple juice because is mild tasting allowing the other tastes to come through. Option 3: top it off with added nutrition in your bowl: a scoop of plain yogurt, a sprinkling of toasted nuts, or seeds: sesame / chia / hemp seeds. Be creative. Muesli is flexible.
Muesli takes on a whole new world of possibilities with freeze dried fruits. Always ‘fresh’ and always at their nutritional peak, you can have any kind you want because you have all-the-fruit all-the-time in your home-store. No matter what time of year, THRIVE freeze dried fruit is “fresher-than-fresh”.
basic recipe for a Greek Lemon Chicken Soup. Instead of using rice, use groats
Oat Congee first of all, don’t get tied up in using a specific recipe like this one. Congee is simply adding the rice (or groats) to more liquid than usual and slow cooking it till they come to a very soft stage where they thicken the broth. 1 cup steel cut oats 4-6 cups vegetable or meat broth 1/4 teaspoon salt 1/4 cup minced onion (I use chopped freeze dried onion) 1/4 cup finely chopped carrots (I use Thrive Life dehydrated carrots that are diced) 1/4 cup chopped mushrooms (I use freeze dried mushroom pieces) small amount of diced meat (leftover meat of your choice, or use diced freeze dried beef) 1 T freshly grated ginger, or 1 teaspoon fresh ground ginger 1 teaspoon soy sauce 1 teaspoon rice vinegar Bring the broth to a boil and add everything in. Reduce to a simmer and gently cook for about 30 minutes, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking. If it starts to get a little ‘thick’ add more liquid.
CINDY’S OAT SOUP (serves 6) 1 cup rolled oats 1/3 cup butter + 2 Tablespoons 1 onion chopped 3 cloves garlic, minced 8 cups chicken broth (or bouillon) 1 or 2 bay leaves 1 quart home canned tomatoes, or equivalent in canned or ripe tomatoes (3-4 peeled and chopped) 1T dried oregano crumbled salt and pepper to taste later Melt butter in large heavy skillet, over medium low heat. Add oatmeal and brown slowly, stirring constantly to prevent burning. It will burn suddenly, so be watchful. When nice and toasted, and smelling good, remove from heat and set aside in a bowl. In soup pot, use remaining butter to saute onions and garlic. Add stock, tomatoes, bay leaves and oregano. Bring to a boil and add toasted oats. Reduce heat. Simmer covered for about 45 minutes, stirring once in a while to prevent clumping or scorching. Taste and adjust seasoning if needed. Turn heat off and allow to sit for 15 minutes to thicken before serving. This is a soup that is just as good on the second day, and will have thickened even more. And yes, this is a type of ‘congee’.
PATTI SHENFIELD’S OATMEAL RAISIN COOKIES (our family’s favourite cookie) 1 1/2 cup butter or margarine 1 1/2 cup white sugar 1 1/2 cup brown sugar 3 eggs 2 t vanilla 1/4 cup milk 3 cup flour 1 1/2 t baking soda 1 T baking powder 1/2 t salt 3 cups rolled oats 3/4 cup coconut (optional) 3 cups raisins (or chocolate chips or both) In large bowl cream butter and sugars. Add eggs one at a time, vanilla and milk – beat until fluffy. Combine dry ingredients separately then add to creamed mixture one cup at a time. Mix until well blended. Stir in oats and raisins and coconut if you’re using. Preheat oven to 350 F. Drop by teaspoon onto ungreased baking sheet. Bake 10-12 minutes. Yield 7 dozen cookies.
* Are oats gluten free? Yes, oats are gluten free, but many commercial brands are processed in facilities that also produce gluten grains like wheat, rye, and barley. Since cross-contamination is common, many GF people feel the need to avoid oats altogether. Big fat shame, and big loss to the individual. If you’re a gluten free person, you don’t have to miss out on oats. Simply look for the “gluten free” label signifying that they’ve been protected from contamination.
Sauerkraut – literally translated, means “sour cabbage”, and that is exactly what it is. I’ve heard some refer to it as ‘pickled’ cabbage, but to be clear – it is fermented, not pickled. What’s the difference? Well, I’ll admit they may be similar in taste and features perhaps, but it is in the process by which that sour taste is achieved, that we find the difference. Pickling for example, is a method of preserving foods in acidic liquid like vinegar. One type of fermentation is the process of using naturally occurring good bacteria to produce lactic acid, which in turn breaks down the sugars or starches in a food turning them into acid. This is the fermentation used in common foods such as sauerkraut, kimchi, yogurt and even sour dough bread.
sitting on the counter to ferment
Why do we care? Fermentation produces PRObiotics, which support the body in building and maintaining healthy bacteria and other helpful organisms in the intestinal tract. This beneficial bacteria promotes a healthy gut and good digestion, which ensures we get the best from the foods we consume. PREbiotics are a source of food for your gut’s healthy bacteria. Both are necessary for good health. It starts to get very complicated but the process of making sauerkraut is super easy, and since the benefit of eating fermented foods is good health, we really should try to add more of them to our diet.
Although one most often thinks of sauerkraut with eastern European foods like Ukrainian, Russian or German, the process of fermentation actually originated in Asia with something very similar. It is believed the Mongols brought the preservation process with them to eastern Europe during the conquest of the 13th and 14th centuries. As a cold weather crop, cabbage does well in northern climates, and fermenting it is a brilliant food preservation technique. It was readily adapted by those eastern European countries we associate it with.
When we (in my house), first made sauerkraut many years ago, we followed a process of layering finely shredded cabbage with pickling salt and pushing it down to produce liquid which the salt drew from the fresh cabbage. I have since learned that a little bit of patience mixed with the same ingredients, allows the salt to do its thing with a lot less manpower. And when we first made sauerkraut we did a big batch – like we did everything in those days. When you have a big family, big batches of everything becomes the habit. But as life went on and family dynamics have changed, I’ve fallen in love with small batch preserving when its to my benefit. Since cabbage is in season from late summer through early winter, it is easy to make up a single quart here and there. The key is ‘patience’. The #1 rule with sour dough is “don’t try to rush the sourdough“. And the same principle applies to fermentation of any type. Don’t try to rush it. Don’t forget about it, but don’t rush it.
Health Benefits
Fermentation multiplies nutrition and health benefits far beyond those of fresh cabbage. Cabbage is already a good source of vitamins C and K, but the fermentation which transforms it into sauerkraut increases the bioavailability of nutrients, making it even more nutritious than the original cabbage. Fermentation is a process during which microorganisms on the cabbage digest its natural sugars, converting them into carbon dioxide and organic acids. It starts when yeast and bacteria that are naturally present in the air, the cabbage itself, and even your clean hands, come into contact with the sugars in the cabbage. Sauerkraut fermentation creates conditions that promotes the growth of probiotics (good bacteria). This helps make foods more digestible, increasing your gut’s ability to absorb vitamins and minerals.
Maintaining a healthy gut helps prevent the growth of harmful bacteria, improving our immune system. Its a natural way of putting your body in the best position possible to fight disease.
It is a good source of Vitamin C, calcium and magnesium and an excellent source of dietary fiber, folate, iron, potassium, copper and manganese.
Top reasons to eat Sauerkraut 1 – improves digestion by introducing healthy bacteria important to proper gut function 2- excellent source of vitamins and minerals including fragile ones like Vitamin C 3 – low in calories 4 – high in soluble fibre 5 – it tastes great and is very versatile to incorporate into meals
How to Store Sauerkraut: Although you can preserve it in a hot water canner, the heat damages the vitamin C and naturally occurring enzymes as well as the live lactobacilli. Since it will last months in the fridge – it is my preference to simply refrigerate it and use it throughout the winter.
