As a gardener I swore off growing cabbage over three decades before now. I had tried every organic way I read or hear about to control the infamous cabbage worms – with no success. Finding creepy worms in the cabbage we wanted to make into sauerkraut took the joy out of an entire season of growing. I’ll admit I’m squeamish, I don’t like worms – even the good kind. I don’t like bugs other than lady bugs and bees (and those only from a distance). I can’t handle slugs and snails. The list goes on. So why do I garden? Yeah, that’s sometimes a mystery even to me.
But we loved cabbage, and I kept thinking I was missing something critical. I continued searching for solutions and trying every organic trick I heard of – full of promises but never delivering. Finally one day, I gave up. I had given it my best shot, but decided it couldn’t be done without chemicals I had chosen not to use in our garden. “No more cruciferous vegetables in our garden!” It was a liberating feeling, free from disappointment, and I stuck to my guns for years. Until now … …
Thirty years later, my new friend Kim Ross convinced me to try again – using her hoop and netting system – organically. No bugs, no cabbage worms, no chemicals, . . . . hmmm. I thought I’d heard it all, but I hadn’t tried THIS. I had trusted her in the past – she steered me right in the No-Til approach to gardening. If I was ever going to believe anyone about cabbage – it was going to be her, because she had repeated success with it.
left: view from outside the netting, right side: view from the inside – images from Kim Ross’s garden
In 2025, I started cabbage plants by seed in March, and ordered some netting from her. Dan and I set out the plants and immediately covered them with the netting. The sun and rain came through the netting as promised, not a single fly or moth could find an opening. The cabbage grew big and beautiful. I was SOLD! I even had a couple broccoli plants in there. Equally beautiful. 100% pest free.
A whole new world opened up to me.
About five years before, I had made an exception to my rule for kale. I kept them separated, in different quadrants of the garden, prepared to dispose of any that became infested with some nameless pest. I didn’t care what the bug was – the plant would go into the garbage can in the alley the very minute I discovered the problem. My thinking was that by doing that, I’d protect any other kale plant from suffering the same fate. It worked for me the trial year, so I did it again. Kale are now a standard in my garden. I grow a few interspersed throughout the vegetable and flower gardens, always ready to sacrifice one or two as needed.
Tatsoi
Okay I confess, I was weakening – soon, I also allowed some Asian greens to join my party: Tatsoi and Bokchoi. And we were getting along just fine, but I drew the line at cabbage, broccoli and cauliflower. Those ugly worm memories were too strong to get rid of.
I had observed other gardeners use various ‘hacks’, including covering cabbages, and I watched with interest as the seasons progressed, but too often the end was disappointing, and I felt vindicated. Until Kim Ross bragged about her specific netting that is. I finally caved. Thankfully. And now I am the proud ‘grower of cabbage’.
This is good news for me, because cruciferous vegetables are low in calories and rich in vitamins and fiber. They’re delicious and nutritious. Cabbage is known for its dense heads that come in green, red or white, (I’ve only ever grown green), and is used fresh in salads and cooked dishes like cabbage rolls. In our house its often the base of stir fried vegetables as well as vegetable soup. And it is what makes sauerkraut – SAUERKRAUT. I simply wouldn’t want to do without cabbage.
Cabbage is a cold weather vegetable – so it can be planted earlier than most others. In our area, you can usually plant them mid April – getting a full month jump on most other vegetables. I’m not going to tell you about its usual enemies – because its a subject I care nothing about. I will forever more plant my cabbages in rows under the protective netting Kim Ross advocates, and because of that, I expect to never again meet cabbage moths, flies or caterpillars in any of my cruciferous plants. I am content to be the ridiculous, finicky, easily disgusted, “city person” that you can make fun of behind my back. In my mind that’s far more preferable to worms.
Planting and Soil
WHAT Try different types of cabbage seeds till you find your favourite. I don’t have a favourite yet. I liked what I grew last year, but I’m still gonna try others since I’m such a novice.
WHERE Selecting the best spot: Cabbage prefers well-drained, loamy soil, rich in compost or aged manure. And it need SUN. Full sun implies a minimum of 6-8 hours daily. You can’t fake the sun so this is very important. Choose a nice sunny spot. I am told that in southern climes you can plant cabbages in more shady areas to protect them from hot unyielding sun (remember they’re a cold weather crop), but I don’t live in a southern climate and where I live, full unfiltered sun is still important for cabbages to grow.
WHEN Start seeds indoors in late winter (February or March), for spring planting outdoors, or simply buy your plants from a garden center. No judging here. As soon as the days start warming up enough that the ground has thawed and dried enough to work in, set your plants out.
Don’t hesitate to plant a few different varieties of cabbage – paying attention to the length of time each is expected to take. This could help you harvest consecutively for several weeks. Some will have a suggested growing at 80 days. Some more, some less.
HOW I practise no-til gardening with a very deep layer of straw as mulch. Deep as in 6-8 inches of straw or more. Because mine is an urban garden, space is always an issue so we mow our straw to break it up a little. There are mixed reviews on this practise, some prefer to leave the long stalks, personally I find them more manageable in my smaller garden if we’ve lightly chopped them up with the lawn mower. My entire row is covered with straw – LOTS of it. In my paths I have a deep layer of wood chips, also for mulch but this mulch takes longer to break down than the straw, perfect for the pathways.
The straw and wood chip mulches (not mixed) allow the rain to go through, while reducing evaporation. This makes best use of our water.
It also prevents the sun from getting through to the ground which eliminates many of the weed seeds from being able to sprout and thrive.
The straw also begins decomposing where it touches the soil, and over the course of the season – that composting of the bottom layer will add to the richness of the soil.
Mark your row and decide exactly where you want each plant. (If you’ve got more seedlings than you can use, give some away.) Space out your stakes for the hoops, in even spaces from each other. Hammer them into the ground to keep them solid.
Allow plenty of room for all the outer cabbage leaves that accompany the actual cabbage – a minimum of 12 inches on either side of the cabbage itself, more depending on the type you’re growing. Pay attention to the recommended space written on the seed package. These outer leaves take up a lotta room but they’re important. They’re busy all season gathering sun, rain and nutrients for your plants.
netted row of cruciferous vegetables in our community garden 2025 2nd picture is my friend Sandi hold up three magnificent from her community garden plot. No bugs,
to PLANT Gently move the straw over and add plenty of nice, rich compost to the row. Set the small cabbage plants into the prepared ground and water well. Gently firm all the soil around the plant with your hands, and give them a nice thirst quenching drink of water.
Cabbages are heavy feeders, so make sure you add a generous amount of compost to the area reaching out at least a foot around the sealing.
When all done planting, tuck the straw around the plants, being careful NOT to allow the straw to touch them – you want air and a little space between the plant and the straw. Once the plants get strong and happy in their new neighbourhood, you can tuck the straw in closer.
Putting the netting on Attach the rubber hose / hoops to one stake and then pull the hose to the stake directly across from it. Once all stakes with hoops are attached, take your netting and gently pull it across all stakes, going down your entire row. Be sure to leave enough fabric to fasten down both ends, as well as fasten down the sides to give it a nice snug fit – like putting a bottom sheet on your bed.
That’s it. It really is that easy. You’re good to go.
WATER The straw mulch will restrict the need of LOTS of water being required all season long. Water generously in the beginning few weeks to help get roots established. Then water as needed throughout the rest of the season.
*Hint: whether water or rain, it will go through the netting just fine and will go through the straw mulch. As the season goes on, reduce the amount of watering you’re giving each plant. Once the cabbage head starts to form, too much moisture may cause the head to split. This doesn’t affect the taste or nutrition but it can look quite unsightly, and will affect the long term shelf life, as well as preventing you from using this particular cabbage from being cabbage rolls.
The big outer leaves gather the rain from which the plant drinks. In most cases, the rain will be sufficient IF you have a deep enough protective straw layer around your vegetables. You should rarely have to water your garden if using enough straw.
I hope you’ll give cabbage an honest try in your garden if you haven’t already, or haven’t for a long time. Prepare to be pleased.
*hint: if you EVER hear of Kim Ross speaking in your part of the world – attend. You’ll thank yourself many times over for having done so.
do you know the difference between wild blueberries and cultivated?
Did you know that blueberries are one of the only foods naturally blue in colour? Did you know that wild blueberries have been harvested by humans for more than 13,000 years? Did you know that cultivated blueberries were developed in the 20th century? Did you know that the silvery ‘bloom’ on blueberries is a protective coating and shouldn’t be washed off until you are ready to eat them? Did you know that the United States is the world’s largest producer of cultivated blueberries? Did you know that Canada is the world’s largest producer of wild blueberries? Did you know that WILD blueberries are smaller in size than cultivated blueberries? Did you know that wild blueberries have an intensity of flavour that cultivated blueberries simply don’t have? Did you know that wild blueberries vary in colour from different shades of red, purple and blue to almost black, and that they also vary in sweetness? Did you know that wild blueberries are more flavourful and nutrient dense than their cultivated and well mannered cousins? Did you know that wild blueberries are considered a Superfood? and that they have double the antioxidants that cultivated blueberries have?
Why does any of this matter?
Because wild blueberries have a higher rate of genetic diversity than their cultivated 2nd cousins twice removed.
Cultivated blueberries grow 6 to 12 feet tall, depending on the variety. Not surprisingly, they’re called HIGH bush.
and why does this matter? Because that is what makes wild blueberries better for you!
Why? Because they have a higher antioxidant content (double that of cultivated blueberries).
Why? Because their smaller size gives them a higher skin-to-pulp ratio, containing more fiber, iron and a higher concentration of bioactive compounds including anthocyanins (remember that word).
Unlike cultivated blueberries which are the result of generations of selective breeding and farming practices designed to make them easier to harvest, as well as bigger and juicier, wild blueberries grow 100% on their own (wild), not planted, or tampered with in any way. This means they have NO genetic engineering, they are exactly what nature originally created.
What does this mean for you? It means BLUEBERRIES are very good for you, but WILD BLUEBERRIES are even better!
Wild blueberries grow 1 to 2 feet in height and breadth – commonly referred to as Low bush blueberries.
Great right? Well-l-l, when was the last time you saw wild blueberries in the grocery store?
Problem #1: you cannot PLANT wild blueberries. That’s why they’re call wild. They grow where they want to, and only where they want to. They have very specific soil requirements that cannot be duplicated. Wild blueberries (lowbush) primarily grow in the acidic soils of Eastern North America, especially in Atlantic Canada (Quebec, Nova Scotia, New Brunswick and Prince Edward Island), and in north Atlantic USA (Maine), thriving in cool climates on sandy, well-drained land, often in areas previously burned or cleared.
Wild blueberries grow naturally in fields and rocky hills called barrens. No one ‘plants’ them; they’ve grown naturally for thousands of years by spreading via underground runners. As such they are a pretty ‘low-maintenance crop’ for the most part. Field owners are hands-off throughout most of the growing season, although they prune fields with rotary mowers on alternate years, working with the natural two year crop cycle. Bees and other natural pollinators are critical to pollinate the bushes.
Key Growing Regions and Conditions:
While Dan and I drove the roads of rural Nova Scotia last fall (October 2025), we saw this gorgeous site of red fields mile after mile. We looked for clues as to what it was, but found none. Finally we pulled over and walked out into the ‘red’ to get a closer look, My phone app told me we were looking at fields of WILD Blueberries! Who knew? If you’re a native to Atlantic Canada you probably recognize the site, but neither Dan nor I had seen anything like it. And so began my deep dive into learning about wild blueberries.
Wild blueberries are native to Canada so you may find them growing in all sorts of wild areas that meet the climate and soil requirements. But those are generally small patches. I grew up in northern Alberta and well remember going out to pick blueberries on summer days with my mom and a few other moms. We’d spread out and find a place to sit. My mom (and her other mom friends) were good blueberry pickers because they were motivated by love – making blueberry pie and other delectable treats that could only come to our families one way. Their children however, were not very good blueberry pickers. I was there for the fun of running around with my friends and eating whatever blueberries I picked. I was not beyond eating from my mom’s bucket if she let me – she DIDN’T. I can’t claim to have contributed much to the cause, but I benefit from the good memories. Since growing up and leaving home however, I moved to the city and have never picked a wild blueberry again.
Other than the small patches that are picked privately dotting the country, it is the eastern Canadian provinces of Quebec, Nova Scotia, New Brunswick and Prince Edward Island, where WILD BLUEBERRIES grow naturally – thousands of acres are set aside for them – protected. In the United States, Maine is the single largest producer of wild blueberries.
Ideal Conditions are: Cold climates with plenty of fresh water. Acidic, sandy, and well-drained soil. Habitat naturally occurs on open, treeless land, pine barrens, or areas recently cleared by fire, which stimulates growth.
Problem #2: it is very difficult to find wild blueberries in our world of shrinking wildlands. Wildland areas suitable to growing them are getting less continually. Naturalized fields are often managed through controlled burns or mowing to promote new growth and spread. Wild blueberry bogs are protected.
I already knew that next to freshly harvested, no method of preserving would be as nutritious as freeze drying, and since I am not likely to ever eat a “fresh” wild blueberry that I didn’t personally pick, my next best alternative to buying wild blueberries is to find them freeze dried.
Problem #3: even if you knew where some wild blueberries grew, most people will never be able to access them. Lucky you. I hope you thank the Lord continually for your privilege.
Problem #4: because wild blueberries grow low to the ground, they must be harvested by hand – or with a hand rake specifically designed for this purpose. This is labour intensive, making harvesting difficult and expensive.
While cultivated blueberry plants have been engineered to grow tall (called highbush), and are planted in rows, making harvesting easier, wild blueberry plants spread low and wide randomly through runners.
So how can we partake of WILD BLUEBERRIES in a sustainable and affordable way?
Wise Harvest Freeze Dried Foods1only buys wild blueberries from sustainable farms that are dedicated to preserving their wild habitat, and YES they’re still harvested by hand or with a hand rake specifically designed for this purpose.
Wild blueberries are flash frozen within 24 hours of harvest, then transferred to a facility where remaining moisture is removed without thawing – in the second stage of the two step freeze-drying process.
I found a source of freeze dried WILD Blueberries that I trust. Wise Harvest.
This means that wild blueberries are available to all, in non perishable freeze dried form – which preserves over 90% of the original natural nutrition, and is packaged to have a shelf life of up to 8 years.
Freeze drying wild blueberries makes them completely snackable – any time, any where. An easy go-to breakfast or midday snack – resealable so you can come back to it later.
start at 8:34 to see the wild blueberries
* Spoiler alert: Though it might be a year or two out, Wise Harvestis moving toward packaging in BPA free cans which will extend the shelf life to 25 years. Remember you heard that here first.