Store bought vs homemade: Now don’t get me wrong. I appreciate having healthy foods available commercially. And certainly, store bought versions are often the only way many people will get them. But, as with most things, store bought sauerkraut is considered to be less nutritious compared to homemade sauerkraut – mostly due to the necessary processing. Store bought sauerkraut has to be preserved somehow of course, and so must undergo a pasteurization during canning. This eliminates live probiotic content – which is one of its main benefits.
Store bought benefits: availability, shelf stable, still low calorie, still a good source of soluble fibre and non water soluble vitamins and minerals. Tastes good. Homemade benefits: easy to make, will last in fridge for a long time, still low calorie, still a good source of soluble fibre and ALL original vitamins and minerals (including VC). Rich in antioxidants and live enzyme probiotics. Tastes better.
Having said all that, I was in the Maritimes recently – in a grocery store, and saw some ‘fresh’ sauerkraut in the refrigerated part of the produce department. Did my heart good. If you’re gonna buy sauerkraut, look for this HIGHLY better option.
history
Eating sauerkraut played an important role in preventing scurvy in the early days of sea travel. Scurvy – the scourge of the seas in its day, resulted from an absence of vitamin C in the diet. Symptoms begin after a month, and the only prevention and cure for it is Vitamin C. It was the primary cause of deaths between 1500 and 1800 — on sailing ships around the world. It was so common, that a 50% death rate on every voyage from scurvy was assumed and planned for.
Long before it was understood ‘why’, it was discovered that sauerkraut prevented scurvy. Scottish naval surgeon James Lind noticed that scurvy was linked to a diet which was severely limited. He began testing various foods and noted that citrus fruits provided the quickest and most effective cure for the disease. However, citrus fruits were not readily available in Europe, and it was impossible to keep fresh fruit on a sailing ship for months at a time.
Experiments using different types of food on sailing expeditions began in earnest, and famed Captain James Cook drew the lucky straw with sauerkraut in 1768. He was outfitted with almost 8000 pounds of the fermented cabbage, each man being rationed two pounds a week, and at the end of his three years’ journey, returned without a single death attributed to scurvy. An incredulous first! It literally changed the world! The number of lives that were saved with this discovery is unimaginable. A century later, during the American Civil War, physician John Jay Terrell began using sauerkraut to treat the same disease. In times when Vitamin C – the “fresh fruit vitamin”, is not so easy to come by, sauerkraut is a practical and healthful solution.
Let me just stop here for a moment and bask in the wonder of all this. It is amazing to me that ancient people could figure out how to harness the fermentation process and make it work for them. Without the knowledge of vitamins, bacteria or gut health, they came across a food that quite literally not only preserved their lives in winter times of no fresh fruits or vegetables, but preserved their health, enabling them to better digest foods, increasing their body’s ability to absorb important nutrients. And this, in a common farm house of illiterate people. If you are a believing person as I am, this is nothing short of a miracle – Evidence that a loving Father in Heaven cares intently about the affairs of his children.
making it
Making sauerkraut is embarrassingly easy, and I’m convinced when you discover just HOW easy it is, you’ll be making it frequently. It requires no special equipment. Yes, there are things traditionally used, like a crock and a wooden pounder, but you can also make it in a bowl with a potato masher, and stuff it into a glass jar with a lid. And yes, you can use a food processor, but I do not. I prefer to use a large knife and slice it thinly myself. And yes, if you make a lot, you might want to can it, but if you make less, you can still store it for months in your fridge, so I prefer not to can mine – but to take advantage of the full nutritional benefit of raw. Its another example of how eating seasonally is best.
Equipment: Okay I lied, you do need some things. Get a large, sharp knife for slicing the cabbage. A cutting board on which to cut it. A large enough bowl to hold the shredded cabbage while you toss it. A container to store it in: wide mouth glass jar or a crock of some sort . . . . I prefer glass or pottery. EVERYTHING SHOULD BE VERY CLEAN OF COURSE. I do not sterilize everything I use, but it is very clean, and cleaned continually as needed, throughout the process.
1. necessary: cutting board, sharp knife, container to store – jar, corning are with lid, crock … 2. necessary: large bowl or tub to mix the cabbage with salt 3. optional but handy: some kind of tool to push cabbage down with, scraper to help transfer it from board to bowl, canning funnel to help put cabbage into jar
Ingredients: cabbage and salt. That’s it! Really. That’s it. For a large head of cabbage – (approximately 5 pounds), you’ll use 3 heaping tablespoons of salt. NOT table salt which contains iodine, but pickling salt, or sea salt. I prefer coarse salt.
The SALT has a very important job – it draws the moisture out of the cabbage, helping to form the BRINE, it causes the cabbage to release fermentable sugars. Salt is also a natural preservative, inhibiting the growth of undesirable yeasts, molds, and bacteria. Through the miracle of nature, the bacteria needed for safe fermentation tolerates high concentrations of salt. Submerged in this brine for a week or more, the cabbage slowly ferments into the crunchy, delightfully sour – sauerkraut.
Some people add dill seed or caraway seed or even use purple cabbage. I think these are great ideas, and one day I might try a single jar of purple cabbage or even dill seed. But I hate caraway seed so that’s never gonna happen.
What causes this transformation called lacto-fermentation? There is beneficial bacteria naturally present on the surface of all fruits and vegetables. Lactobacillus is one of those bacteria, which bytheway, is the same bacteria found in yogurt. When submerged in a brine, the bacteria begins to convert sugars in the cabbage into lactic acid; this is a natural preservative that inhibits the growth of harmful bacteria.
Since this process is anaerobic – which means ‘without out oxygen‘, the cabbage must remain completely submerged in its liquid during fermentation. This is accomplished by packing it down firmly, and then placing some kind of weight on top. I have used a heavy rock (cleaned and in a plastic bag), plates, smaller glass jars . . . be creative. Find something that you can sufficiently clean, to set on top of your sauerkraut to keep it submerged. The cabbage near the surface wants to float, so I find it useful to place a large outer leaf of the cabbage over the surface to hold it down. Of course you want to ensure the jar or crock is covered at all times with a clean cloth. This allows airflow, and protects the surface.
the glass jars allow you to see the three layers beneath the weight: 1. tightly packed cabbage mixture on bottom 2. folded cabbage leaf to cover cabbage and prevent any from floating to surface 3. natural brine which is produced from pushing cabbage salt mixture 4. weight of some kind to keep everything safely below the surface 5. cover to protect from evaporation and contaminants, but not completely airtight
How long does it take?
It could take days or weeks – depends on you, your personal preference, and the temperature of the room you’re storing it in. The cooler the room, the longer the time. I suggest tasting it anytime after the first week. I expect my sauerkraut to be ready in about a month, but testing it weekly will let you know. When you like it, simply put it into the fridge. It will continue to ferment in the fridge too, but at a much slower rate.
In a glass jar, you may see bubbles, foam, or white scum on the surface of the sauerkraut. You won’t see them in a crock, but they’ll be there. All signs of normal, healthy fermentation. The white scum on top can be skimmed off as you see it, in both glass jar or crock. It’s possible that the brine might bubble over during the fermentation process, so best not to pack your containers too full, and have them sitting on a cloth to absorb excess moisture, or a plate to catch it. You should be checking the progress every couple of days anyway. This helps you trouble shoot. If you see white scum, remove it. Taste it frequently with a clean fork to test for doneness. NEVER RETURN THE FORK TO THE SAUERKRAUT ONCE YOU’VE PUT IT IN YOUR MOUTH. GET A CLEAN ONE. Ensure the cabbage continues to be covered by the brine.
image on left: 5 gallon crock free from cracks, filled 2/3 – 3/4 with tightly packed cabbage (approx 3 1/2 cabbages). Covered loosely with plastic wrap to reduce evaporation and clean cloth. image on the right: large stone in plastic bag weighing down plate. Beneath plate is cabbage leaves protecting the sauerkraut and preventing any from escaping to the surface.
Troubleshooting
Mould: We have in the past found mold growing on the surface of the sauerkraut. Don’t panic. This is not rare, as mold typically forms when the cabbage isn’t fully submerged. Simply remove the offending pieces and re-ensure the rest is submerged. The sauerkraut is still fine being preserved by the lactic acid. Be smart though. Yes, a little mold that you can easily remove is not bad news, but a lotta mold that is affecting an inch or more into your sauerkraut IS bad news. That would only happen if you’ve run out of brine. Perhaps your container was too full and the bubble-over, took away too much of the liquid to keep the cabbage completely covered. Or perhaps it evaporated. Be proactive, if you’re running out of liquid you need to address it sooner than later. Better to remove some cabbage to allow the remaining cabbage be fully submerged. You can always eat the mild sauerkraut you’ve removed. Better that, than to risk harm to the batch with reduced liquid.
Adding more liquid: If you must add more liquid DO NOT add vinegar. I know its tempting because it seems to make sense, but don’t. The sour flavour of fermented sauerkraut comes from lactic acid produced by the bacteria, not from vinegar. NOT the same thing. Vinegar will kill the beneficial bacteria needed for fermentation. On the other hand, a salt water brine will maintain it.
The cabbage will produce its own liquid when salt is massaged into it. As it releases liquid it becomes more limp and able to be compacted down into the jar – squeezing more liquid out of it. You want the cabbage submerged, ideally by at least 2 inches of brine (5 cm). In time, some liquid may evaporate. You cannot allow the cabbage to become dry on top or it will begin to mould. I don’t recommend using plain tap water, but if that’s all you’ve got, boil it ten minutes first, then cool it. I prefer to use distilled water. Whichever you use, dissolve 1 teaspoon of salt in 1 cup of water to keep from diluting your salty brine. Add enough to re-submerge the cabbage, but don’t use more water than necessary.
Recipe:
1) Remove the ugly outer leaves and discard into the compost. Remove another leaf or two and set aside to use later. I begin by cutting the cabbage in half, then in half again. Remove the core from each quarter, and slice. Slice thinly as you would for coleslaw. Scoop all the sliced cabbage into a large bowl or kitchen tub.
1. choose a beautiful cabbage 2. chop it up 3. sprinkle pickling salt over top 4. toss to coat completely, then set aside
2) Salt: 3 Tablespoons for a large cabbage. Adjust as needed for smaller cabbage. Its not an exact science so don’t stress about it. Sprinkle salt over top and gently toss to fully incorporate. I use my hands, its just easier. Massage the cabbage for about five minutes.
It seems like it won’t be enough salt, but trust me, it is. As you toss the cabbage, you’ll see within the first minute that moisture is already beginning to be drawn out of the cabbage. Gently squeeze handfuls of cabbage as you’re massaging it.
pushing the shredded cabbage down with a pounder is very effective. You can watch the liquid rise.
3) At this point, you can cover the cabbage loosely with a cloth and set aside for an hour or more. This gives the salt time to work. When you come back, gently toss it by hand and again, and you’ll be surprised by how much liquid you’ll see. You can even do this the night before if you want. Don’t wast a drop of that liquid, you’ll need it all.
4) Begin packing the cabbage into your jar (or other container) by the handful. I use a canning funnel to make this less messy. If you’re using a jar, this is when you’ll be glad you chose a wide mouth jar, because you may want to put your hand in to tamp down the cabbage with your fist. Pour whatever liquid was produced into the jar with the cabbage. If you have a wooden pounder (isn’t that a descriptive name?) it will come in handy now to pack the cabbage in easier. Don’t take the name literally and go pounding it – you’ll damage the cabbage. Treat it as gently with the wooden pounder as you would using your own hand. You’ll see more liquid start to form throughout this process. Keep it up till you’ve got at least two inches covering the cabbage. Don’t fill your jar too full. Give it plenty of space to bubble-up in the next couple days.
If you’re using a large crock, allow a good three inches of brine on top, and allow some headspace for the inevitable ‘bubble-up’. If you haven’t allowed room, the liquid will spill over the sides of your container – wasting it. Whatever you choose will probably not be enough, but then you’ll learn for next time, right?
5) Take one of the outer leaves you’ve set aside, fold to fit into the jar, and place on top of the sauerkraut. This will help keep small pieces from floating to the surface and causing your grief later.
placing a tiny jar inside the wide mouth of your sauerkraut jar helps to keep the cabbage cover down, and cabbage submerged in brine
6) Put your weight on top. For a glass jar, consider using a rock (in a plastic bag) or marbles (in a plastic bag), or a small empty jar. For a crock, use a plate with a rock on top (in a plastic bag of course). In a large crock, we filled a plastic bag with water and placed on top to keep everything down. It worked well.
7) Cover with cloth to protect, and allow airflow. Secure.
It is important to keep everything clean throughout the process. Taste frequently over the next few days for a couple of weeks. Never return a used utensil back into the sauerkraut. When you decide its as sour as you want it, simply refrigerate. It should keep fine for three or four months in the fridge, ESPECIALLY as you ensure it stays clean. Never put a fork into your mouth and then back into the jar.
Kimchi Recipe
1 head nappa cabbage 2 Tbsp grated ginger (peeled) 5 cloves garlic minced 2 Tbsp salt 1 Tbsp sugar 1 – 2 tsp red pepper flakes – you choose 2 Tbsp paprika 1 medium carrot julienned 2-3 sliced green onions
smaller amount for 1 quart 1 pound cabbage 1 Tbsp fresh ginger 2 cloves garlic 1 Tbsp coarse salt 1/2 Tbsp sugar 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes 1 Tbsp paprika 1-2 sliced green onions 1 medium carrot julienned
Combine everything in bowl and begin tossing to coat the cabbage well. Add a little distilled water if it doesn’t create enough brine on it own. Scoop into jar and compress, covering with brine. Add a weight to keep vegetables submerged. Fermentation of kimchi can vary from a few days to several weeks. You’re the boss of when it tastes right to you. I generally let it sit for at least two weeks before it is fermented enough for me. It’s all about personal taste and preference (and the warmth of your kitchen).
Sauerkraut Soup
Sharp and flavourful, comforting. Can be ready in an hour, or simmer longer if you choose. With meat or without – your choice. If using meat, you can gently simmer stewing beef or pork ribs (your choice(, for an hour. Or you can use prepared broth and later add precooked (leftover ground beef or shredded pork or … again your choice) meat in bite sized pieces.
1 large onion chopped 3 large cloves garlic minced 2 Tablespoons vegetable oil (your choice) 2 large carrots chopped 4 large potatoes chopped 1 teaspoon black pepper 3 bay leaves 10-12 cups beef or vegetable broth – either from cooking meat, or separate 3 cups sauerkraut fresh sour cream and fresh dill for serving.
Sauté onions and garlic in oil till onions are translucent. Add carrots, potatoes, and black pepper. and toss till coated in oil and lightly toasted. Add 10 cups of broth (with meat if meat was cooked in it) and 3 bay leaves. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and lightly simmer till vegetables are tender. If using precooked meat, add while vegetables are simmering. When all is tender, remove from heat and add sauerkraut. Stir in. You can simmer with sauerkraut in it for about 10 minutes if you want; I prefer not to cook sauerkraut because heat will hurt much of the nutrition. Regardless of whether you cook it or not, let the soup sit for at least 10 minutes before serving.
If desired, serve with dollop of sour cream and a tablespoon of fresh dill in each bowl. Fresh bread on the side.
Enjoy.
I’d love to hear your sauerkraut experiences, and ways you use it.
Fruit leather! Apple leather – rhubarb leather – any kind of fruit leather. Mix it up. Apple pear. Rhubarb raspberry. Plum! Whatever you’ve got on hand that needs to be used up, turn it into a delicious, nutritious snack to grab all winter long.