I’d love to hear your thoughts about Wild Blueberries, and your experiences. Were you lucky enough to have picked them in the wild when you were growing up? Or maybe you still do? Have you tried the freeze dried?
Beets quietly sit on the grocer’s shelf, a little shy, nothing really spectacular to look at. You may even walk right by without noticing them; admittedly they’re a little on the plain side, down to earth. You might have to look specifically for them as they’ll never jump out at you – they’re just not ‘that way’. In fact, I don’t believe I’ve ever seen a big splashy display of beets at a grocery store. But if you did walk right by them, you’d be missing one of the nature’s most nutritious vegetables, one that deserves a special place on your plate.
A recent survey listed beets in the top two LEAST liked vegetables in North America, second only to turnips. That seems a little harsh to me. 26% of those surveyed said they disliked beets; even brussels sprouts scored higher.
Why do people dislike beets? Here are the top reasons given:
Lack of exposure or delayed introduction The first reason may simply be “lack of exposure”. Since beets are seldom on the menu at home, we’re not accustomed to them. Often times a lack of exposure to beets, especially in childhood, can lead to a long term suspicion of “different” and prevent some from trying them. Sometimes, a single negative experience can create a lasting aversion.
Many food preferences are established from continued exposure. In fact, statistics say that a ‘new’ food may have to be tried up to 30 times before one develops a taste for it.
Colour Admittedly, the colour of beets is highly unusual. Because it’s different, some may shy away from them, preferring the plain and usual colours of vegetables: green or orange. Truth is, we eat first with our eyes; to some, the vibrant colour is appealing, while to others it’s the opposite – too weird. An aversion to the colour may cause people to hesitate trying it.
The texture Some people dislike the texture of beets, especially when canned.
Taste Some people say that the taste of beets resembles ‘dirt’. I’ve thought of this as I eat them from time to time, and I suppose I can see their point – but I personally, like that earthy flavour.
Preparation time Okay, I admit it – beets take a little more time, a little more fuss, and a little more mess than simply peeling carrots. You have to be ‘invested’ in the idea of wanting to eat beets if you’re going to go to that much trouble to prepare them.
So, why we should TRY to like them?
Beets are a root vegetable known for their vibrant colour and earthy-sweet flavour. They are versatile and nutrient-dense, both the root and the green, leafy tops are eaten. They are considered a SUPERFOOD due to their rich nutritional profile.
Beets are high in natural nitrates, which the body converts to nitric oxide. This compound helps relax and widen blood vessels, which can significantly lower blood pressure. These nitrates can also improve blood flow and oxygen delivery, potentially enhancing stamina and exercise performance.
Beets are an excellent source of fiber, supporting digestive health and contributing to a feeling of fullness, which can aid in weight management. They contain unique plant compounds called betalains, which are powerful antioxidants and anti-inflammatory agents that protect cells from damage. And they are an excellent source of potassium, manganese, iron, folate (vitamin B9), vitamins A, C, K and E, as well as vitamin B6. The deep red colour is indicative of the high amount of antioxidants.
These are very compelling facts for me; high nutrition is always the key factor in encouraging me to want to include any food in my family’s diet.
So how best to introduce beets to your family? and to yourself if necessary?
Start early
Early experiences with nutritious foods and flavours will maximize the likelihood that children will choose them as they grow. The key is variety: variety of healthy vegetables, but also a variety of ways to serve them. A healthier life long diet is more likely if children are continually exposed to different fruits and vegetables and different ways of eating them.
I grew up on pickled beets, but I never much cared for them. They were on the table at Christmas time, and I dutifully took one as the plate was passed around, but I was always disappointed. My first exposure to beets served as a vegetable was at my Aunt Jolayne’s table when I was 11 years old. “What is this?” I asked my cousins. I loved them.
Interestingly, my mother grew up eating beets, with two rows in the garden being dedicated to them. But she rarely if ever put them on the table in my younger years. Why? In those days we lived on a military base in northern Alberta with a small grocery store, carrying limited items – especially produce. Fresh beets were most often not available to us. I suppose canned beets may have been, but if so, we never had any. Though both my parents grew up in large families, with large gardens, we never had one. In my teen years, my mother served beets from time to time. I have to assume that availability improved in the grocery store. (?)
Association
When foods are associated with good memories they are more likely to be appealing as time goes on. Even if the taste or texture was initially unappealing, taste preferences mature, so continued exposure is important.
* case in point: I grew up with canned cranberry sauce on my plate twice a year: Thanksgiving and Christmas. I tried it every year, but never liked it. I did however, have good memories of those special dinners. Uncharacteristically, Dan came into our marriage liking cranberry sauce, so I endeavoured to include homemade cranberry sauce in our traditional meals for his sake. As time went by, I developed a taste for it, and all my kids were raised on homemade cranberry sauce – more than twice a year. Owing to repeated exposure and it being associated with good memories of favourite meals, they all enjoy it, as do their own kids.
Beets can be prepared in many ways.
Boiled: When my mom did cook them, she boiled them unpeeled and then slipped the skins off in the sink, before cutting and serving. That is how I prepared them for most of my adult life. They were messy as heck, but worth it.
Roasted: When I discovered that I could roast beets unpeeled in a dutch oven, and then slip the peel off the way I always had, it became my preferred way. Less mess. But then I discovered taking that to the next level: peel, cut into wedges and roast in the oven with a little olive oil drizzled over top, and salt and pepper. Roast in a 350F oven for almost an hour (depending how big your pieces are), till fork tender.
Pickled: Many of us grew up with pickled beets on the Sunday table, and many of my friends really enjoy them. For me they’ve always be ‘okay’, but not tempting enough to walk across the street for. I’m pretty sure I’ve pickled a few batches in my early years, but there was never a compelling enough reason to do it regularly. So sorry, I’ve got nothing to offer in this area.
roasted beet salad with feta and toasted walnuts, served with balsamic vinegar and olive oil
Salads: When cooking beets, cook extra so you can have leftovers in the fridge. They’re great to eat cold or add to salads. A nice green salad topped with beets, feta cheese and toasted walnuts. Shred raw or cooked beets into your favourite coleslaw. Or just beets by themselves, served cold or at room temperature. Drizzle a light vinaigrette over top with a sprinkling of parsley.
Freezing: Once cooked, beets can be frozen. SO HANDY! Put into a ziplock freezer bag – dated and labeled. So handy! Simply thaw and add to your meal or favourite beet recipes. I’ve heard that you can freeze them raw, but I’ve never tried it. It doesn’t make sense to me.
You can puree your beets in the blender and then freeze in ice cube trays. Once frozen, pop them out of the trays and store in zip lock freezer bags, labeled and dated. Use them smoothies later, or in borscht.
Baking: Just like carrots, beets can be shredded and added to cakes, muffins, cookies – in fact use your carrot cake recipe with beets. I cook them first and then shred, as its much easier and less messy than shredding raw. Makes borscht available all year long.
Borscht: A whole subject of its own. Borscht is Beet Soup. That means its red. I’ve heard of green borscht but that is an abomination; it doesn’t deserved to be called “borscht”. It’s simply vegetable soup. The best borscht is probably made by your gramma, but if you’d like a recipe, try mine in this link1
Borscht is a necessary part of autumn in my house. It looks like, smells like and tastes like “autumn” to me. I look forward to it all year long.
Juicing: When you’re making carrot juice, add a couple of beets. Delicious! You can even freeze your beet juice.
Smoothies: If you don’t have a centrifugal juicer, throw a few beets into your blender with your morning smoothie.
Beet Greens: Don’t throw away the greens! They are rich in vitamins A, C, K and can be steamed like spinach or sauteed, or added to stir fried vegetables or soup, or used alone or in combination with other greens in Spanakopita.
Yellow Beets: I had never heard of yellow beets till my gardening friend Myrna introduced them to me. They are milder in flavour and easier to prepare without that red juice that gets everywhere and stains whatever it touches. I’ve roasted them without peeling, and they never disappoint.
Sometimes called Golden beets, they’re sweeter and have a less earthy flavour than their red cousins. That might make them more appealing to those who don’t care for red beets. They don’t stain, making them easier to prepare and use in dishes where you don’t want the colour transfer. Nutritionally, both types are very good for you. Red obviously contains more antioxidants, but yellow beets having more Vitamin A.
Yellow beets have a beautiful bright yellow colour when cooked. They can be eaten raw, roasted or boiled like the red ones.
Where do beets come from? The people of the ancient Mediterranean coastal areas began cultivating what was known as a sea beet for its leafy greens around 2000 BC. Around 200 AD the Romans began hybridizing them to focus on the large roots. These Roman-era beets came in both the red and white varieties, with the red ones being more popular. From there they were carried throughout Europe where they thrived in the cooler temperatures, gaining particular popularity in the northern Slavic countries and Scandinavia. To those countries they were a nutritional godsend, offering more vegetable variety to countries with short growing seasons. They made their way to North America with settlement of Europeans.
Growing Beets in central Alberta
Who? Anyone with a sunny patch of ground can grow beets. They are very forgiving.
What? There are many varieties of beets that do well in home gardens in our area, the most popular one being DETROIT DARK RED, an all-purpose heirloom variety with a sweet, deep red flesh. Matures in 50-80 days.
Where? Beets are considered a cool weather crop, and like carrots, they prefer a rich, loose and well drained soil. They want SUN, so give them space in a nice sunny spot. Just because a vegetable does well in cool weather does not mean it does well in a shady area. Not the same thing. Plant beet seeds about one inch apart and one inch deep in rows 10 inches apart near the end of April. If you are planting beets later than mid May, beet seeds can be soaked for 24 hours for faster germination.
When? Beets are a cool weather crop so they can be planted early in May or even late April if the spring is warm (in central Alberta).
Seeds germinate 5-15 days after seeding. The first half of the beet’s growing cycle consists of the leaves shooting up. The leaves help provide the necessary nutrients for the root to grow. In general, beets are a pretty low maintenance crop, but throughout the growing season weeding is important to ensure they get all the available nutrients.
They can be / and should be harvested almost the entire growing season, beginning with the young leaves. As they grow bigger, you can continue to harvest by thinning the row out, opening up space for the remaining beets to grow bigger. Beets are most tender when they are young, and can be harvested once they are 2.5 inches across. To check how large your beets are, gently remove the surface of the soil from around them. Beets can be left in the ground until late fall, handling frost and cold weather below 0 Celcius.
Why? Beets are naturally sustainable. They don’t require a lot of water, grow quickly, are super nutritious, and can be harvested for many weeks. They are perfectly suited to our climate, and soil type.
and How? Seeds should be 1/2 an inch deep. They should be rotated annually, ideally coming after nitrogen fixing crops like beans or peas.
Once the leaves are set, they gather nutrients that focus on the taproot. That is when they need to be thinned out. Pulling the leaves to eat at the beginning of summer, allows more room for the root to grow in size during the second half of the growing season. As you continue to thin, your goal is to have at least a 3-finger-span between each plant. Eating the greens, and then the tiny beets is the best of both worlds – harvesting from the beginning of July through the end of September.
Beets should be dry and soil-free before storage. Remove their tops and only store the healthiest ones. They should be stored in the fridge in loose plastic bags (high humidity) to prevent drying, evaporation, and wilting. Beets will keep up to 6 months under these storage conditions.
If you have a patch of sunny ground, I hope you’ll grow beets next gardening season. Reach out to a gardening community near you. It’s fun learning from each other and sharing successes and recipes. I’d love to hear your experiences, some favourite varieties and favourite ways of putting them on the table.
– recipe made with Carrot Pulp from juicing carrots – This recipe makes 18 muffins, but plan to double it so you can share with neighbours.
in these muffins I added some dehydrated blueberries for ‘raisins’
Preheat oven to 350F. Sift together dry ingredients and set aside: 2 cups whole wheat flour OR half unbleached flour 1 cup sugar 1 tsp baking powder 1/2 tsp baking soda 1 tsp cinnamon 1/2 tsp salt
beat3 eggs, add 1 cup milk and 1/2 cup oil (your choice) set aside * 1 cup raisins or chopped walnuts or combination (optional)
add to flour mixture: 2 cups grated carrots OR carrot pulp OR refreshed dehydrated carrots gently fold carrots into flour mixture till evenly coated If you’re adding raisins or nuts, right now would be a good time. Fold in. * I generally add at least another cup of carrot pulp. If I add two additional cups, I add another egg and another tablespoon of oil as well.
Pour wet ingredients into flour-carrot mixture and gently fold in to moisten completely. If the batter is too stiff and you feel the need to add a little more milk, go ahead. Don’t over stir.
Line muffin tins with paper liners – makes approximately 18 muffins. *tip: I lightly coat the muffin tin with oil and use the liners as well, as it makes it easier to peel off the liners later.
Bake 20-22 minutes at 350F. Test by gently touching the top of the muffin – when it bounces back to your finger, its done. I let the muffins sit on the top of the stove for about 5 minutes to cool slightly before removing them to place onto rack to finish cooling.
Here’s to APPLES! In all their glory. Red, yellow, green and everything in between. Sweet, tart, big, small. Here’s to apples one and all.
People have long understood that apples were “good for you” even before nutrition was understood. We’ve all heard the aphorism “an apple a day keeps the doctor away“. It appeared in print in America in 1913, one of the first public appeals targeting parents especially, correlating good health with eating ‘nutritiously’.
It likely originated from a similar proverb that first appeared in a Welsh publication in 1866. Though a different rhyming format, the message is the same: “Eat an apple on going to bed and you’ll keep the doctor from earning his bread.”
Apples are probably the most well known fruit in the world. They are nutritious and delicious and grown in most parts of the world – especially the northern hemisphere. They originated in Central Asia – east of the Caspian Sea, and by the 1500’s apple seeds had made it to Europe. When Europeans began transoceanic travel, apples were carried to the Americas and dispersed throughout the world.
Currently, there are literally thousands of different kinds of apples – in every variety, colour and flavour; they’re eaten fresh, cooked into savoury dishes, made into desserts and drank as juices, ciders, wines and teas, and are even a popular vinegar. They are free of fat, cholesterol and sodium, a great source of dietary fibre and vitamins, and help lower blood sugar levels, benefitting heart health. Much of the apple’s fiber is found in its peel, so don’t peel your apples unless you have to.
I discovered a few years back that in most cases the apples on our supermarket shelves can be up to a year old. Whaaaaat!!! Sometimes well over a year old. In fact, the apples you’re buying this week are likely from the previous years’ harvest, having been kept in cold storage since last season – allowing us to have “fresh” apples year round. At the is risk of being too critical, there really is no other way if we want to eat apples all year long. Where did we think they came from anyway?