Rhubarb-raspberry-cranberry leather. Adding cranberries to fruit sauce makes the colour gorgeous! Apple leather behind it. Apple sauce for leather is so dependable in the late summer because they’re usually so plentiful. Its wonderful to use by itself, or as a base with pears, plums, rhubarb, berries, or whatever you might have on hand.
I first learned about Fruit Leather when my oldest was just a baby. I never tried it or even saw it, just read about it. In a library book. I loved the idea of it, and that very week, made some of my own, using our oven. I dried it at the lowest temperature I could get on my oven, and was hooked from that day on. Over time, I’ve progressed to the convenience of the counter top dehydrator I use today, but seriously, one doesn’t need a dehydrator. This is something people have made for many many years before dehydrators made everything easy
When you have access to your own fruit trees or a friend’s, you often have a lot of fruit that needs to be used or preserved – RIGHT NOW. We wait all summer long for fruits to ripen, and then when they do, every hour counts as we eat, juice, can, freeze, dehydrate, make jams or jellies, flavour vinegars, pickle, ferment, bake, and do anything else we can think of to continue to enjoy them for months to come.
It is a fun goal of mine to make valuable use of everything the Lord has blessed me with, or to pass it on to someone else who will, but just because I said it was a ‘fun’ goal, doesn’t mean its not without a lotta work. Usually it means many hours of hard work. Fruit leather is one of those results. It’s where excess fruit goes to find purpose and meaning to its existence. Fruit leather isn’t prejudiced against fruit that isn’t pretty enough to make it to the produce department, or the glass canning jars. Perhaps it wasn’t the ‘prettiest’ peach in the box, or perhaps the apples hit the ground and receive bruises, fruit leather is non-discriminatory.
Taking advantage of fruit that would otherwise go to waste. Apple pie, apple crisp, apple muffins, apple juice, apple jelly, apple sauce, apple butter, apple leather, . . . . . Apple is the base for so many late summer edibles, and the perfect fruit to preserve for all winter long.
In fact, sometimes it even takes biproducts from other projects and makes them valuable again. For instance, apple pulp left over from steam juicing, can be strained to separate the apple sauce. And apple sauce makes wonderful fruit leather all by itself, and a beautiful base for many other mixes.
I think its impossible to have an exact recipe when you’re true the ‘spirit of fruit leather’. When you are using excess, you just don’t measure in ounces or cups. So the ‘recipe’ below is only a guideline to begin with. You can vary it depending on whatever happens to be in season and accessible.
I like to at least heat the fruit through for a few minutes to arrest any alteration in colour or flavour, and also to kill any bacteria. Lightly simmering the fruit, softens it and makes it easier to smooth. Either mash the softened fruit with a potato masher, or puree it in a blender, of half and half to have a more interesting texture.
Sour cherries make amazing fruit leather, alone or in combination with other fruits. They are also terrific dehydrated by themselves. Pitted of course.
Often times a combination of fruits, using the apple sauce first, opens up to a whole new world of textures and flavours. Starting with a base of apple sauce, consider these variations: * apple sauce – straight, all by itself, only sweetened if necessary, and nothing else * apple sauce with pear sauce mashed, skins removed, (trust me on this, pear skins when really ripe are tough and unpleasant). If you puree it, then you can leave the skins on. * apple berry blend – your choice. Whatever’s in season. I love using raspberries, * apple plum blend * apple peach blend * apple pie – apples with cinnamon for apple-pie fruit leather * apple grape – puree the grapes if they have seed in them.
* Sour cherries. Pureed or mashed for added texture, sweetened to taste. By themselves, or in combination with other fruits, always a winner. * Plums. In my climate, there are many varieties of plums that grow well. And they’re not only delicious to eat straight off the tree, but great for canning, dehydrating, making into jams or plum sauce, and of course fruit leather alone or in combination with other fruits. Their sweetness is the perfect companion to the tartness of rhubarb. * Peaches – alone, or mixed with anything you like are always an all time favourite of mine. However, peaches don’t grow in my climate so I always have to buy them, and mashing up fruit I purchased hurts my feelings. So the only time I would ever make peach jam or peach leather is when I got a steal of a deal, or they got away from me, past their prime, and I would otherwise lose them. That’s what makes fruit leather so great – it prevents waste. * Apricots. I don’t often have a lotta fresh apricots that I wouldn’t mind cooking up. Kinda in the same category as peaches. But in the rare instance that I have had access to some, I’d make a TON of apricot leather. I LOVE the flavour and unique ‘tart sweetness’ of apricots, and they’re a powerhouse of nutrition.
alone, or in combination with the tartness of rhubarb, the beautiful colour and natural sweetness of plums is a perfect choice for fruit leather
*Be brave and experiment. If it sounds good, and it tastes good together, then it might be the perfect marriage. Its all about making use of what you have on hand.
* Rhubarb is the perfect base for fruit leather. Beautifully tart, it is great alone, or mixed with berries or apple sauce. And its ever-plentiful, hardy in our climate. That’s hard to beat. If I’m looking for a beautiful red colour, I’ll add frozen or freeze dried cranberries. Sweeten only to taste, being careful not to loose the tartness that sets rhubarb apart.
Additional ingredients and what they’re used for:
Sugar or other sweetener: to personal taste. I am not normally a white sugar girl, but for fruit leather I find it is preferable to other sweeteners like stevia or brown sugars. Besides, sugar has preservative benefits too. Just be responsible with ‘how much’. Honey is great, but it adds its unique flavour to the fruit sauce, so make sure you like that flavour blend before you decide to use it.
rhubarb, the northern gardener’s best friend
Water or other liquid: to give it enough liquid to steam itself. Just enough, not too much. Remember, you’re dehydrating this. The more liquid to add, the more you need to dry out.
Lemon juice: to retain vibrant colour, and to add some tartness. I love the taste of lemon, and the tartness of it. It is perfect in so many combinations, especially those where flavours are being combined.
Recipe (remember there are no real, hard defined measurements). The recipe below is ONLY A GUIDE. I’m gonna use RHUBARB as my example. You can personally adjust for any other fruit, according to your own tastes and preferences.
Rhubarb Leather
1. freshly picked rhubarb, washed, chopped, and lightly simmered over low heat, till its soft enough to mash. Use water only to keep it from scorching (maybe 1/2 cup for every 4 cups of fruit), and keep the heat low. 2. sprinkle sugar over top to taste. 3. add enough lemon juice to keep colours vibrant. Could be a couple of tablespoons to a full cup – depending on how big your pot of rhubarb is. Lemon juice will keep the integrity of the colour, and will add a little zing to your flavour, but is NOT necessary. 4. mash cooked rhubarb with a potato masher to a nice consistency. I prefer this to puree’ing in the blender, because the texture is more interesting. 5. If you feel like the colour is lacking, add some red raspberries if you have them. 6. For colour: I keep on hand a good supply of frozen and/or freeze dried cranberries for the purpose of adding a gorgeous stable RED colour to my red jams and even fruit leathers. If you want your rhubarb a nicer, pinker to reddish colour, add a cup or two cranberries, and simmer with rhubarb till tender. Mash or puree (your choice), to incorporate well.
Now to dry: If you have a dehydrator, that’s my preference. If you do not, use the oven on VERY low, as low as your oven will allow. I’ll start with my first experience which was an oven.
OVEN – You need a flat surface, like a cookie sheet. Spread the sheet with a layer of plastic wrap, like saran wrap (NOT waxed paper – you’ll be sorry), or parchment paper. The saran wrap likes to stick together and its very annoying to lay it flat, but do it anyway. If you rush the job, you’ll only get more frustrated. If you have a flat silicone sheet, all the better. Its reusable and lays flat. Pour your prepared fruit sauce over top of your lined surface, and gently spread it out with the back of a spoon. Spread to about an inch from the edges. How thin? Just thick enough that you cannot see through it, about 1/8-1/4 inch.
Place in a warm oven that is set to the lowest temperature you can – which will probably be between 150-200 degrees. You’re wanting to dry the fruit sauce for as long as it takes to become a leathery, slightly tacky finished product. There are so many variables that will determine how long that should take. Check every hour or two, moving the pan slightly to promote even heat distribution. Be patient. You can’t rush this stage. My guess is anywhere from 9-12 hours. Personally, I don’t recommend leaving it over night because you’re not able to monitor sufficiently. Turn the oven off when you go to bed, and start the process over again in the morning. It doesn’t have to be babysat, just don’t leave it unattended for too many hours.
When you see that it is drying, gently touch it to see how soft or tacky it is. You don’t want any soft spots. When you think that its almost done, I recommend peeling it off the plastic, parchment or silicone sheet and flipping it upside down on the oven rack itself, for another hour or so. This lets air get all around it, and allows it to more evenly dry.
HOMEMADE DEHYDRATOR – In the height of my dehydrating days, when I had all the kids at home, Dan built me a large wooden dehydrator, almost as big as our freezer. He and our good friend Kevin Lamont worked together, as Kevin was also building one for his wife Diana. They heated them with in-car heaters which worked beautifully, moving just enough air and at a very suitable temperature. I used that dehydrator for many years, drying mostly fruits, fruit leather and herbs, but also experimenting with various vegetables. It was also a good place to make yogurt. By the time we moved to our present house, I was running our Bookstore fulltime and very busy in the early fall, getting ready for Christmas. I dehydrated less, and couldn’t justify the large floor space that my faithful dehydrator took. We found it another happy home, and moved on.
On a screened frame, lay out your plastic wrap, or parchment and pour your sauce over top spreading it with the back of a spoon. The nice thing about a big dehydrator is that you can do LOTS of fruit leather at one time. Check the progress every few hours, rotating racks to keep the heat and air more evenly distributed. My estimate is probably a good 12 – 24 hours, but again – so many variables. How full is the dehydrator? How wet and thick was your sauce? Heat and air flow? Be patient and don’t rush it. Just like with the oven, when you think its pretty much done, peel off the plastic wrap and flip it upside down on the screen for the last hour or so.
COUNTER TOP DEHYDRATOR – You can have as few as two or three racks in a counter top dehydrator, or as many as you want. That means you can easily dehydrate a small batch, or a huge batch of whatever you’re doing, and the foot print stays the same. Nice. In August or September, my dehydrator lives in my kitchen, and is often running for days at a time. I have about a dozen racks so I often dehydrate more than one type of food at a time, being careful to monitor the different time requirements. *hint: don’t put fruit and herbs in the drier at the same time unless you want oregano tinted fruit leather. But herbs and zucchini in the dehydrator at the same time are good companions.
There are some beautiful counter top dehydrators nowadays, that are easy to use, easy to regulate temperature, and easy to keep clean. Those are winning features in my books. You can also purchase plastic fruit-leather liners and screens for berries and herbs. I love that flexibility. I have six or eight reusable fruit leather liners, perfect for my use this time of year. Using the same method, I simply pour my sauce onto the liner, spreading out with the back of a spoon to the desired thickness.
fold or roll the finished fruit leather and store in an airtight bag or container
I can expect it to take about 24 hours, but again so many variables. How many racks? How wet is the sauce? And how thickly did I spread it out? Even, how humid is the air? If I put the fruit sauce into the dehydrator at night, I have no problem going to sleep with it on, but if I start the process in the morning, I wouldn’t risk it leaving it unattended overnight. I’d turn the dehydrator off when I went to bed, and start it again the next morning, so that I can keep an eye on the progress. As with the other two methods, when the leather is almost ready in my opinion, I’ll peel it from the liner and return to the rack upside down, for another hour or two or three, finishing the drying process to my satisfaction. *hint: when peeling the fruit leather from the plastic liner, it may be a little tricky. I use a firm plastic spatula to gently scrape the edges to get a good start.
Whichever method you use, the results will be very similar.
To store:
Do a final touch test to ensure the leather is dry enough – no sticky spots. Fold or roll up, and place in an airtight bag or container. Store in your pantry to have handy for regular use. Some store it in the fridge or freezer, but I’ve never done that. For one, my space is limited. And I am much more likely to lose it, and forget about it in the bottom of my freezer. LOL
packed away to store in the pantry within reach of little grandkid hands
When properly dried and package, you can expect your fruit leather to be optimum in your pantry for about a year. Preservation depends on their low moisture content of less than 25%, the natural acidity of the fruit and the sugar content. Don’t push it too long past a year though. It may appear the same, but the nutritional value will have been steadily diminishing from the time you made it. Though dehydrating may slow down the nutritional loss, it cannot prevent it. (Not even in the freezer)
I’ve known lots of people who cut their fruit leather into convenient strips to store. I think that’s great; I’ve just never done it. Mine is usually stored in the original size, and we just rip a piece off when we eat it.
The principle of food storage is sound and I wholely subscribe to it. I live by it. BUT the rule is simple: store what you eat, and eat what you store. Keeping your food storage rotated, means keeping it fresh, and that means keeping it nutritionally sound, and that should be important to us. So EAT the fruit leather you make. Give it to the kids as a healthy snack. Send it in their lunches. Bring it in the car for road trips. Don’t protect it in your pantry like some kind of rare treasure you’ll only bring to the light during some future zombie apocalypse. This is REAL life. And it tastes GOOD.
I hope this is of help to you. If you have yet to try your hand at making your own fruit leather, I really hope you’ll give it a try. You don’t need any special tools to begin, just an oven. The first time I made it (all those many years ago), I was excited to tell my sister about my new discovery. She asked how she’d be able to tell it was done, and I told her “when its dry, you just have to be your own judge”. She made it and then phoned and complained to me that it was terrible. It was like shoe leather. Who wanted to eat that? LOL *hint: stop drying it before it gets to the point of being so dry its like shoe leather. But its an experiment. You’re never gonna know till you try it yourself.
Have fun. I’d love to hear your experiences, your favourite ways of making fruit leather, and your favourite combinations.
Part 7 – R,S includes Rosemary, Sage, Savoury, Sorrel, Stevia and St. John’s Wort
ROSEMARY – culinary, aromatic herb
Rosemary is a native of the Mediterranean region where it grows as an evergreen shrub. In Canada it is considered a tender perennial, which is a joke in the Edmonton region because it will NEVER make it through the winter. It is an aromatic herb with fragrant, green, needle-like leaves and white, pink, purple, or blue flowers.
a young Rosemary in the garden surrounded by her garden friends Marigold on the right, parsley bottom right, borage bottom left, red orach on the top and a poppy top left
growing and harvesting
Rosemary grows best in well-drained, loamy soil in full sun. Water plants evenly throughout the growing season, but be careful it doesn’t sit in soggy soil. Other than that, its a pretty easy plant to have a good experience with.
In the Edmonton region, consider Rosemary as an annual, but it can be brought indoors at the end of the season with a fairly high success rate if you have a nice sunny window. Even indirect sunlight will keep it reasonably healthy. Nothing will ever be quite the same as being outside in the heat and sunlight of summer, so don’t expect that, but it will still be okay. During its sojourn in the house during the winter months, make sure it gets enough to drink; if you’re going to lose it, that will be why. They drink a LOT. To bring it into the house and not bring any potential freeloading bugs with it, dig the plant when it is still very healthy, before the cold has caused it distress. Gently shake all the dirt from the roots, and gently trim if necessary. Prune the plant by 1/3 and then pot it into a clean pot with clean potting soil. Set in a nice sunny window for its temporary winter home.