We know that apples in North America generally ripen between August and October. When we buy an apple in May, we’ve gotta know that the earliest it could have been picked was last fall. But to keep the steady supply that we’re used to, it was likely picked even before then.
Its a sign of our times that we want to have everything ALL the time. Well, there’s a cost to the sense of entitlement we’ve gotten used to.
If you want REALLY “Fresh” apples, plant an apple tree. If that’s not possible, get to know you’re neighbours – there are lots of backyard gardeners looking for people to share their apples. A few years before our own apple tree began producing, we had asked a neighbour down the alley if we could have some of theirs. At the time, they were putting them all to good use, but the time came that their health became an issue and they could no longer keep up. We connected, and we’re happy to pick the apples, leaving them a box for eating, and cleaning up the dead fall that attracts wasps. We can help each other out. If you don’t have such a neighbour, ask when you’re out on a walk and see an apple tree in need of attention. Or ask on Facebook if someone knows of someone who’d like their apples picked in return for sharing them. Or shop at Farmer’s Markets.
In central Alberta, some apples start ripening in August, and some don’t ripen till after Thanksgiving – with everything in between, so the harvests of homegrown apples are endless. Some apples are great for eating fresh, some are good baking apples, and still some are only good for making juice, but every edible apple has an important role to play in the gardener’s kitchen.
* Did you know?
Apples are actually BERRIES. Botanically, a berry is a fleshy fruit that develops from a single flower and contains two or more seeds. They are characterized by a soft, fleshy pulp and thin, outer skin – so with this definition, berries include bananas, grapes, tomatoes, pumpkins and watermelons. And interestingly, raspberries, black berries, strawberries and cherries – are not berries.
What to do with all those apples that are ready now, and needing to be taken care of?
Well for starters – Apple sauce . . . . . here are a whole lotta ideas of what you can do with fresh apples when they’re at their BEST.
Apple sauce is generally a purée made of apples. It can be made with peeled or unpeeled apples and can be spiced or sweetened. It is inexpensive and is widely popular in North America and some parts of Europe. Personally, I am not a fan of long cooked apple sauce that is pressed through a screen. I like the texture of apple pieces so I much prefer ‘fresh’ apple sauce, made on the spot with fresh apples softened over medium heat for less than 20 minutes. I am not opposed to canning it as a preservation method, but I want to see apple pieces.
Apple butter is a thick, smooth fruit spread made by slow cooking apples with sugar and spices till the apples caramelize, resulting in a concentrated, deeply flavoured preserve. Essentially it’s apple sauce taken to a whole new level. The name refers to its rich spreadable consistency – butter like, not because there’s any butter in it. It can be spread on toast like jam, used as a topping for pancakes, waffles and crepes – used as extra flavour when making muffins or cakes, or even served as a type of chutney with pork roast.
Your crock pot is the perfect way to make it; long a low is the key. Start with apples, add a little apple juice if desired, and sweeten to taste with brown sugar. We’re talking HOURS here, so adjust your thinking – expect it to take about 10 hours. Stir every once in a while to check consistency. Add the warming spices of cinnamon, nutmeg and cloves. My general rule of thumb is to use 1 part cinnamon : 1/2 part nutmeg : 1/4 part cloves. For instance: 1 tsp cinnamon, 1/2 tsp nutmeg, 1/4 tsp cloves. *hint: cloves are pretty strong so if you’re not used to them, start with less and go from there. That’s why many recipes call for a ‘pinch’ of cloves. If I was starting with a LOT of apples, I’d start with 1 Tbsp cinnamon, 1 + 1/2 tsp nutmeg and 3/4 tsp cloves. Remember, a little cloves goes a long ways and you cannot take it out if you change your mind, so best to start with less if you’re not accustomed to the strong taste, and adjust later as you decide. You’ll have to do your own taste testing and adjusting since only you know the quantity of apples you’re cooking down. You’re the boss.
You’ll enjoy the aroma in the house as much as you’ll enjoy the finished product. As the liquid evaporates, you can decide when enough is enough. You can take the extra step of pureeing it in the blender for an extra smooth texture, or not. You’re in charge. If you choose to puree it, you might want to continue to cook it down a little longer afterward. You’re looking for a glossy dark spreadable consistency.
*hint: if you’re planning to puree in the blender at the end, no need to peel the apples. Just remove the stem, core and any damage spots that offend you.
Make a little or make a lot. Store a jar in the fridge for several weeks, or can it in small jars for extended shelf life or to give as gifts. Apple butter is a strong spread, so use small jars: 1/2 pints (250 ml). 10 minutes in a hot water bath is sufficient. That’s 10 minutes AFTER the hot water bath returns to a rolling boil remember. Click HERE for instruction on hot water bath canning.
Apple pie is the quintessential North American dessert. It is symbolic as a representation of ‘home’ – “as American as apple pie” is an appropriate saying. Not surprisingly, it originated in the 14th century in England, immigrating to North America when the English did. It is generally double crusted (pastry both above and below), and the upper crust may be solid or latticed. The ingredients are pretty basic: apples, sugar and cinnamon, but there are a hundred variations. The best apple pie is always the way your gramma used to make it, whatever that means to you.
In our house, we serve it with vanilla ice cream. Dan likes to eat it with a slice of sharp cheddar cheese melted on top, or better yet, a thin layer of sharp cheddar underneath the top crust. He also likes to cook one or two in the fall – in the smoker. For the smoked apple pie, we’ll often opt for a streusel toppling instead of a top crust.
Apple Crisp is apple pie the easier way – when you want a quick, but wonderful dessert. It’s pretty basic, hard to mess up, and like apple pie, the best apple crisp is what your gramma used to make. It’s the perfect dessert to make when you have a lotta apples on hand.
Filling: 6-10 nice sized fresh apples, peeled and chopped coarsely 2 Tbsp brown sugar 1 tsp cinnamon 2 tsp lemon juice Topping: 1/2 cup cold butter diced into small cubes 1 cup brown sugar 1 cup old fashioned oats 3/4 cup unbleached flour 1 tsp cinnamon Directions: Preheat oven to 350 F and grease an 8×8 baking dish 1. In the prepared baking dish, add apples, sugar, cinnamon and lemon juice. Stir to combine. 2. In mixing bowl, stir together topping ingredients except the butter. When all is thoroughly mixed add the butter and using a pastry cutter or two forks, or your hands, cut the butter into dry ingredients. When the butter is consistently about the size of peas, you’re done. Spread evenly on top of the apples, and gently pat it down. *hint: in our house, we make about 4 x this amount and refrigerate the remainder in a wide mouth jar. Dan likes to use it during the week – for a lotta things. 3. Bake about 45 minutes till golden brown and bubbly. Remove from the oven and cool slightly. Plan to serve warm with vanilla ice cream.
Apple Crisp, Pear Crisp, Plum Crisp, Raspberry / Blueberry or Blackberry Crisp / Peach Crisp / Apricot Crisp / Rhubarb Crisp . . . . . you name the fruit – and you can probably make a great Crisp out of it.
Fruit CRISP / Fruit CRUMBLE / Fruit COBBLER – what are they? and what is the difference?
Crisp and Crumble are pretty much the same thing – except for the OATS. Crisp has oats in the streusel topping, Crumble does not. Every thing else is the same. Fruit Cobbler is similar, but the topping is a batter, like a sweet, richer biscuit dough. It is spooned over top the fruit mixture and it can be loose, allowing the fruit to bubble through, or it can be a complete cover. All are delicious and interchangeable depending on personal preference. Dan prefers Crisp, but sometimes its too much sugar for me, and I prefer a cobbler.
Apple pie cake So many different recipes for using apples in cake. I first tasted this cake pictured at a funeral in the fall. The woman who made it kindly passed the recipe on to me, and its become a favourite in our house. She called it apple pie cake because there’s a bottom and top layer with filling in the middle. Its a good name.
1 Tbsp cinnamon 1/3 cup brown sugar + 1/3 cup brown sugar 1/3 cup white sugar 1/2 cup butter softened 2 eggs 1 tsp vanilla 2 cups unbleached flour (can substitute half for whole wheat flour) 1 Tbsp baking powder 1/2 tsp salt 1/2 cup milk 2 large apples peeled and diced (or some dried apples cut with scissors) 1 Tbsp melted butter Directions: preheat oven to 350 F. Prepare a loaf pan by greasing or flouring or use parchment paper. 1. Combine cinnamon and 1/3 cup brown sugar and set aside 2. Using mixer, cream butter with remaining brown sugar and white sugar. Add eggs and vanilla and mix till smooth. 3. Sift flour, salt and baking powder together. Add to egg mixture alternately with milk, mixing with a spoon only till all is moistened. Batter will be quite stiff. 4. Spoon half the batter into the greased and floured loaf pan and spread it evenly. 5. Spread half the chopped apples over top the bottom layer of batter, then sprinkle half the cinnamon brown sugar mixture over top the apples. 6. Stir remaining apples gently into remaining batter. 7. Spoon apple batter over top the apple layer in the loaf pan. till completely covered. Sprinkle remaining cinnamon sugar mixture over top. 8. Bake 40 minutes, then drizzle melted butter over the top, and continue baking another 10 minutes or so. Test by pressing centre of cake with your finger. When it bounces back, insert a toothpick to see if it comes out clean. 11. Remove from oven and let cool in the pan 15 minutes. Gently loosen edges with spatula and then gently slide out.
Apple Muffins a recipe taken from my well used and well loved recipe book FLAVORS OF HOME by my friend Patti Shenfield (a few slight adaptations to my preference) 4 cups peeled and diced apples 1 cup sugar 2 eggs lightly beaten 1/2 cup butter melted 2 tsp vanilla 2 cup unbleached flour (or substitute half for whole wheat flour) 2 tsp baking soda 2 tsp cinnamon 1/2 tsp nutmeg 1 tsp salt optional: 1 cup walnut pieces Directions: preheat oven to 350 F 1. In large mixing bowl stir together apples and sugar 2. In another bowl stir together eggs, melted butter and vanilla. Pour into apple-sugar mixture and combine . 3. In another bowl, sift together dry ingredients. Add to apple-egg mixture and stir gently till moistened. Stir in nuts if using. Spoon batter into 18 greased muffin tins. Top with the following streusel topping if desired. Bake 15-20 minutes till bounces back from touch and toothpick comes out clean. Streusel Topping: Combine 1/3 cup brown sugar, 1/3 cup chopped nuts, 3/4 tsp cinnamon Sprinkle over top each muffin before baking.
Apples in Salads 1. Toss diced apples with mixed greens, toasted walnuts, dried cranberries, and a simple vinaigrette for a crisp and refreshing salad that’s perfect for any day.
2. A Waldorf salad is a fruit and nut salad generally made of celery, fresh apples, walnuts, and grapes, dressed in mayonnaise, and traditionally served on a bed of lettuce as an appetizer or a light meal. The apples, celery, and grapes can all be green, which harmonizes the color palette of the dish. Or brighten it up with beautiful red apples and red grapes.
3. Adding sliced or chopped apples to a coleslaw is wonderful! This one to the left is fresh cabbage and kale chopped, with chopped apples kept white with lime juice. The vinaigrette dressing was apple cider vinegar sweetened with a little honey and some light oil. I threw in some freeze dried cranberries for colour.
Apples for Breakfast
Apple Pancakes Chopped unpeeled apples tossed into pancake batter. Top with a big dollop of fresh apple sauce.
Apple Waffles Shredded apples in waffle batter, topped with fresh apple sauce.
– Apple Dumplings – Apple Fritters – Apple Cheesecake – Apple Jelly – Apple Turnovers – Apple Strudel – there are literally thousands of recipes for using fresh apples. Look around you, ask others what their favourite apple recipes are. Make this an APPLE AUTUMN.
But what about preserving the Excess?
What about those apples we cannot use IN the season? Typical ways to preserve are: freezing, canning, dehydrating and freeze drying. Many freeze in 4 cup amounts to use in apple pies later. Many make apple sauce to freeze or can.
When I had all five kids at home, I canned and dehydrated in a big way. But my needs are different these days. Nowadays I do most preserving in small batches – so much easier. I generally don’t freeze, but I’m not adverse to canning apples. If I do – I would more likely can them in pint jars: sliced with a light lemon syrup, and I would serve them for breakfast or on top of yogurt.
My preferred ways of preserving apples at this point in my life though, are juicing and dehydrating.
Apple Juice
I have a steam juicer that I wouldn’t want to be without. I use it every summer starting when the apples come on. Let’s face it, not all apples are great eating apples. We inherited some very old apple trees when we bought the house we currently live in. Years ago, the apple trees that grew in Edmonton didn’t even have names. They had numbers. The apples weren’t wonderful but its all we had at the time, and they were good for juicing. They started dripping from the tree mid August attracting the wasps. Annoying. Another tree in our yard – was ready to pick the end of August, so as a family activity on our around Labour Day, we picked what amounted to a few hundred pounds most years. We used them all for making juice. Click HERE for Late Summer Days Should Smell of Hot Apple Juice.
Some apples are not beautiful and not great to eat fresh – that’s okay. Juice them! Throw in the last of your cherries for something special.
Pure apple juice.
Apple Cider Vinegar You can make apple cider vinegar by covering apple scraps with water. Or you can simply make it with the juice or freshly pressed apple cider you already made. After a couple of weeks, the apple juice (or cider) you didn’t process (can), will begin to naturally ferment. This is not a bad thing. It just starts to get ‘fizzy’, which I love. Enjoy it. But don’t expect it to stay in that state forever, its on a ‘natural’ journey. The fizzy juice will get fizzier and fizzier, until it seems to have peaked, and then it ‘breaks’. Not so fizzy anymore, not so delicious. That’s okay. Its just preparing to turn into vinegar. Pour it into a clean glass jar, cover it with a breathable lid secured with an elastic band of the jar ring, and set it on the back of your counter where you won’t forget about it. Make a note of your ‘start date’.
Every day or two you will stir it to keep it aerated. This video below is EXCELLENT instruction on how to make your own apple cider vinegar using juice or apple scraps. I highly recommend it.
Dehydrating apple slices and apple leather.
dehydrated apple rings, peeled, cored and sliced. Some cinnamon sugar coated ones are hiding here and there for a special treat.
apple leather, rhubarb leather, raspberry, cherry, plum, peach . . . . Easy to do, great to have on hand
I really hope you’ll find some inspiration here to make the most of the apples you find this year. It’s one of those wonderful foods that WANT to grow in northern Alberta – it only makes sense to me that we find every way we can to benefit from them.
Beautiful. Sweet or tart. Crisp and crunchy. Nutritious and Delicious. Juicy and refreshing. Firm. Fresh. Fragrant. Easy to grow in Alberta. Great and easy snack food. Easy to incorporate into everyday meals and recipes. How does a food get better than that? I want to hear all about the ways you use fresh apples at your house.
Number 1 reason to grow anything for me, is always nutrition, number 2 reason is level of difficulty to grow, and my number 3 reason is its functionality. Win on all counts with squash, and the variation available is literally from A to Z: Acorn Squash to Zucchini. There are hundreds of types of squash, ranging from the classics like zucchini and pumpkin to the just plain weird. If you’re a relatively new gardener, I highly recommend sticking with some tried and true varieties like zucchini, spaghetti squash or butternut. Once you have some success, start to branch out trying to grow types you’ve never grown before.
There are two basic groups of squash: Summer and Winter. The difference essentially boils down to their harvest stage.
Summer squash can be planted directly outdoors by seed, although they’re often started a couple weeks ahead indoors. It grows in a cylinder type plant with the fruit coming out from the middle area. The fruit begins to develop within about 50 days after planting outdoors (so about mid July). The flavour and texture are mild, with both the flesh and the immature seeds eaten together. Beginner gardeners are sometimes tempted to let zucchini grow bigger, but they are much tastier and tender when picked young and immature – averaging 6 – 8 inches/15-20 centimetres long. And the more you pick when they’re young and tender, the more the plant will continue to produce. Letting one go for weeks to reach the size of a canoe, signals the plant to stop producing. So you may win the award for the biggest zucchini but you waste the entire season on something that didn’t even taste good. While young zucchini is often cooked, it is also often eaten raw, and it has a relatively short shelf life – best eaten within a week of picking.
Winter squash has hard, thick skin that are not eaten, and the flesh has a denser texture, with more distinct flavours between types. While all winter squash have unique tastes, I would describe the general flavour over all, as sweeter than summer squash, with a nutty hint. To me, they taste like ‘autumn’. The texture of the flesh is firm and very dense, sometimes to the point of being difficult to cut with a knife. The hard, thick skin that is also difficult to cut with a knife, protects the squash and gives it it’s extra long shelf life.
Is squash good for you? YES! Winter squash is packed with essential nutrients including vitamins A, B and C. The fiber helps with gut health, and other nutrients can contribute to a decreased risk of certain diseases and improved blood pressure.
Before planting: Choose a spot that gets LOTS of sun. Squash plants are heavy feeders so mix a generous amount of aged manure or compost into your planting area (roughly 50% of the existing soil).
It’s best to get a jump on the season by starting seedlings indoors, but beware: seedlings can get very big and lanky so don’t plant in the house before three weeks before you expect to plant outdoors. Starting squash from seed is easy. Make sure you have a warm spot set out – above 20 degrees C is ideal. Or set your tray on top of a heated matt. Using a soil-less seed starter (soil-less) mix, plant 1 or 2 seeds in each starter pot.
Keep the soil-less mix moist and the seeds will germinate in about a week. Give them as much light as possible and they’ll grow quickly. Once the seedlings are 2 weeks old transplant them into an all purpose plant soil. Keep in a very sunny window or under the lights and continue to keep moist. Squash roots are delicate and the plant will go into shock if they’re disturbed. Transplant very gently, so as not to disturb the roots.
TIP: Since winter squashes need up to 110 days to maturity, it is best that they are grown as transplants in our northern gardens. TIP: Leave a fan blowing on your young seedlings as they grow in the house to help to grow heartier plants and to reduce some seedling diseases. Research has shown that stem diameter can be increased by providing seedlings with constant air movement from an oscillating fan.
I’ve read recently that zucchini should do well in big containers. I’ve never tried that, but I am inclined to do so this upcoming growing season. I have a couple of big planters on my patio, and I have a trough in a nice sunny location. I love planting indeterminate tomatoes in it as it has an arbour, but in the interest of rotating crops, I’m always looking for an alternative. The advantages it seems, are that their roots stay warm and I can better control the watering. Taking the time to work some compost into the trough (or pot) would be important, as squash does best on organic material. Of course a layer of mulch on top is always recommended, whether in the garden or in a container.
Plant seedlings outside after all danger of frost is past, and the soil is warm. Ensure they have full sun. Plant in well-draining, compost-rich soil. Keep the soil consistently moist but not soggy, water regularly. To encourage fruit production, plant pollinator-attracting flowers like cosmos nearby to increase visits from bees and other insects.
For smaller squashes or in limited spaces, consider vertical gardening using an arbour or a string trellis. Winter squash will take more than their fair share of room in the garden, as they send out vines, so plan for that. For years I’ve had mine grow vertically, tying the vines to an arbour or trellis that is strong enough to hold heavy fruit. Growing vertically eliminates the need for a lotta yardage in your garden – perfect for a backyard garden.
*Did you know? the difference between a squash and a gourd is that only that the squash is edible and the gourd is pretty much decorative. The outer skin on the gourd is too thick to make it practical.
Caring for Squash in the Garden Watering: Provide at least one inch deep of water per week, especially during hot, dry periods. Fertilizing: Some recommend feeding squash plants with a balanced vegetable fertilizer or compost tea every few weeks, particularly as they’re fruiting. Personally, I’ve never done this as I start with a good compost base, but I’m thinking I should look into a supplement during the growing season. Pollination: Squash needs pollinators to produce fruit. Plant pollinator-attracting flowers like Salvia, Cosmos or Borage among your squash plants to increase visits from bees and other insects. Mulching: Apply a thick layer of mulch – I use straw – around the root zone to help conserve soil moisture.
TIP: Cutworm prevention – If you’ve had cutworm problems in the past, place a collar around your seedlings right after transplanting. Make collars out of toilet paper rolls, or any plastic container such as a yogurt container with the bottom removed. Insert the collar at least 5 cm / 2 inches in the ground to prevent cutworms from feeding on the stems of your seedlings.
High Yield and Productivity Summer squash plants are known for being substantial fruit producers, with one or two zucchini plants being capable of yielding enough to feed your household and share with friends and neighbors. Think of all the zucchini jokes you’ve heard. If you haven’t had that experience of squash producing abundantly, don’t despair. Simply try again. And again. If you’re not getting enough zucchini, you may have a poor pollination issue. Hand pollinating your female flowers, will help.
* Did you know? Squash are fruits – actually BERRIES. Botanically, a berry is a fleshy fruit that develops from a single flower and contains two or more seeds. It is characterized by a soft, fleshy pulp and thin, outer skin, so with this definition – berries include bananas, grapes, tomatoes, pumpkins and watermelons. Raspberries, black berries, strawberries and cherries, – are not.
A butternut squash plant should be able to yield 4 good sized fruits; other winter squash should yield similar amounts. Squash produce both male and female flowers on the same plant, but if the summer is too cool it may only produce males, which don’t yield fruit. Not much you can do about a cool summer. Female flowers have a distinct squash shaped bulge on its stem.
Remember that while it may be that zucchini is famous for producing an overabundance of fruit, if you don’t pick it continuously, instead leaving a few zucchinis to grow way too big, this will send a signal to the plant to stop producing. You’ll actually be sabotaging your own success.
TIP: Remember to record what and when you plant. It’s helpful to draw a map to help you track planting locations and success each year. This information is important to properly rotate your crops, but also critical to being able to learn from your experience. What went wrong? what did I do right?
Harvesting
Summer squash is picked when its still immature – while the skin is tender and smooth. Many believe the perfect eating size is 6-8 inches, and it is generally eaten without peeling. The most well known summer squash in Alberta is ZUCCHINI, but while all zucchini is summer squash, not all summer squash are ‘zucchini’.
Other varieties of summer squash are: crookneck squash, patty pan squash, and the doppelganger of zucchini – called ‘yellow’ squash, some call it yellow zucchini.
Winter squash is harvested fully mature, after a long growing season. The skin should be hard and not easily punctured with the thumb nail (don’t try too hard as that’s pretty counter productive). Cut the squash off the vine, leaving a generous portion of the stem attached. Harvest before a heavy frost, but most squash can handle a light frost well. Some say that a light frost increases the sugar content, but my counsel is to not to ‘play ‘chicken’ with the frost, you have too much to lose.
Winter squash has separate male and female flowers. The female flower requires pollen in order to produce fruit, but the pollen can come from other compatible species. Pollen is moved by insects such as honey bees, bumblebee, hoverflies, ants and others. If you’re wanting to protect a heritage seed source, then you will not want cross pollination between neighbouring plants. Here is an example of cross-pollination: If you grow acorn squash in the garden and it is pollinated by a nearby zucchini, this year’s fruit will still look like an acorn squash. But if you harvest the seed from that squash, the seed will contain genes from both the zucchini and the acorn squash. If that seed is grown next year, the resulting fruit will look very different – with a combination of characteristics of both parents. This is called a hybrid.
How to Save and Store Seeds: Harvest seeds from full-grown older squashes because their seeds will be fully mature. Carefully cut the squash in half and scoop out the seeds. Wash seeds well in clear water to remove as much of the stringy flesh and slime as possible. Spread on a dish towel and allow to dry completely. Drying can take a week – depends on the humidity in the air.
* Saving squash seeds can be kinda tricky because there are always cross-pollinating with other nearby plants. See footnote 1 How do garden vegetables cross pollinate? see footnote. 2
Vegetable seeds can keep for several years if you store them properly. Seeds should be stored in a cool, dry, dark place. Moisture, heat and light can cause seeds to sprout or rot.
Storing winter squash
If the fruit is fully ripe, hard skinned and blemish free, you should be able to store it in slightly less than room temperature conditions for 3 – 5 months. Make sure there are NO injuries on the skin – as those will be the ‘spot’ where decay will begin.
Yes, I know, you have a friend who says they store their squash till the following summer. I too have such a friend. There will always be those who insist that’s a good thing. It’s not. We’re talking about FOOD, not building material. As with all our food, we should want to eat it when it’s still highly nutritious. The nutritional value, texture and flavour (there is an important correlation between texture, flavour and nutrition), will degrade over its storage life – so the older you stretch it, the less the quality – in every single way. Plan to use winter squash within 4 or 5 months from harvest for best taste, texture and nutrition. That brings you up to February. That’s considered a long time – so be reasonable.
How to save and store seeds:
Vegetable seeds can keep for several years if you store them properly. Seeds should be stored in a cool, dry, dark place. Moisture, heat and light can cause seeds to sprout or rot. Place your seeds in envelopes or make your own envelopes out of foil or waxed paper. Label with name of the seeds and the date (month and year) you harvested them.
* TIP: Once completely dry, place your envelope inside an airtight container.
Here’s an interesting tip I recently read about. To help keep sees dry, place a tablespoon of dry powdered milk in a paper towel or piece of cloth, secured with a twist tie of piece of string. The powdered milk they say, will absorb humidity and keep seeks dry inside an airtight container. I might give this a try this year. I’ll let you know what I think later.
Eating IN-the-season
If you know me at all, you know I’m all about eating IN THE SEASON. Enjoying fruits and vegetables while they are at their very best, “in-the-season” – means eating as much as possible IN the season in which they were harvested, providing their most nutritious offering. Ideally – fresh raspberries, cherries, peaches and watermelon early to mid summer. Fresh tomatoes from July through about November. Fresh apples and plums from mid August through the late fall. Cabbage in the fall and winter. Winter squash from late summer / early fall to January / February. For years, we’ve been trained by supermarkets to think we deserve to eat anything we want, any time of the year. But there is a price to that kind of entitlement. We don’t need to eat everything – ALL the time. We can do just fine without watermelon or FRESH tomatoes in the winter, and without squash in the spring. Personally, I have no desire to eat pumpkin pie in the spring. That just seems all kinds of wrong to me. Some things are meant to eat in the winter – like winter squash. With both summer and winter varieties of squash, we can enjoy a regular harvest of ‘zucchini’ throughout the warm months and store winter squash for months of delicious, healthy eating during the colder times when other vegetables are not so available.
What we cannot eat fresh IN-the-season, we preserve in the best ways available. This is “preserving the excess”.
PRESERVING
Storage Conditions: Proper long term food storage of winter squash is in a cool, dark, DRY place. This will help preserve the nutritional value too. Some winter squash can keep longer than others. For instance, pumpkins and hubbard squash can last longer than acorn squash. Generally ‘long term’ is considered anywhere from 2-4 months) Keep your squash in an area will you will see it often, and off the cement floor. If you tuck it away where you seldom see it, you’ll forget about it and at best, you’re apt to miss the signs of decline.
What are the signs of decline? A squash past its prime will begin to show signs of spoilage. You’ll see soft spots and perhaps mold on the stem. This simply means you’ve waited a little too long, so USE IT NOW! before its too late.
FREEZING: Squash doesn’t lend itself well to fresh freezing. I have found that the texture gets watery and very undesirable. But if you roast it or steam it in the oven it freezes very nicely.
method 1 – steaming: Cut winter squash into wedges, and place on baking dish cut side down. Pour about an inch of water in pan, and bake in 375 degrees F oven till fork tender. Depending on what kind of squash it is, expect it to take between 45 minutes to an hour. Its ready when tender to the fork. You may need to add a little more water from time to time. Allow to cool on counter till you can handle it, then scoop out of the shell and place into a freezer container. Label and date. Freeze up to 3 months.
method 2 – roasting: Cut squash into wedges, put on baking sheet, cut side up. Drizzle lightly with oil, sprinkle with salt and pepper and any preferred seasoning. Bake at 375 till charred, soft and tender to the fork. Allow to cool on counter, then remove the flesh from its shell (I use an ice cream scoop), and place into a freezer container. Label and date. Freeze up to 3 months.
method 3 – roasting: Peel squash and cut into cubes, place on baking sheet, lightly drizzle with oil and sprinkle seasonings. Toss to coat and bake in 375 F oven till fork tender. Cool, then place into freezer container. Label and date. Freeze up to 3 months.
Does it go bad? Sitting in the freezer longer than 3 months will decrease quality significantly. The longer its frozen, the poorer the quality. But no, it doesn’t “go bad”.
Eating winter squash
Winter squash can be roasted to use in salads or served directly on your plate. They can also be made into soups or stews. Who hasn’t tried pumpkin pie? Or pumpkin loaf (like banana loaf), or muffins. One of our favourite cookies in the fall is pumpkin cookies.
This time of year we in my house like pumpkin chowder, pumpkin scones, pumpkin bread, pumpkin muffins, pumpkin cookies, pumpkin cake, pumpkin pie of course, pumpkin dip with gingersnaps, pumpkin pancakes, pumpkin & meatballs over rice, . . . . If you haven’t found a way to enjoy squash – you couldn’t have tried very hard.
If you have a favourite recipe, please share it with me below in the comment area.