I buy two or three rosemary plants every spring to plant in my herb garden. You can get a trailing rosemary or a plant that grows upright. I like to get different kinds if I can find them – just for variety. Prune regularly so that plants won’t get lanky. I keep one in a pot on the patio that I bring inside in the winter. It’s just easier that way for me to transport in and out, but you can also just dig a plant up at the end of August as described above, and then replant it outside in the spring after ALL danger of cold nights is it the past.
To use throughout the summer, simply snip a branch as needed and bring it in for dinner. If you’re pruning regularly anyway, you’ll always have fresh rosemary on hand. At the end of the season, cut your rosemary right off at the ground. Swish in water to clean and shake off excess or strain in a salad spinner. You can dry them in the dehydrator but I’ve found that the leaves go too dark and I don’t like that. I usually just lay the cleaned branches out on a clean tea towel and leave in the open air for about a week till they’re completely dry. Fluff up once or twice throughout each day to ensure they’re drying evenly. When completely dry, pick up a branch by the stem in one hand, and gently strip all the needles/leaves with your thumb and forefinger of the other. Store in an airtight jar in a nice dark cupboard. Label with date.
using Rosemary in the kitchen
Rosemary can be used fresh or dry, with the needles removed and minced or as whole sprigs, to infuse flavor into a larger dish like a stew or roast. To strip fresh leaves from the stem, pull the needles in the opposite direction from which they grow and they should easily slide off the stalk. Fresh rosemary is easiest to use because the leaves are soft and pliable, but if you don’t have a plant in the winter, then it’s easy to use the leaves dried.
Use rosemary with chicken and other poultry, pork, steaks, and fish. It also goes well with grains, mushrooms, onions, peas, potatoes and spinach. These are my favourite ways to use it: *Roasted potatoes: cubed potatoes in baking dish, drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle liberally with chopped rosemary, coarse salt and cracked pepper. Bake in open dish at 400 degrees till nicely browned and tender to the fork. Timing depends on how big your potato pieces are – I use bite size pieces and it generally takes 45-60 minutes. Toss every 10-15 minutes to ensure they’re evenly coated with oil as they roast. *Rosemary bread: add chopped rosemary to bread dough, especially sourdough. *Rosemary in olive oil and balsamic vinegar to use as a dip for freshly baked bread. Serve along side a fresh green salad.
SAGE – a culinary herb
Sage has a long European history as a medicinal plant, but is most commonly used nowadays in the kitchen. It has greyish green elongated leaves, with a soft, downy surface, and its pretty flowers are shy little spikes of purple, blue, white or pink.
growing and harvesting:
Sage is an easy to grow, hardy ‘semi perennial‘ with uniquely shaped and coloured leaves, that looks good in every garden, and is as much at home in your flower bed, and your vegetable garden, as your herb garden. When I say ‘semi perennial’, I mean in the Edmonton area – zone 3A/B – sometimes it comes back in the spring, but sadly – you cannot count on it from one year to the next. I generally plan to buy one or two greenhouse sage plants in the spring, and if what I had growing last season come back, then lucky me, I’ll have more. If they don’t then I’m still covered. Welcome to Alberta. Frankly, for the average household, a single sage plant is probably sufficient for all your needs anyway. A few years ago, my son introduced me to sage ‘tea’ (really an infusion), and I really like it, so since then, I grow more, to have enough for tea throughout the winter.
Plant in full sun, well draining soil. Sage likes to be near rosemary and carrots, but they do not like cucumbers so keep them separate. Be sure to water young plants regularly till they get established.
To use continually throughout the summer, simply pinch off leaves or snip off small sprigs from the plant. Don’t harvest too aggressively too early. Once your plants are established, especially if they’re in their second year, you can harvest two or three times during the season. The flavour is best when fresh, but it is easily dried or frozen to store. s
sage at the beginning of July in herb garden 2020
drying: You can hang sprigs of the leaves in a shady, well ventilated area. I do not. I’ve never really had a convenient spot to do that in the quantity of herbs I dry all summer long. I wash, shake off excess moisture and pat dry. I pinch off individual leaves and scatter loosely onto a clean tea towel – leave for up to a week, maybe more if the weather is humid. Every day when I think about it, I’ll fluff the leaves up with my hand to ensure they get enough air and are drying evenly. If you have a dehydrator, you can do in a couple of hours what might take a week to do in the open air. Make sure they are COMPLETELY dry before storing in an airtight container.
freezing: Apparently sage keeps its flavour well when frozen. I have never done this, but I can see the value for some people. Freeze loosely on a tray, then transfer into a labelled and dated freezer bag. Keep your bags handy in the fridge freezer in the kitchen so they don’t get lost in the bigger freezer.
Personally, I choose to dehydrate, mostly for convenience. I suppose how you choose to preserve it, depends on what you plan to use your sage for.
using in the kitchen:
sage tea steeping
*The most common use of sage in the North American kitchen is in traditional stuffing for roast meats like pork or turkey. Thanksgiving and Christmas dinner just wouldn’t be the same without that comforting smell of roasting turkey with sage in air. But! Don’t limit sage to only twice a year. Be experimental. *Add the crumbled dried leaves to tomato sauce. *During the summer, a sprig of fresh sage is a lovely, edible garnish on any dish. *Fresh sage in a jug of chilled water, makes for a nice light, refreshing drink. *Fresh or dried sage steeped in boiled water makes a nice infusion tea that is said to have have a calming effect. *Fresh or dried sage (chopped or crumbled) creamed into butter and left to sit for a few hours, makes a nice lightly flavoured butter. Use the butter for fresh biscuits, to top mashed potatoes, or to fry eggs or omelette.
non culinary use
Sage is known as an “aromatic” herb which means simply that it has a noticeable fragrant smell. This aromatic quality makes it a good addition to potpourris. Sage has astringent properties which tighten the skin. Dab a cold, strong sage infusion tea onto your face with a cotton swab. Keep it in the fridge. Sage has expectorant properties, which can be helpful for throat and chest disorders, promoting a productive cough to clear phlegm from the airways. Drink as a strong infusion tea.
SAVORY – culinary
Summer Savory is an aromatic plant related to rosemary and thyme, native to North Africa, southeastern Europe, the Middle East and Asia. As with so many foods, it was introduced to North America with European settlers. Although a perennial in some parts of the world, it rarely makes it through the winter, so be prepared to rebuy next spring if you love it. It can grow up to 20 inches high and has a white to pale pinkish flower. The flavour is intense, but milder than the almost bitter, stronger taste of winter savory.
growing and harvesting:
Savory is easy to grow, but since I only want one plant, it’s not worth my time to plant indoors by seed, so I buy it from a local nursery – which is sufficient for our needs. Best place is a well drained, sunny spot. If you want several, you might want to plant by seed in the house by the beginning of March, but definitely its gotta go into the garden as a plant, not a seed. Once it gets established, you can pretty much leave it alone. Don’t worry, it knows what to do.