Making baby food with winter squash Baby food can be easily made at home. Doing so allows you to take advantage of fresh and seasonal, locally grown fruit or vegetables as well as control the ingredients. You can also adjust the food texture or consistency to whatever stage your baby is at. Winter squash is highly nutritious and its smooth texture makes it easy to dilute with water if necessary, or not if the baby is a little older. It is naturally sweet and appealing. As with all baby food, don’t prepare more than you need for a day.
My personal favourite winter squash for eating is Butternut. Hands down it beats all others in my opinion, so it’s no surprise that its most of what I cook. And my favourite way of preparing it is to ROAST it in the oven, usually in cubes. The variations are endless.
Roasted Butternut Squash in cubes
Ingredients: 1 large butternut squash (about 3 pounds), peeled, seeded, and cut into 1-inch cubes 2 Tablespoons olive oil + 1 more 1 teaspoon kosher salt 1 teaspoon black pepper. This may be a lotta pepper for you, so if you’re not a big fan of black pepper, go ahead and reduce by 1/2. * seasoning variations (see below for suggestions) * optional: fresh chopped rosemary – goes with most other flavours
Directions: 1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. 2. Generously wipe two large baking sheets with up to a Tablespoon of olive oil in each pan. 3. Place the squash cubes in a large bowl. Drizzle with remaining olive oil, then sprinkle with salt & pepper and additional seasoning combination of your choice (see below). Toss to coat, then divide between the two baking sheets. Spread the cubes in a single layer on the prepared baking sheets. 4. Place the pans on two separate racks in your oven, for about 30 minutes, turning squash over with a spatula half way through, and rotating pans. 5. Continue baking the remaining 15 minutes or until the squash is tender to the fork. 6. Remove from the oven and sprinkle with fresh rosemary. Serve warm.
Roasted Butternut Squash in wedges
1 medium butternut squash (about 3 lb) 2 Tablespoons olive oil ¼ teaspoon grated nutmeg ½ teaspoon fine sea salt ¼ teaspoon fresh ground black pepper 1 Tablespoon chopped fresh sage leaves (plus a few more whole leaves to top) 2 Tablespoons coconut sugar 2 Tablespoons fresh walnuts
Directions: Cut butternut squash in half lengthwise. Scoop out seeds with a spoon, and discard. Cut each half into 3 wedges. Toss the squash wedges with the oil, nutmeg, salt, pepper and sage (both chopped and whole) until well coated. Arrange flesh-side up on parchment-lined baking sheet with the sage leaves touching the wedges.
Bake for about 50-60 minutes or until the flesh is easily pierced with a knife. Sprinkle coconut sugar and chopped walnuts over squash and return to the oven for another 8-10 minutes or until wedges are golden and caramelized around the edges and the walnuts are toasted.
Serve warm or even room temperature. I even like it straight outta the fridge.
seasoning suggestions for roasted squash:
* Cumin (my usual go to): 1 Tablespoon cumin powder, thyme and oregano: 1 T of each * Cinnamon Roasted: 1-2 T of pure maple syrup, 2 teaspoons cinnamon powder * Sage roasted: ¼ teaspoon grated nutmeg. ½ teaspoon your salt of choice, ½ teaspoon coarse black pepper (or half that amount if you’re inclined to do so, 1 T dried sage leaves crumbled, 2 T coconut sugar, 2 T chopped walnuts
Curried Pumpkin Soup
– a hearty delicious way to use leftover jack-o-lanterns – in large sauce pan, sauté over medium heat till onions are translucent: 2 T butter 1 medium onion chopped 2 cloves garlic minced
Add: 6 cups peeled and cubed fresh pumpkin 4 cups chicken or vegetable broth 1 cup orange juice 2 T curry powder Bring to a slow boil and simmer till pumpkin is soft and tender. Puree in batches in blender, then add 1 cup sour cream Warm thoroughly but do not boil. Serve warm.
based on Patti Shenfield’s Pumpkin Chowder
4 cups cubed potatoes 2 medium carrots sliced 1 stalk celery chopped 1 onion diced 1/2 green pepper diced 2 cups chicken broth 1/4 cup butter 1/3 cup water 3 T flour 1 + 1/2 cup pumpkin puree OR a 398 ml can (14 oz) 1 + 1/2 tsp salt and 1/2 tsp pepper 2 cups water + 1 cup whole milk grated cheddar cheese Directions with variation suggestions at the bottom: 1. In a heavy soup pot, combine potatoes, carrots, celery, onion, peppers in the chicken broth. Cook over medium heat for 10 minutes. Add butter. 2. Mix 1/3 cup water and 3 Tbsp flour till smooth and pour into the soup pot, stirring frequently. 3. Add pumpkin, salt, pepper, parsley, sugar and 2 cups water. Reduce heat and cook on low till vegetables are tender – about 30 minutes, stirring once in a while to prevent scorching. 4. Stir in milk. 5. Serve in bowls with garnish of grated cheddar and chopped parsley. May serve as is – a vegetable soup, or puree in blender before serving as a cream soup. Or puree a third of the soup, leaving the remaining chunks for texture. * I’ve added a quart of home canned tomatoes with 1/4 cup tomato paste – and the results were terrific. * I’ve used freeze dried potatoes, onions, celery, peppers and cheddar – even freeze dried butternut squash instead of onions.
Roasted Butternut Squash Soup
This kind of ‘recipe’ is using what you’ve got on hand. It may never be exactly the same twice, but it will always be delicious.
the ingredients I used in this batch: 1 butternut squash – washed, cut in half and cleaned out 2 onions 5 potatoes – cut in big chunks 1 large sweet potato – cut in big chunks 5 large carrots – cut in big chunks 3 peppers (red, yellow or orange) – cut in half (stem and seeds removed) whole head of garlic with top cut off, or in individual cloves 1 Tbsp each: cumin and paprika 1 tsp each: salt and back pepper 1/3 cup olive oil 1 quart vegetable broth 1 19 oz can coconut cream (560 ml)
Into a large baking dish, put: 1 butternut squash, cut side up, scored crisscross with a sharp knife. Add onions, potatoes, carrots, onions, peppers and garlic. Don’t bother peeling anything, just make sure they’re all clean. Drizzle with olive oil Add seasoning. Don’t be afraid to add your seasoning of choice. Try a teaspoon of cinnamon or ginger. Bake in 350 degree oven about an hour, till fork tender. Add a few minutes if necessary. When fork tender, remove from oven and allow to cool. Once the squash is cool enough to handle, scoop out the softened flesh with an ice cream scoop and put everything (in different stages) into a good strong blender, using vegetable broth as the liquid. Puree. The only peel you’re gonna discard is the squash and the garlice if you used the whole head. Pour each batch into a saucepan as it is done. Once all the vegetables are pureed, gently warm up over medium heat. Add any remaining vegetable broth, and as a last step, pour in coconut cream that has been stirred if necessary.
Serve with sourdough bread toasted. Enjoy.
Dorothy Beck’s Pumpkin Cookies
– I got this recipe in 1983 from my friend Dorothy Beck. It became a favourite in our house on chilly fall and winter school days. A nice soft tender cookie. Makes about 5 dozen. 1 cup shortening 2 cups sugar 4 eggs 2 cups cooked pumpkin 2 teaspoons vanilla 2 teaspoons baking soda 1 teaspoons salt 2 teaspoons baking powder 1 T cinnamon 4 + 1/2 cups flour 2 cups raisins * 1 cup chopped nuts – your choice, optional
Directions: Preheat oven 350 F. 1. In mixer, cream together shortening and sugar. Add eggs one at a time till thoroughly mixed. 2. Add pumpkin and beat in completely. Set aside. 3. Sift together all dry ingredients and set aside. 4. Add dry ingredients to pumpkin mixture one cup at a time, mixing well with a spoon. 5. Half way through flour addition, add raisins and nuts, stir in. 6. Finish adding flour. 7. Drop cookie dough by teaspoons onto prepared cookie sheet – either greased or use parchment. 8. Bake in 350 degree oven till done. Probably 15-20 minutes? Check frequently. Cookies are done when they spring back to the touch. Cool slightly on pan, then using spatula, place them on a rack to cool completely while you re-use the pan to make more.
Patti Shenfield’s Pumpkin Loafbased on the recipe in her bookFLAVORS OF HOME
1/2 cup butter melted or your favourite cooking oil 1 cup pumpkin mash 1/2 cup sour cream or plain yogurt 2 tsp vanilla 1 egg 2 cups flour 1 tsp baking soda 1/2 tsp of each: cinnamon and ginger + 1/4 tsp nutmeg 1 cup sugar 3/4 cup chopped walnut Directions: 1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F 2. In small mixing bowl combine oil, pumpkin puree, sour cream, vanilla and egg. Beat until smooth. Set aside. 3. In large mixing bowl sift dry ingredients together, and make a well in the middle of it. 4. Add wet ingredients and still around till all is moistened. 5. Pour into greased and floured loaf pan. . 6. Bake 50-60 minutes or until a tookpick inserted into the middle comes out clean. Can be used for muffins instead. of cake Can add chocolate chips.
Pumpkin Scones with Maple Syrup Glaze
3 cups unbleached flour 1 T baking powder 2 teaspoons cinnamon 1 teaspoon allspice 1/2 teaspoon each of ginger and nutmeg 3/4 teaspoon salt sift all the dry ingredients together
1 cup COLD butter cut up Using two forks or a pastry cutter, work the butter into the dry ingredients. Don’t get too carried away and make the pieces too small. Course like whole rolled oats is fine enough. Set aside.
mix liquid ingredients together (*hint: have them cold): 1 cup pumpkin puree 2 eggs 1/2 cup heavy cream OR kefir OR plain yogurt OR sour cream OR buttermilk 3/4 cup brown sugar 2 teaspoons vanilla
Line a cookie sheet with parchment (a baker’s best friend). Preheat oven to 400 F. Put your rack in the centre of oven.
Pour liquid ingredients into the sifted dry ingredients, and gently mix by folding, only until all moistened. Don’t over stir. Sprinkle a little flour onto the counter and dump out the dough onto it. Gently mix with hands only until you’ve created a ball. Divide into two equal smaller balls and place on either end of your parchment covered cookie sheet. Gently pat down with the palm of your hand, to form a disk about 6 inches across. Cut each disk into 8 equal pieces, and gently separate so each piece is an inch or two apart.
Bake 18 – 20 minutes, starting to test after 15 minutes but gently tapping the scones with your finger. You’re looking for it to bounce back. When done, remove from oven and allow to cool on pan.
* While scones are cooling, prepare this delicious glaze: in small sauce pan over low heat, melt 2 Tablespoons butter. Add 1/3 cup maple syrup and mix thoroughly, removing from heat. Add 1 cup icing sugar. Mix thoroughly and drizzle over top baked scones.
I prepared my glaze too early and it was setting by the time I got a chance to use it. I couldn’t drizzle anymore, I had to spread it – which was okay too.
I hope you’ll fall in love with squash – especially winter squash. It’s the end of September as I write this, so in our house we’re just gearing up for cold weather recipes. I’d love to see some of your favourite recipes using all kinds of squash. Please share in the comments. I will continue to add new recipes as I find them in my own collection.
Warmly,
Cindy Suelzle
Footnotes:
Delicata, acorn and spaghetti are related closely enough to zucchini and pumpkin that they can cross pollinate: all are Cucurbita pepo. Winter squashes such as hubbard, kobacha, buttercup and turk’s turban belong to Cucurbita maxima and can cross pollinate one another. Butternut squash is Cucurbita moschata and does not cross-pollinate with the squashes listed above. Winter squash have separate male and female flowers. The female flower requires pollen in order to produce fruit, but the pollen can come from other compatible species. Pollen is moved by insects such as bees, bumblebee, hoverflies, ants and others. Here is an example of cross-pollination: If you grow acorn squash in the garden and it is pollinated by a nearby zucchini, this year’s fruit will still look like an acorn squash. But if you harvest the seed from that squash, the seed will contain genes from both the zucchini and the acorn squash. If that seed is grown next year, the resulting fruit will look very different – with a combination of characteristics of both parents. This is called a hybrid. ↩︎
Here is an example of cross-pollination: If you grow acorn squash in the garden and it is pollinated by a nearby zucchini, this year’s fruit will still look like an acorn squash. But if you harvest the seed from that squash, the seed will contain genes from both the zucchini and the acorn squash. If that seed is grown next year, the resulting fruit will look very different – with a combination of characteristics of both parents. This is called a hybrid. ↩︎
Winter squash have separate male and female flowers. The female flower requires pollen in order to produce fruit, but the pollen can come from other compatible species. Pollen is moved by insects such as bees, bumblebee, hoverflies, ants and others.
chutney, enchilada sauce, hoisin sauce, ketchup (x2), peanut sauce, pesto, plum sauce, sweet & salsa, sour sauce, teriyaki sauce – and a few bonus recipes
This post came from a bigger one called HOMEMADE MIXES that just kept growing and growing. At length I finally had to divide it into sections to keep it manageable. Hence – the separation – sorry about any inconvenience it may have caused in your searching.
HOMEMADE ENCHILADA SAUCE
Stir to combine these dry ingredients: 3 T flour 1 T chili powder 1 t cumin 1/2 t garlic powder 1/2 t crushed dried oregano leaves 1/4 t salt pinch cinnamon 3 T oil – your choice 2 T tomato powder 2 cups vegetable broth 1 T vinegar – your choice Directions: 1. Heat 3 Tablespoons of oil to sizzling temperature, add spice mix and stir to toast. 2. Whisk in 2 Tablespoons tomato powder, then slowly add 2 cup vegetable broth. 3. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and gently simmer till thickened a bit. 4. Remove from heat, and stir in 1 Tablespoon vinegar. Let sit till ready to use, or cover and refrigerate.
HOISIN SAUCE
Hoisin sauce is a thick, dark, fragrant sauce commonly used in Chinese cooking, in a stir fry, or as dipping sauce for Asian dumplings. Lots of different recipes – give this one a try. 1/2 cup soy sauce 2 T dark molasses 2 T honey 1 T toasted sesame oil (darker and more flavourful than regular sesame oil) 2 T rice vinegar 1/4 cup peanut butter 3 cloves garlic finely minced 2 T sriracha sauce or your favourite hot chili sauce 1/2 t black pepper 1 T miso paste 1/4 cup water with 1 T cornstarch made into a slurry
Directions: In a small saucepan over medium high heat, whisk together everything except cornstarch slurry. When sauce is bubbling, whisk in cornstarch slurry continuing to stir and simmer till it begins to thicken. When it is the desired consistency, remove from heat. Makes almost 2 cups. Pour into a pint jar and allow to cool. STORE in fridge for 4-6 weeks. Use it to glaze salmon, ribs, chicken, shrimp – a little goes a long way as it is highly concentrated.
HOMEMADE KETCHUP – 2 variations
It’s ironic that in most cases, condiments were homemade at first, and then commercially reproduced to taste as close to homemade as possible. Not really possible – but we become so accustomed to the commercial variation that we now try to make the homemade version taste like IT. How backwards is that? The homemade version is all about natural flavours and ingredients. Super easy, and tastes so much better than commercial if FRESH tasting is important to you.
HOMEMADE KETCHUP #1 For when you have lots of FRESH Garden tomatoes that need to be used up.
– Fresh Tomatoes – salt and pepper – optional: fresh garden hot pepper – a little of your favourite vinegar: apple cider, red wine, even balsamic? Your choice. – Tomato Powder1 * some people might add a little sugar. I never have – it doesn’t appeal to me at all, but you do you.
Chop fresh garden tomatoes into a saucepan. Small, medium or large? Depends how many tomatoes you’re trying to use up. No need to peel tomatoes.
Put on medium low heat and bring to a boil. Be attentive at the beginning to prevent scorching; a lot of tomato juice will be created, but be sure your heat at the beginning isn’t too high. Stir frequently as it comes to a slow rolling boil.
At this point, you can cover the pot and let it gently simmer (just below the boiling point), for about an hour. Set the timer every 10 minutes to remind you to check on it, and give it a stir to prevent scorching.
To clarify: simmering is just below the boiling point. It uses moderate heat to soften foods slowly over time, before gradually adding seasonings and other ingredients.
After about an hour, you should notice that a lot of the tomato ‘water’ is evaporating and the sauce is thickening. Add a little salt. Since you’re working with an indefinite amount of tomatoes, I can’t tell you how much salt. Taste test. Start with 1/4 teaspoon and taste. Add 1/4 teaspoon at a time, taste testing as you go.
I really like what black pepper does to a savoury dish, so I add the same amount of pepper as I do salt. Once you’ve salted to your taste, add the pepper. Try adding equal amounts – you might be surprised at how much you’ll like it. I think black pepper is very under used in our culture.
If I have a nice garden pepper on the counter, I’ll chop it finely and add it. It adds some zing.
Add a little vinegar if you want. I generally choose a basil vinegar that I’ve made previously, but use what you have.
* Tomato Powder will thicken your ketchup adding beautiful colour, texture and that familiar tomato acid. Again, since you’re working with an indefinite amount of tomatoes to start with, it’s hard to say how much TOMATO POWDER you’ll want to use, but don’t over do it. Start with a tablespoon at a time, and stir to completely incorporate. Add another tablespoon and incorporate till you’re happy with the texture and taste.
That’s IT! You’re done. The way Tomato Ketchup was supposed to be.
HOMEMADE KETCHUP #2 For when you do not have fresh garden tomatoes – no worries, you’ve always got tomato powder.
1 c. *Tomato Powder2 3 1/2 c. water 1/3 c. honey or sugar – your choice 1/2 c. Cider Vinegar 2 tbsp. freeze dried chopped onions 1 tsp. salt 1/2 tsp. garlic Powder 1/2 tsp. black Pepper 1/2 tsp. dry Mustard 1/8 tsp. ground Allspice
directions: In a medium sized pot combine all the ingredients. Stir to mix and bring to a boil, continuing to stir frequently. Reduce heat and gently simmer, stirring frequently till ketchup reaches the perfect consistency for you. Expect that to be about 45 minutes – depending on thickness desired. Pour into glass jar and refrigerate. , continuing to stir frequently. Reduce heat and gently simmer, stirring frequently till ketchup reaches the perfect consistency for you. Expect that to be about 45 minutes – depending on thickness desired. Pour into glass jar and refrigerate. Mine yielded 2 pint jars. Best to let it sit for a day to allow flavours to fully blend.
STORE 2 – 3 weeks in the fridge. Use as you would normally use regular ketchup.
PLUM SAUCE – 2 variations
A sweet, tangy, and utterly delicious savoury sauce – bursting with flavour. It doesn’t matter what kind of plum you use. They’re all going to make it a little bit different, but that makes it unique to the year. Blue plums, black plums, red plums or even green plums – or a combination of some. Whatever you have on hand. *Try adding some rhubarb if you have some left at the end of the season. How to use plum sauce in? and in what dishes? As a dip: Typically plum sauce is used as a dipping sauce for Asian egg rolls or spring rolls or Asian dumplings. A sweet and tangy contrast to the crispness of an egg roll. But don’t stop there! Meat: Use as a glaze when grilling chicken or pork; or on the table as a sauce to serve along side of pork roast. Crackers: spoon a dollop on to of cream cheese and crackers. Or on a charcutere’ platter. Vegetables: Drizzle over your roasted vegetables, or make a quick homemade salad dressing: start with your favourite oil and vinegar (try balsamic), with a little dijon mustard. Stir in a tablespoon or two plum sauce. Stir Fried Meal: Add a few spoons full to your stir-fries right at the very end. Cranberry sauce substitute: Use as you would a cranberry sauce with chicken or turkey. Use as a spread the next time you make turkey sandwiches.
Plum Sauce #1 – Simple
5 cups pitted and chopped fresh plums – or 4 cups if you’re chopping them in smaller pieces (dicing) – about 1.5 – 2 pounds 1/3 cup apple cider vinegar 1/3 cup brown sugar 2 T soy sauce 2 cloves garlic minced 1-2 T grated fresh ginger or 1-2 teaspoons ginger powder 1/2 t red pepper flakes (optional) * try switching out 1/4 – 1/3 of the plums for an equal amount of rhubarb – for a tangy twist
directions: 1. Put all together in medium sauce pan, bring to boil over medium heat. 2. Reduce heat to low and simmer till sauce is thickened slightly – could be up to an hour. 3. Mash with a potato masher, or if you want a smooth consistency, puree with a blender. Personally I prefer more texture so I don’t puree, but go ahead and do you.
Remember this is a ‘sauce’, not a jam. The thickness you’re looking for is a little runnier than jam; something that can be spooned or even poured. That’s it! It’s so easy its almost embarrassing. But its SO good. The vinegar, soy sauce and brown sugar are such a sweet and yet tangy combination. The perfect compliment to a tangy plum flavour. This will be good in your fridge for a week or so. But if you’ve got a lotta plums, double or triple it and process in pint (500 ml) or 1/2 pint (250 ml) jars in a hot water bath. Process for 15 minutes once the hot water bath returns to a rolling boil. Label with date and description and store up to two years.
*tip – this amount will yield about 3 250 ml jars / 1 cup / half pint. 10 cups chopped plums yielded 3 500 ml jars / 3 pints OR 6 250 ml / 1 cup / 1/2 pint for more direction on home canning click HERE
Plum Sauce #2 – more robust
16-18 cups (about 4 pounds plums pitted and chopped) 1 medium onion, diced 3 large garlic cloves minced 1.5 cups brown sugar 1.5 cups apple cider vinegar 1/2 cup shredded fresh ginger OR 1 Tablespoon powdered ginger 1 Tablespoon ground mustard 1 teaspoon cinnamon 1+ Tablespoon red pepper flakes 1/2 teaspoon cloves
directions: 1. Bring to a boil over medium high heat, stirring frequently to prevent scorching. 2. Reduce heat to medium low and gently simmer 60-90 minutes, stirring every few minutes.
I am usually making preserves according to the produce I have on hand that I want to find good use for. It’s a rare time I buy an ingredient for a recipe. I choose recipes to match what I HAVE on hand. That’s the whole point – to use what I have. Q: So what if you don’t have enough plums to make this recipe? A: be flexible. What do you have that will compliment the flavour and profile? In the season of plums, I generally also have apples, and the last of the rhubarb left. Perfect! Both are excellent companions for the taste of a plum sauce. So here’s a suggestion variation: Substitute half of the plums for apples and/or rhubarb. Will it taste exactly the same as plum sauce? Of course not. But will it be good and will you like it? Why wouldn’t you? Open your mind – be flexible and be creative. And yes, it taste’s great.
PEANUT SAUCE (for Spring Rolls)
*I use this sauce to pour over or as a dip for Spring Rolls, but the truth is – it’s so yummy I may or may not eat it by the spoonful. 2/3 cup peanut butter 1/4 cup T rice vinegar 1/4 cup soy sauce 1/4 cup liquid honey 2 T sesame oil 4 cloves garlic minced 1/4 – 1/3 cup water (start with 1/4 cup and add a little more if needed Whisk together to make creamy but dip-able sauce. Can store in fridge for a week or two.
*BONUS – Spring Roll recipe Spring rolls can seem intimidating, but you’ll get the hang of it quickly and be a pro in no time. It’s kinda like folding a burrito but tighter. The first few won’t be perfect, but don’t stress out – you’re just gonna eat ’em anyway.
filling: thin rice noodles, finely shredded: lettuce, cabbage, carrot; long thin cucumber wedges; chopped green onions, fresh cilantro and fresh mint. Small amount of sesame oil and little bit of salt. 1. Cook noodles in boiling water for 2-3 minutes. Test. DON’T over-cook. 2. Drain and rinse immediately in cold water. Drain again. OR 1. Soak them in warm water (not cold, not hot) for 10-15 minutes till softened. 2. Drain and rinse in cold water. Drain again. T 3. Drizzle 2 T sesame oil over top and 1 t. salt to keep from sticking together. Set aside. *hint: have everything ready to go so that you can focus on the rice paper and folding.
wrapper: Rice Paper Sheets building the rolls 1. lay a round rice paper sheet one at a time in a pie plate of cool water – 10-20 seconds till pliable. Lay on a clean tea towel and place a few pieces of lettuce about one-third from the bottom of the wrapper. You want to leave a couple inches open on the two sides for wrapping. 2. Add remaining ingredients in whatever order you prefer, but I like to do – lettuce, cabbage, carrots, green onions, topped with a couple wedges of cucumber and then sprinkled with the chopped herbs . Leave the top third of the wrapper open for wrapping. 3. Gently pull the bottom of the wrapper up and over the filling. Try to keep the filling as tight as you can as you roll upwards, until the filling is enveloped. Pull the sides over to enclose the filling completely. Continue rolling till fully wrapped.
The more you do, the tighter they’ll get. You may have to eat the first one to get rid of the evidence of it.
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.
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.
TERIYAKI SAUCE
1 cup water 1/4 cup soy sauce 1/4 cup brown sugar 2 T honey 1/2 teaspoon powdered ginger 1 garlic clove minced OR 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
2 T cornstarch mixed into a slurry with 1/4 cup cold water and set aside
Combine everything except cornstarch slurry into a small sauce pan. Bring to medium heat and whisk ingredients till thoroughly combined. Slowly add cornstarch slurry whisking constantly till its thickened to desired consistency. Use as you would any other teriyaki sauce. Make ahead and Store in a glass jar in the fridge for 4-6 weeks.
SALSAS
a Salsa is any of a variety of sauces used as condiments for tacos and other Mexican origin dishes. They can be raw or cooked, used as sauces or dips, and are generally served at room temperature. A similar condiment with an Indian flare is chutney.
MANGO CUCUMBER SALSA with LIME 2 cups freeze dried mangoes OR fresh mango diced 2 cups freeze dried cucumbers OR fresh cucumber diced 1 cup freeze dried red bell peppers OR fresh pepper diced 1/4 cup freeze dried chopped onions OR 1/2 medium red onion diced finely 1/4 cup vegetable oil – your choice 1/2 cup water if using freeze dried OR 1/4 cup water if using fresh 1 T Lime powder OR juice of one lime (don’t be afraid to add more LIME) up to 2 T honey 1/2 c chopped fresh cilantro
Combine all produce in a bowl.
Prepare dressing on the side and drizzle over top.
Let sit for a few minute before serving.
* When you’re using freeze dried ingredients you can prepare this ahead in a jar, all except for the liquids. When you’re ready, just pour into a bowl, add water and oil, stir to combine and presto! You’re done. You’ll have to forego the fresh cilantro, or add it later. This is wonderful for me because I can have ‘fresher-than-fresh’ mango salsa any time it appeals to me. You can store this freeze dried ‘mix’ in a sealed jar for 6 months to a year. Once it is prepared, you can keep it in the fridge for up to a week.
FRESH RHUBARB SUMMER SALSA click link for recipe 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 CHUTNEY click link for recipe 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. Enjoy!
Have fun with all these different sauces. Be flexible and be creative. I hope you’ll share your successes with me below.
Tomato Powder is an important part of my kitchen staples. I use it often. You can buy it, or make it by dehydrating your garden tomatoes, then powdering them in the blender. When I make my own, I try to be careful not to powder too finely, as I prefer a more ‘flakey’ texture. *Tomato powder WILL absorb moisture from the air and compress in time. No worries, just use a fork to loosen it and use it anyway. It’s still excellent quality, just responding to the moisture. Keep a tight lid on it to prevent that as much as possible. ↩︎
Learn how to make and use TOMATO POWDER. Recipes and suggestions. Click HERE
It is a surprisingly common myth that once you ‘preserve’ a food, it has an indefinite shelf life. Absolutely FALSE. Pay attention to shelf life and plan to USE the food you store as it will not be good forever. 1
All storage methods have limits that are shorter than we are tempted to assume. Be reasonable. Nothing STOPS food spoilage, but certain methods of preserving slow it down considerably. It’s food! Its not indestructible. Nutrition is optimum the fresher it is of course, and at the beginning of storing, best used within a certain time frame.
Generally this is what you can expect:
Canned food – commercially canned or home bottled food has a recommended shelf life of 18 months to 2 years. Two years is the time frame I try to work within. Nutritional value is approximately 40% of whatever that food was the hour it went into the bottle. That nutritional value decreases as it ages, so yes, we may all know someone who has bottled peaches from 2018 on their shelf, but the nutritional value is so poor . . . . Just EAT the doggone thing or give it to the chickens! Get it over with! What are you waiting for?
Frozen fruits and vegetables if prepared properly have a recommended shelf life of 4 months to a year. For me, I use a year as my benchmark. Nutritional value is approximately 60% of whatever the food was the hour it went into the freezer. The key is to have it in the freezer as close to harvest time as possible. Don’t forget about it in there.
Dehydrated foods have a Potential Shelf Life of – 1 year for fruits, 6 months for vegetables, 1-2 months for meat (6 months if vacuum sealed. I say potential because there are so many factors to consider when dehydrating at home. Like for instance: Did you use a dehydrator? an oven? or did you air dry? How long between picking time and the dehydrator? Did you remove all the moisture? Are you certain? What temperature did you dry it at? How are you storing it? Best practise is to store in coolish room temperatures (no less than 40 F / 5 C and no higher than 70 F / 20 C), out of direct light. Nutritional value can be up to 80% with a key factor being prompt processing (from field to dehydrator).