By mid summer, your Savory is ready to pick. I pick all the bigger stalks, leaving some smaller ones to mature for a later picking. Wash by swishing around in clean water, flick off the excise and place the herb onto a clean white kitchen towel to dry. Plan to leave it at least a week. When thoroughly dry, pull the leaves from the stock (the tines of a fork are handy for this) and after removing any small stick-branches, place into a clean dry canning jar, storing out of the light.
using in the kitchen:
Savory resembles the flavour profile of sage and thyme, and smells like good down-home cooking to me. I think of roast turkey or chicken and stuffing, and gravy, so of course its means Thanksgiving Dinner to me. But good ol’ down-home cooking means a lot of other things too, like hearty bean soup.
who doesn’t like a nice hot thick bowl of ‘hearty’, on a cold fall or winter day? Savory White Bean Soup 1 lb white beans, sorted and rinsed 12 cups vegetable stock or chicken stock 2 bay leaves 1/4 oil (I prefer olive oil) 2 cloves garlic minced 2 lg onions chopped 3-4 lg carrots peeled and chopped 6+ stalks celery chopped 1 can tomatoes – whole (sliced), diced, stewed, your choice 1 teaspoon – 1 Tablespoon (how strong do you like it?) SAVORY, crushed leaves but not powdered please 2 teaspoon salt + 1 teaspoon pepper (if you’re using prepared bouillon for stock, its likely already salted. Taste test and adjust accordingly later.) Rinse beans, then cover them with stock water. No salt at this point. Add bay leaves and bring to a boil. Turn the heat down to a slow rolling boil and simmer steadily covered for about 2 hours (till beans are beginning to tender). At this point, in separate pot saute in oil – garlic, onions over medium high flame, for one or two minutes till aromatic. Add remaining vegetables and saute 3-4 minutes max, then pour the vegetable mixture into the pot of beans. Add the can of tomatoes , savory and salt and pepper (tasting to adjust seasoning) Simmer slowly for another 30 minutes or so till all are tender and starting to thicken. Remove from heat and allow to sit for another 5 or 10 minutes before serving. *optional: corn is wonderful in this end of summer meal. I use freeze dried. Add 2-3 cups. Serve with nice crusty piece of whole wheat sour dough bread.
* the age of your beans will influence the length of time they need to be cook. Older beans need longer time. Keep this in mind earlier in the day so you don’t rush the soup if your beans are older.
non culinary use
With its intensity, Savory has long been used to treat a variety of ailments such as a gargle for a sore throat. It is also used to enhance appetite, as a remedy for stomach and digestive disorders, and to help alleviate symptoms of asthma and colic. Personally, I am only interested in this wonderfully flavourful herb for its culinary benefits, although I am intrigued about that gargle idea for a sore throat.
SORREL
A hardy perennial, reliable to come back every year, will thrive on little attention, and is among the first plants to provide fresh green leaves in the spring; by early to mid May you can be picking some nice tender leaves as one of the first garden offerings. I don’t know about you, but that is a winning combination in my books. Lemony taste with a strong flavour, can be lightly steamed, sautéed or added to salads, it’s a versatile leafy green that can be enjoyed both raw and cooked. Because of it’s strong flavour, I personally wouldn’t choose to have it AS a salad, but I sure like it IN a salad to add some nice flavourful bites with it’s lemony tang.
growing and harvesting
Sorrel grows best in full sun, but will tolerate a little shade, and will even last longer into the summer before seeding. It has a very deep and persistent tap root which helps it do well with little attention, but don’t ignore it completely. Sorrel should have a minimum of one inch of water a week, so if it doesn’t rain regularly, give it a drink now and again. I’ve read that sorrel can be invasive, but I’ve had a single sorrel plant for years and have never had it make any attempt to take over. It can be divided into two plants, which I intend to do this spring, as I am ready for more of it.
It is a substantial plant, growing up to 18 inches high, so the leaves are nice and big too. To harvest, simply pinch off young leaves from the base. More tender when its young during the spring, so don’t waste those early weeks by forgetting about it. Careful, rabbits love sorrel too.
using in the kitchen
Lemons and limes aren’t the only foods that have a tart, acidic flavour, sorrel has got a lotta PUNCH. Surprising for a green leafy vegetable, as other leafy greens like spinach, lambs quarters, orach and swiss chard have a comparatively mild flavour. I’ve heard it described as lemonade in a leaf and I think that’s a perfect description. Long before citrus fruits ever reached Europe, people used it to add a sour flavour to the dishes. It is very popular in many parts of the world, but quite under used in North America, probably because we haven’t figured out what to do with it. Be adventurous. Be part of the movement that is helping bring this forgotten herb back to the table.
Sorrel leaves are tender in spring, but as the season wears on, they get a tougher. Don’t let that dissuade you though, they can still be used in soups and stew, and even pureed to add their wonderfully distinctive flavour. In Nigeria, it is steamed and added to onion and tomatoes with salt and pepper. In India, it is used in soups and curries with yellow lentils and peanuts. In eastern Europe, it is used to make sour soups, and stewed with vegetables. In Greece it is used with other greens in spanakopita. In the middle east, it is simmered lightly and served cold, marinated in olive oil, or stewed with onions, potatoes, garlic and bulgur wheat or lentils. It is even dried and then used as a dried herb in the winter, to flavour dishes. You really can’t expect it to be more versatile than that!
Great in a mixed green salad or as a garnish. All sorrel is incredibly sour with a lemony flavour, and you probably won’t want to eat straight in large quantities. Just as well, because just like spinach, beets and their greens, swiss chard, rhubarb, and other vitamin rich foods, it contains high amounts of oxalic acid. This doesn’t mean don’t eat it, it means that moderation is the key. Studies show that lemon juice has a neutralizing effect on oxalic acid, so sprinkle some more on your salad.
Use sauteed sorrel in omelette, fritatta, or as a pizza topping with pizzaz! Whether you decide to use it fresh and finely chopped, sprinkling over top, or lightly steamed, strained and then chopped and sprinkled over top – it up to you. Both would be excellent.
If you’ve never tried sorrel, TRY IT! It’s potent astringency and a lemony, citrus-like flavour will take you by surprise.
My Recommended Tips for Incorporating Sorrel in ways that your kids will love it!
Use it sparingly, especially at first while you’re getting used to it. It has a strong flavour and over doing it in the beginning may be too much.
freshly picked from the community garden herb plot, the sorrel is already going to seed, and its only the first week of June! No worries, I cut a couple of handfuls off at the ground, removed the leaves, (cutting up the stocks to add to the compost), and then washed and drained them to use tomorrow.
Remove leaves from stems and wash thoroughly to remove any garden dirt or grit. Drain well and remove surface moisture, wrap in a clean tea towel. Pack into a plastic bag until you are ready to use it.
Discard the stems into the compost as they’re not flavourful.
Cook gently! As with all tender greens, Sorrel cooks down quickly, so there is no need for excessive heat or time. Don’t cook the guts out of it. be careful not to overcook it, especially in soups. I always add my greens to the soup as the very last step. Just before serving, throw in the clean and lightly chopped sorrel leave.
* Adding cream, sour cream or yogurt, tempers the acidity to smooth out the flavour.
Using it Raw:
Salads: Add raw sorrel leaves to mixed green salads for a bright, citrusy bite. Coarsely chop or tear into pieces to toss into your salad greens, bumping up the acidic quality of your salad and lifting the intensity of flavour to new heights. Emphasis on “intensity of flavour”. Gone are the boring, tasteless greens that need a dressing to give them taste. When making a dressing just use less vinegar or lemon juice.
Pesto: I love all kinds of pesto, and usually add lemon juice when making it. Not necessary with Sorrel. Just proceed as for any other pesto recipe, and prepare to be wowed. Pesto Recipes to check out and adjust for sorrel – links included: basil pesto oregano pesto nasturtium pesto radish green pesto I hope you’ll go check them out, and make up a batch or two in the summer when all is fresh and green.
Dip: Finely chop sorrel and add it to mixture of yogurt (or sour cream) and mayonnaise for a refreshing dip or sandwich spread.
Sandwiches: Use young sorrel leaves as a leafy green on sandwiches.
Using it Cooked:
Soups: Sorrel is a classic ingredient in soups, often paired with leeks, potatoes, carrots and other mild vegetables. Use it in a mild chicken and rice soup with carrots and peppers; use it instead of kale in ITALIAN WEDDING SOUP; as a green in a traditional potato chowder. You be YOU!
Other dishes: Sorrel can be used in casseroles, stir-fries, and other dishes where its flavor and texture can be a good addition.
Sauces: Sorrel can be cooked down to make a sauce, often paired with butter, cream, or yogurt.
Palek Paneer: This traditional Indian dish generally uses mild flavoured spinach with several Indian spices. It’s a favourite of mine, but I haven’t used sorrel in instead. I am very intrigued and will incorporate it as soon as possible in the next time I make this dish.