Freeze dried food has an extraordinary shelf life of up to 25 years if done properly. Freeze drying is a gentler process preserving and protecting the food value. Nutritional value could be over 90%.
I strongly emphasize HOME GROWN when selecting what food to preserve for a few very good reasons.
* When I say ‘home grown’, of course I mean locally grown by either me or someone I know, or perhaps a farmer’s market vendor – so that we can know HOW it was grown and WHEN it was picked. Produce begins to deteriorate in-the-hour it is harvested. Most produce: all stone fruit like peaches, plums, apricots, mangoes, and all seed fruits like apples and pears, we buy from the grocery store are picked before it is fully ripe, and at least a week before we buy it. This is done to assist in the transportation of the produce to distant locations, but it inhibits full nutritional content right outta the gate. Some of the phytonutrients in those plants will never fully develop if they are harvested too early.
Since nutritional value begins to deteriorate immediately, keeping produce for a week or more before we eat it, ensures significant loss of nutrients. So for example, when we buy a case of “fresh” peaches from the grocery store to bottle or freeze or even freeze dry (don’t dehydrate them), and we wait a few more days after we get them home to ripen, we are guaranteed to loose much in the way of nutrition. In many cases – more than HALF before you even cut into your first ripe peach.
DEHYDRATORS:
There are many different types of Food Dehydrators. It doesn’t have to be expensive, but to make it worthwhile – pay attention to a few details.
Purchased or homemade? New or used? When we started dehydrating in the late 1970’s there really weren’t a whole lotta options available for purchase. It was pretty much ‘homemade’ or nothing.
Oven My first experience dehydrating was in our kitchen oven. I set it to as low a temperature as I could, and used a serving utensil to keep it slightly ajar, allowing the air to circulate. I made fruit leather, using a recipe from an old book I borrowed from the library. This was a good introduction, but awkward and impossible to know exactly what temperature I was dealing with. It took a long time and was easy to lose track of time and over do it.
Homemade Conversion My next experience was to borrow a home made dehydrator from our good friends Daryl and Carol Currie from church. They had converted a small fridge, adding multiple shelves. It was heated with an in-car heater and fan. and worked very well. We loved it.
When I was in my first year of marriage, I came across this adage that spoke to me and shaped my thinking. The saying which gained popularity during the depression and wartime years, encourages resourcefulness. To me it is the motto of a self reliant lifestyle.
Screen to sun dry We experimented with an open screen system to dry in the sun. Dan built me a bottom screen and a top screen to protect the fruit from insects. Epic fail. First of all, the screens didn’t prevent the flies from landing close enough to the fruit to contaminate it, and second of all, the weather was not always helpful. We do not have the hot dry summers up here to make that idea practical. Back to borrowing Currie’s fridge dehydrator again.
Homemade from scratch Dan built me a very big dehydrator out of plywood – the size of a small freezer. I was dehydrating for a family of growing kids, and to be able to do a fairly large amount of fruit at a time was important, so I needed something that would suit our purposes. Dan and our friend Kevin Lamont worked together and made one for us and one for Lamonts. Following the example of our friends the Curries, Dan and Kevin used in-car heaters as a heat source. They worked Great and we used ours for years! I could dry about 40 pounds of apples at a time, and as I recall – it would take approximately 24 hours (rotating shelves during that time).
At length, when my need for quantity reduced, we passed it on to someone else and looked for a counter top one to replace it.
I was given an older “Nesco GARDEN MASTER” by a friend who was moving away and downsizing. I loved it, and used it for years, but eventually it started to wear out. It sounded like it was having motor problems, and I couldn’t risk having it quit mid season, so we purchased a new model. Interestingly, the newer one was exactly the same – I guess when it already checks all the boxes, there’s not much to improve on. A nice perk was that all the older racks still fit so we gained quite a big capacity.
* Our son adopted our older one and refurbished it to run smoothly again, so now we both have one. The added bonus of that is that we can each borrow extra trays if we are dehydrating a bigger batch.
Purchased There are many types of dehydrators for sale these days: big and small, reasonably priced for the most part – so do a little research and read the reviews.
It is easy to find used (I call them ‘experienced’) dehydrators for good prices – from people who just didn’t end up using them as much as they thought they would. You can pick one up for a real good price on the secondhand market.
Unless you’re a single person and expect to use your dehydrator mostly for fun – avoid a real small size. Some dehydrators are so small they’re almost a waste of time in my opinion.
The shape of your dehydrator (round, square or rectangle) is completely a matter of personal choice, but there are a few features I recommend looking for: * being easy to clean is critical * a fairly large capacity, and the ability to do a little or a lot at a time * a thermostat to allow temperature control – a very important feature in my opinion * being able to add more shelves (racks) to increase your capacity from time to time * being able to purchase replacement pieces if needed * easy to clean plastic removable screens for fruit pieces, and easy clean plastic sheets suitable for fruit leather. tip: If your dehydrator doesn’t have screens or sheets, parchment paper is a good alternative.
Can you use your air fryer to dehydrate? Apparently you can, but your capacity is very small. You’ll be drying one sliced apple at a time, so what’s the point? And you’re still looking at several hours. When I dehydrate, I’m not doing it for fun – I’m looking for practicality and a quality product. Be cautious about keeping your heat down. I’ve had people tell me they dehydrate at 300 degrees Fahrenheit. That’s cooking, not dehydrating – and heat sensitive vitamins will be destroyed.
In the end – my recommendation is to buy a good dehydrator. Whether it is new or experienced doesn’t matter, but investing in one will give you a lot of continual flexibility to be able to take advantage of freshly harvested produce that comes your way.
DEHYDRATING: Why and How
Dehydrated foods can be a nutritious option, but the extent of the nutrient retention varies. While some nutrients are well-preserved, others like water-soluble vitamins like Vitamin C and some B vitamins, will be lost during the drying process. The extent of loss will depend on a few factors – see below.
If you’re going to be serious about dehydrating, get yourself a dehydrator. It doesn’t have to be expensive, in fact I recommend buying an ‘experienced’ one from market place or a thrift store. You can get some pretty nice dehydrators for decent prices when you buy them second hand. I highly recommend getting one that has temperature control and that fits on your counter.
Nutrient Retention in Dehydrated Foods:
Vitamins: Vitamins C and some of the B complex (B1 & B9) are heat-sensitive and can be degraded with heat. To preserve these nutrients, use as little heat as you reasonably can. If you have a food dehydrator with a thermometer on it (my high recommendation), you can deliberately keep your temperature lower: 115 F to 125 F (46-52 C).
Temperature: For delicate citrus fruits and strawberries, keep the temperature range on the lower end / 115F – 125 F. For more hardy fruits like apples, some recommend doing the first hour at about 140 F to remove initial surface moisture, then reducing it to the lower range for the remainder of the drying time.
Minerals: Minerals are generally well-preserved during dehydration.
Fiber: Dietary fiber content remains largely unaffected by the drying process.
Calories: The calorie content of dehydrated food is going to stay the same, but on a weight-for-weight basis may seem higher because the water is removed.
Macronutrients: Macronutrients like carbohydrates, proteins, and fats are largely retained during dehydration.
Factors Affecting Nutrient Loss:
Drying Method: Dehydrating in a dehydrator at a low-temperature, retains more nutrients than air drying or oven drying. Temperature: Lower drying temperatures help preserve nutrients. Storage: Proper storage (like cool temperature and in the dark) helps maintain the quality and nutritional value of dehydrated foods.
Benefits of Dehydrated Foods:
Longer Shelf Life: Dehydration extends the shelf life of foods, reducing spoilage and waste.
Concentrated Nutrition: Dehydrated foods are more nutrient-dense by weight, making them a good option for backpacking or situations where weight is a concern.
Variety: Dehydration allows for year-round access to a wider variety of fruits and vegetables.
Mixing batches? Sometimes you may have two or more types of food that need the dehydrator at the same time. Can you mix them? ie: a few shelves of kale and a few shelves of fruit leather? Be careful. Consider the flavour and aroma of the foods your thinking of putting together.
Apples for instance have a pretty delicate flavour profile, tarragon is pretty strong. Keep those things in mind as you make the decision to combine in the dehydrator – albeit on different shelves. I have mixed in the past but usually with similar things: apples and fruit leather, cherries and fruit leather, cherries and apples, tomatoes and basil or oregano, kale and most herbs. Garlic or onion with anything else? ABSOLUTELY NOT! Don’t even do those in the house. And make sure you wash your shelves afterward. With garlic you might even want to use parchment paper which you can discard afterward.
What types of herbs, fruits and vegetables grown in the prairie provinces of Alberta are best candidates for dehydrating?
HERBS
All garden culinary herbs except dill weed (the green ferny parts), chives and cilantro are suitable for drying. With these herbs, the flavour is lost and the texture is not very good. I opt to freeze them as the flavour, colour and texture remain beautiful. I use them FROZEN, scraping out of a container with a fork and returning the container to the freezer immediately.
Basil – Oregano – Rosemary – Sage – Savory – Tarragon – Thyme (and any other leafy herb): wash, shake off water and drain well. Bigger leaves like basil I’ll remover from stem, smaller leaves like thyme and rosemary I’ll leave on the stem. Arrange in single layer on dehydrator rack. Once they’re dry, its a lot easier to strip off the stems. Do NOT leave any herbs unattended, as some will dry surprisingly quick. Oregano, tarragon and thyme for instance could be dry in a couple of hours, while basil may take double that time or even more. You know they’re dry enough when they’re crispy. Some leaves like basil will change colour – get a lot darker. Other leaves like oregano will stay the same colour. Be prepared for variety, they’re all gonna do what they do, and its all okay in the end.
Garlic: is different entirely, as it is not leafy, but succulent. Slice and arrange on rack in single layer, being prepared to redistribute by hand from time to time during the drying process. Best to find a protected outdoor area to set up your dehydrator as the smell will be very strong. When dry, store in slices, or grind into powder / granules.
FRUITS
* Experiment with length of time, always selecting a low temperature if you have a thermometer on your dehydrator. * Most of these ones listed you can expect to take over night at least – probably a good 12-18 hours. You’ll know they’re ready when they’re CRISP. Not a minute sooner. * Not all pieces will dry at the same rate. Rotate your racks throughout the process, and remove pieces that are dry sooner than the others. Place them in their storage jar, and continue to add others as they dry. If you stop too soon and pack them away while there’s still some moisture in them, they’ll mould and you’ll lose them all.
Should you peel your fruit? Depends on the fruit – and your preference, but I generally choose to peel apples. I find that the skin dries a little tough and the kids were eating around it.
Apples: my kids were raised on dried apples, dehydrated in a large dehydrator that Dan built. I could fit 40+ pounds of apples into it at one time. – Peel them, core them and slice into rounds 1/8 – 1/4 inch thick. If you prefer wedged slices to rounds, go ahead, you be you. – Add to a water-lemon juice solution to prevent them from browning. – When you’re ready, spread evenly in a single layer on your dehydrator racks and stack them. Cover with the lid and turn it on. Suggestion: set your dehydrator to 145°F (63°C) for about an hour to dry surface moisture, then reduce it to 135°F (57°C) for the remaining drying time. This two-step process helps prevent “case hardening,” where the outside dries too quickly and traps moisture inside. Expect 6 to 12 hours for the apples to dry completely. Don’t be surprised if it takes longer as there are other factors like humidity in the air that will affect the timing.
Testing: its a good practice to test every few hours, occasionally turning slices over as you see the need. Rotate racks.
Checking for dryness: Apples are dry when they are dry to touch, no moisture when pressed between your fingers. They can be crisp or pliable but ‘leathery’. Your choice.
Cooling and Storage: Always allow to cool completely before storing; a few minutes will suffice. Don’t let it sit for too long though, as it will absorb moisture from the air and lose it’s crispness. Store in an airtight container, preferably in a cool, dark place. I prefer glass jars.
Shelf life: You can be comfortable with storage of several months up to a year. After that, the quality will start to deteriorate.
Blueberries: I rarely have enough blueberries to dehydrate, but if you live in the north and you’ve got a favourite wild blueberry patch, then go for it! Poke a hole in each berry to break the skin – other wise they’ll take forever. Personally I wouldn’t leave these overnight. I’d want to keep a closer eye on them to prevent over drying. Use the steps for apples as a general guideline.
cherry raisins – I save the pits too to use in other projects.
Sour cherries: One of my favourite ways to preserve cherries is to dehydrate them, and then use them like raisins. Pit them, cut in half and place on the dehydrator rack open side up in a single layer.
Pitting cherries is a messy job, so its the perfect one to take outside. Having the dehydrator plugged in outside as well, keeps the whole mess outside where its easier to clean up.
fruit leather
Pears: Personally, I do not enjoy the texture of dried pears, so I don’t do them.
Plums: I slice into quarters – Prunes! Beautiful. Refer to the instructions for apples as general guidelines. No need to soak in lemon water, and if the plums are especially big and plump, cut them into smaller pieces.
I only use plums that are easy to pit. If I cannot remove the pit by simply slicing the fruit, then its not suitable to dry. Best to eat those plums fresh, or use for plum jam or plum sauce.
Rhubarb: only in fruit leather, as by itself the texture leaves much to be desired. See footnote for more information on fruit leathers. 2 Rhubarb freezes well – I love to use it frozen in smoothies, and I even can it sometimes cold packed in pint jars to use later as a sauce or in oatmeal. 3
Strawberries: slice and dry. No need to treat with lemon water, they’re beautiful. Like the blueberries, I wouldn’t leave these unattended over night. I’d want to keep an eye on them to prevent over drying. Strawberries will also make beautiful fruit leather alone or added to rhubarb. 4
All of these fruits are perfect for eating right out of the jar, or rehydrating. Use in porridge, or to bake with: muffins, cakes, crumbles etc. Stewed prunes over top of oatmeal. Refreshed dried cherries in muffins. Stewed apples and blueberries. Rehydrated apples and cherries in a nice ‘crisp’ or cobbler. Strawberry sauce to go over top ice cream.
Remember a dried plum is now a prune. It will never be a plum again – even if you rehydrate it. It is a PRUNE, just like a dried grape will always be a RAISIN. Rehydrating will never make them what they once were.
VEGETABLES
– carrots – corn – green beans – peas – onions – peppers – kale – spinach – tomatoes – zucchini – I store all these vegetables in labelled glass jars in a dark pantry cupboard. Most of them will only be useful in soups later.
* Most of these ones listed you can expect to take over night at least – probably a good 12 hours. But as with fruits, experiment with length of time, always selecting a low temperature if you have a thermometer on your dehydrator. * Not all pieces will dry at the same rate. Rotate your racks throughout the process, and remove pieces that are dry sooner than the others. Place them in their storage jar, and continue to add others as they dry.