Fish dishes: Sorrel sauce is a popular accompaniment to baked or poached fish, particularly – salmon. Lemon flavour without the lemon.
Omelets: Sorrel can be incorporated into omelets for a lemony twist.
recipe for Sorrel Sauce 2/3 cup heavy cream 1/4 cup butter about a dozen sorrel leaves, stems removed 1/4 cup chicken or vegetable stock – maybe salt and pepper to taste Slice the sorrel leaves very thin. That is easier to do when you roll them up tightly. Bring the cream to a simmer in small pot – this will prevent it from curdling when you add the sorrel later. Not kidding. In another pot, melt the butter and add sorrel to saute and cook down. The colour will loose its brilliance. Stir in the hot cream, stirring while you bring it back to a slow simmer. If the sauce is thicker than you prefer, thin it out with the stock, adding slowly and stirring till you get it to the consistency you prefer. Salt and pepper to taste. Pour over fish, chicken breast or even roasted potatoes.
STEVIA
A super sweet, natural substitute for sugar that is calorie free. Almost too good to be true, but it really is. Once you’ve grown stevia and are used to having it around, you’ll grow it every year. Native to the tropics of Central America, the stevia plant produces leaves packed with super-sweet compounds that remain stable even after the leaves have been dried. So that means you’ve got your FRESH natural sweetener available in your garden for snipping all summer long, and dried natural sweetener available in your kitchen for the rest of the year. Its been a common sweetener among the indigenous of Meso America for centuries, and is gaining in popularity in North America recently too. Popular and important to diabetics, dieters, those who want to reduce their sugar intake, and those who simply want to eat healthier. It is especially well-suited for sweetening drinks, salad dressings and yogurt.
There are many derivatives of stevia that are commonly used in in our food industry, but I am only talking about the plant that we grow in our gardens. That is the only way I use it.
growing and harvesting:
Stevia in the herb garden
Growing stevia is easy in well-drained garden beds or large containers, and the leaves can be dried for winter use like any other herb. It grows best in warm conditions similar to that of its native Central America, and in the ideal climate with grow up to 2 feet high. In the Edmonton area where I live, you can expect full gown plants to grow nearly that high. I grow 1-3 stevia plants in my herb garden. They need full sun.
Stevia can be started from seed indoors around February to March, but germination is spotty at best and they’re pretty picky in their infancy. As I only ever intend to buy 2 or 3 plants, it’s simply easier pick them up at a local greenhouse. And frankly a couple of plants will give me more stevia than I will use all year long. Choose a well-drained site in full sun for your plants, and set them out after all risk of frost. Don’t worry, once they’re big enough for the garden, they become very low maintenance.
when? You can pick leaves anytime during the year as you need to use it, but for a bigger picking, watch for when it looks like your stevia is starting to bloom. You want to harvest before the buds flower. If you’re away and miss it by a few days, remove the flower heads and go ahead and harvest. If you let it go to seed, the leaves will grow smaller and energy will go to the production of seed.
With my garden clippers, I cut the stalk off, leaving 3-4 inches at the bottom, MAKING SURE THERE ARE AT LEAST A FEW LEAVES at the bottom. This is so that the plant has a chance to regrow if the season and weather allows, hoping of course that I’ll have a chance for one more smaller picking at the end of August. Make sure you pick it before the first frost. If it freezes, you’ll lose it.
Rinse leaves, lay out onto a clean kitchen towel to air dry for a few days. Might take up to a week depending on quantity and humidity in the air. Every day fluff it up to ensure good air flow.
using in the kitchen
Throughout the summer, I will use stevia for the odd sweetening job straight from the garden. The amount required to sufficiently sweeten a cup of tea for example, is surprisingly small. Like 1/4 of a leaf (if its not too big). Seriously. Taste test stevia to become familiar with it. It is shockingly sweet. If I am making a morning smoothie with sour cherries or tart raspberries, I might want to sweeten it up a little. Instead of sugar, honey is of course a lovely sweetener. But try something new. A single leaf of stevia from the garden is probably enough to take the sour edge out of your smoothie. Taste test using one leaf at a time. Too many will make it sickeningly sweet, and you’ll be surprised at how few it takes.
Remember to use dried stevia sugar in small proportions, as it is nearly 30 times sweeter than cane sugar. Roughly, one teaspoonful of dried leaves powder is equivalent to one cup of sugar; therefore, use it in small quantities adjusting the amount to achieve your desired levels of sweetness. Stevia ‘sugar’ is processed into a white crystalline powder, approximately 300 times sweeter than regular cane sugar.
recipe for Stevia Syrup: add a cup of hot water to 1/4 cup of fresh, finely crushed leaves. Allow to settle down for 24 hours, strain, then refrigerate.
Use stevia to sweeten tea or lemonade. Can be added in jam, yogurt, ice creams & sherbets, smoothies, desserts etc.
ST JOHNS WORT – insomnia and depression
St. John’s wort – know as a mood elevator – is most commonly used for conditions that sometimes go along with depression such as anxiety, tiredness, loss of appetite and trouble sleeping. There is strong evidence that it is effective for mild to moderate depression. Also used for symptoms of PMS and menopause, attention deficit-hyperactivity disorder ADHD, obsessive-compulsive disorder OCD, and seasonal affective disorder SAD.
SHOULD NEVER BE USED IN CONJUNCTION WITH DRUGS FOR THE SAME PURPOSE, as there is a high possibility of poor interaction. Can be purchased from a health food store in capsule or tincture. From the home garden, most often used as an infusion tea.
Odd name I know. The word “wort” is an Old English suffix for “plant” and is frequently found in other common plant names. In this case it means – St. John’s Plant, and refers to the fact that the flowers were traditionally harvested on the Catholic Saint’s Day honoring the nativity of St. John the Baptist, June 24. After harvesting the flowers, the believer would hang them over a painting or statue of St. John in the home, which was thought to protect the believer from evil spirits.
growing and harvesting
Native to Europe, St John’s Wort was so valued for for its medicinal qualities, that it was introduced to North America when Europeans first began colonizing here. It escaped cultivation in the United States and spread throughout and into Canada, and is now listed as a noxious weed in many states and provinces.
It is a short woody, perineal shrub that grows about 2-3 feet tall, and has fragrant yellow flowers from mid to late summer. It grows well in all kinds of soil: sand, clay, rocky or loam, and tolerates acidic to slightly alkaline pH conditions. It adapts to both moist and dry soil, and even tolerates occasional flooding or drought. It spreads easily through roots and seeds, and is considered invasive.
St John’s wort in glass jar for storage. Keep sealed in dark cupboard.
It is loved by bees and other pollinators, and is still valued as a medicinal plant. To harvest, pick the fresh flowers and buds, or a quicker method is to simply cut the top 2 – 3 inches of the plant when it is full bloom in late June/early July. I swish in water to rinse any dust off, spin in my salad spinner to remove excess moisture, and then lay loosely on a clean tea towel on my table. Fluff up with my fingers a few times a day to ensure even drying, and let it sit for at least a week. More time if weather is humid. When completely dry, put into an airtight container, label and keep in a dark cupboard.
using
The leaves and flowers of this plant are all edible and can be used in garnishes and in salads. It is most commonly brewed to make an infusion tea. When consumed in large doses it can cause skin reactions to sun exposure.
St John’s Wort is credited with so many of curative properties, some of them based heavily on superstition, that it is hard to know what is accurate. I lean toward believing the mood elevation properties, simply because they seem to have a little more science behind them. I grow it for this reason, and harvest the flowers for this reason. There are some toxic attributes too however, when taken to excess, so as in all things, moderation is the key. If I was going to use it medicinally, I’d want to do considerably more research than what you have available here.
I’d love to hear your thoughts on any of these valuable garden herbs.