Carrots: chop into small pieces and dehydrate to use in soups over the winter. Use in small amounts as they’ll be pretty strong flavoured, and expect them to take at least 20 minutes to rehydrate in brothy soup. I like to make carrot juice in the fall when I have lots of carrots, and when I do I often use the leftover pulp in carrot muffins or carrot cake. Sometimes however, I have an excess of carrot pulp that I cannot use right away. In that case, I’ll dehydrate it and store in a jar to use for carrot muffins over the winter.
carrot juice and whole wheat carrot muffins – the perfect late summer breakfast
Corn: shuck cooked corn as if you were going to freeze it. Break the pieces up quite small and dehydrate. Rehydrate in soups.
Green peas and beans, sweet peppers: blanch as if you were going to freeze them. Dehydrate on racks and rehydrate in soups.
Hot peppers: If they’re small I dehydrate them whole, and use them whole later without rehydrating them. I will throw them into the food processor whole, like for spinach dip, or to add to a sauce or soup. *tip: Peppers have a protective skin that should be punctured or split before dehydrating. You can still leave the peppers whole, but splitting the outer layer with a sharp knife before putting in the dehydrator will drastically reduce the time it takes. Sometimes if the peppers are small, I string them with thread and hang them in my kitchen to dry. It seems that simple puncturing of the needle helps.
Kale: Remove the tough stem, wash and chop coarsely. Lay on racks – no need to worry about single layers, I stack it quite deep. It dehydrates surprisingly (don’t ask how many hours – I never pay attention to that enough to write it down) quickly. I never blanch (or steam) it first.
Onions: chop into small pieces, or slice into 2-3 inch pieces and rinse in cold water. Rinsing removes some of the strong pungent sulfur flavour that is released when the onion is cut – I highly recommend it. Arrange on rack in single layer, being prepared to redistribute by hand from time to time during the drying process. Best to find a protected outdoor area to set up your dehydrator as the smell will be very strong.
Spinach and other leafy greens that are more delicate than kale: I suggest lightly steaming first (then plunging into COLD water to stop the cooking process). Drain well then coarsely chop and lay loosely on the dehydrator rack. Personally, I prefer freezing delicate leafy greens.
Tomatoes: choose meaty tomatoes like Roma. Tomatoes that are too juicy will take forever and stick like crazy to the rack. I slice them and lay in single layer on rack. As they dry and get leathery in texture, I’ll turn them over by hand and put them back on the rack to finish. Make sure you rotate your racks from time to time to help with even dehydrating. To use: add to soups or sauces as is, or powder them in a blender to use in the same way one would use tomato paste. 5
Zucchini: choose zucchini before it gets huge – the perfect eating size. I never peel the the small ones (just as if you were serving them for dinner), slice in nice thick pieces, then quarter them. Sometimes if I have a bigger zucchini, I’ll grate it and dry that way to refresh later and use for zucchini cake. These ones I DO peel because the peel is tough.
Other vegetables like: beets, broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, cucumbers – personally I don’t recommend dehydrating them, mostly because its a texture issue. Having said that, there are always exceptions: I have dehydrated beet slices for the purpose of powdering them (like tomato powder) for adding to smoothies. Beets are a nutrient-dense, low-calorie vegetable packed with vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants. They are particularly rich in folate, manganese and potassium, also rich in fiber and iron and dietary nitrates which are beneficial for heart health. This makes them worth going the extra mile to find a way to benefit from them. Just because a fruit or vegetable is not suitable to use in the ‘traditional’ way, doesn’t mean its not useable in a non traditional way.
It is always worth experimenting with how you can benefit from the good that your garden is gifting you. The very nature of experimenting means it might not work – but it might! Be creative, and open minded to try things you haven’t tried before. Be THAT person. Discover new things simply because you gave them a try.
* I recently saw a post for dehydrated dill pickles. The individual who posted, had too many on hand and their family didn’t care for the brand, so they got ‘creative’ and discovered something wonderful. THAT is what we’re talking about. Not only did they have a good experience, but by sharing they helped others have a good experience too.
a few rules to live by:
Being self reliant is about not wasting goodness.
“Store what you EAT. And then eat what you store.” It doesn’t do any good to dehydrate foods that you are never going to eat. But on the other hand, it IS good to experiment in small quantities at first, and then give it every chance. Not all fruits and vegetables are suited for all forms of preserving, 6 so its good to be flexible.
I hope you’ll give some of these foods a try in the dehydrator, and I’d love to hear your experiences. You likely have some great ideas that I’ve not implemented yet. Or some ways of using the dehydrated foods you’ve dried. I’d love to hear those too.
We have my 88 year old mom living with us. She’s been here several years and we love having her. It’s not without adjustments of course, on both sides, but over all its been a good fit. For the most part she’s quite healthy and active for her age. Occasionally we’ve have some medical problems we needed help with. A few times in the last few years, she’s been in the hospital for issues that are not so minor when you’re 88. She has the beginnings of dementia, and though she can function in her normal day-to-day, when she’s sick of course, or when other things throw her equilibrium out, she becomes even more easily confused.
Gramma Great playing a game of Racko with great grandson Deacon
sourdough muffins with freeze dried blueberries
During one of her hospital visits, when she was there for a week or so, she was very confused and I didn’t want her to be alone. I sat with her every day and into the evening until she fell asleep, and was back every morning before she woke up. She’s hard of hearing and its difficult for her to understand what is going on, even though she’ll look right at the doctor when he’s talking, smile and nod as if she understood everything he tells her. It’s confusing for everyone else when she does that, because all her signals are that she heard you. You actually have to stop, and ask her “Did you understand what I said?” No one ever does that of course. She’ll easily give the wrong message simply because she didn’t understand the question. In an environment like a hospital, its easy to get confused—and that can be scary. This is very time consuming for me, so ‘things’ I would normally do get set aside for awhile.
freshly baked loaf of sourdough bread
There certainly wasn’t time for things like grocery shopping, but people still need to eat right? Dan was still packing a lunch to work, and I was still preparing meals for those who lived here and those who came by to visit Mom. Let’s face it—eating is something we all do. Every Single Day, whether it’s convenient or not. And if we’re not making our own meals, we’re buying them – because going without is not really an option.
Sour dough crepes made with freeze dried eggs. Served with freeze dried peaches and black berries
Several times I wondered about going to the grocery store, but honestly, I never really had a need to. I had everything I needed right here in my pantry, including freeze-dried fruits, veggies, dairy, and meat that were all healthy and nutritious – “fresher-than-fresh”. And meal prep gave me a distraction while still being present. Nevertheless, I found myself being quite amazed that I didn’t feel any compulsion to go to the grocery store, but there simply wasn’t anything we needed.
Why amazed? Because a few weeks before all this happened, Mom had gone to stay with my sister for a bit while Dan and I went on a pre-planned vacation. The week before we left, I cleared out the fridge—used up or gave away every last perishable item in there. When we got home, I considered grocery shopping . . . but I didn’t need anything, so – I didn’t. And now it had been several weeks of not going to the store. No fresh milk, no fresh eggs, no sour cream or ‘fresh’ produce in the fridge. No bread.
Mujadara with freeze dried onions, served with freeze dried green beans. and homemade tzatziki with freeze dried cucumbers.
Shortly after picking Mom up from my sisters is when she went into the hospital, and we started that unexpected routine. By the time I decided to go to the grocery store and pick up some fresh asparagus and a few other traditional things for Easter dinner, it had been 10 WEEKS since I had been shopping. I picked up some of the niceties – perishable vegetables, fruit, and a few dairy items. That was all I felt I needed.
So—what’s my point?
Sometimes life just happens. It doesn’t have to be some big emergency or crisis. Sometimes it can be as simple as you’re just busy, or your priorities temporarily shift, and the “everyday” stuff—like grocery shopping—just doesn’t fit in.
Fajitas with freeze dried peppers, served with rice n beans with ground beef and cheddar.
But what if you didn’t have to worry about that detail?
What if your pantry was stocked with whole, simple, healthy, shelf-stable food you could count on when life gets hectic? No stress. No scramble. Just open the cupboard and make a meal. What if much of those food items were freeze dried? so you had confidence in the high quality and level of nutrition? What if that included FRUIT, MILK, EGGS, VEGETABLES and yes, even MEAT? What if it included things like SOUR CREAM and BUTTER? What if it included things like CHEESE and Complete MEALS? What if you didn’t have to wash, peel or chop any of that because it was already done? What if you didn’t have to brown the meat because it was already cooked.
Italian wedding soup made with freeze dried sausage crumbles, onions and spinach.
Whether you’re thrown a curveball and you spend several days in the hospital; or you find yourself caring for a loved one for long hours in each day; or perhaps you’re the one who’s sick and you are not well enough to tend to the normal errands like grocery shopping, or (heaven forbid), you find yourself stuck in the house isolating because of something unforeseen like say, . . . a pandemic; or the truckers go on strike and too many shelves at the grocery store are empty, or perhaps you find yourself without power for a few days; or you experience unemployment; or some unexpected expenses cut into your budget and you simply have nothing left at the end of the month; or any number of different scenarios – what if you didn’t have to worry about the detail of food?
Samosa pancakes made with freeze dried onions, peas, green beans, peppers, and potatoes; served with fresh applesauce.
Let’s face it—eating is something we all do. Every Single Day, whether it’s convenient or not. And if we’re not making our own meals, we’re buying them – because going without is not really an option.
What made the difference in my situation? Having a well stocked pantry was certainly one of the things that took the stress over meals out of the equation. But that on its own, is not enough. I adhere to the rule of “STORE WHAT YOU EAT, and EAT WHAT YOU STORE”. Simply put, this means I am familiar with what’s in my pantry, and I am comfortable preparing it. I know how to use it.
freeze dried shredded beef served with homemade stuffing, freeze dried mashed potatoes, freeze dried corn, fresh carrots and freeze dried green beans
Decades ago, when Dan and I were just starting our life together, and our kids were little, money was tight, with the only flexibility in our budget being ‘groceries’. If something had to give, it was always gonna be in the grocery department, as that was the only place there was flexibility. Perhaps you can relate. I considered possible scenarios and I worried how they might affect my children. I wanted to shield them from the hard things in life. I wanted them to be comfortable, and to have confidence that our family was doing okay. No matter what.
I didn’t want the worry of debt to hover over our heads. Life is full of worries as it is, I didn’t want preventable ones to crowd in. The solution to all of these things was ‘preparedness’. Dan and I saw eye to eye on this. Being prepared meant many things, but one of the simplest things was to STORE WHAT WE EAT, and to EAT WHAT WE STORE. I cannot begin to tell you of the peace of mind that comes from planning ahead and managing those PREVENTABLE worries.
That philosophy has made our life much more comfortable in every single way. Life is hard enough. It doesn’t make any sense to make it harder because of lack of planning.
yogurt bowl with freeze dried berries and freeze dried spinach. Don’t knock it till you try it. DElicoius and super nutritious. Complete protein, fresher-than-fresh produce.
In the situation that prompted me to reflect and write this post – before having my elderly mom live with us, I hadn’t had the experience of being at someone’s bedside day after day after day. There had been prior reasons that prevented regular grocery shopping, but this was a new one. I cannot express the comfort of not having to worry about it. The weightless peace of mind that attended us as we navigated those weeks. And yet, the comfort of outward things continuing on as ‘normal’.
Tabouli with freeze dried tomatoes, onions, peppers and cucumbers
Several years ago (2009 to be exact) I discovered a new line of freeze dried foods that became a game changer in the way I lived my life of preparedness. Yes, we had tried freeze dried food before, but we didn’t much like them. This was different. Yes, we had tried some of the longer shelf life food before, but they were horrible. Yes, food storage was important to us, but variety was an issue, and vegetable were pretty much non existent.
I was introduced to THRIVE LIFE freeze dried foods, and they became the game changer. Soon after, I decided I wanted to be the one to introduce others to the solutions I found here. I did that. And I’ve been doing it ever since.
Because life just happens, . . . . . but we still need to eat. Even if its inconvenient. You could say “Peace of mind” is my big WHY.
If you’d like to learn more about it – go ahead and check out my link.
In today’s fast-paced world, convenience and nutrition must go hand-in-hand. One product that has gained significant popularity over the years for its long shelf life, ease of storage, and nutritional value is freeze-dried food. Whether you’re an outdoor enthusiast, a survivalist, or simply looking for an efficient way to preserve your meals, freeze-dried food is an excellent option. But what exactly is freeze-dried food? and how does it benefit you?
In this post, we’ll dive into everything you need to know about freeze-dried food, including its benefits, uses, and why it’s quickly becoming a staple in so many households in North America and Europe, with new facilities springing up in Central and South America, Asia, and even Africa.
Have you wondered about any of these common questions people ask about Freeze Dried foods? What is freeze-dried food? – How does freeze-drying preserve food? – Is it safe to eat? – How long does freeze-dried food last? – Can freeze-dried food be rehydrated easily? – How does freeze-dried food compare in nutrition as fresh food? – How do I store freeze-dried food properly? – Are there any preservatives in freeze-dried food? – How do freeze-dried meals compare to dehydrated meals? – What is the difference between freeze-dried and dehydrated food?
What is Freeze-Dried Food?
Freeze-drying is a preservation process where food is frozen and then placed in a vacuum, causing the ice in the food to turn directly into vapor without going through the liquid phase. This process removes moisture from the food, leaving it lightweight and shelf-stable while retaining much of the food’s original nutrients, flavour, and texture.
How ’bout: 1. How do you rehydrate freeze-dried food? 2. Can you eat freeze-dried food without rehydrating it? 3. How much water do you need to rehydrate freeze-dried food? 4. How long does it take to rehydrate freeze-dried food? 5. Can you cook freeze-dried food? 6. Can freeze-dried food be used in recipes? 7. Is freeze-dried food suitable for camping and hiking?
All good questions, and very common for the beginner. In order, here are some brief answers: 1. You dehydrate dehydrated foods. You REFRESH freeze dried food. Foods that are thicker or harder, need a little more time. Foods that are delicate refresh very quickly. 2. Can you eat it without refreshing. Absolutely, in fact its a popular way to eat it – right outta the can, as a snack. 3. How much water do you need? NOT much. Generally you barely cover the food with water. 4. Let sit from a couple minutes to up to about 30 minutes, depending on what it is. Then drain. seconds to several minutes. 5. Can you cook with it? Absolutely. And it will take a lot less time. 6. Can it be used in recipes? For sure! Use it the same way you would fresh, except adjust water content, and get used to dinner being ready a lot sooner than before. 7. Is it suitable for camping or hiking? 100%! So lightweight, easy to snack on or to refresh.
Unlike traditional drying methods like air drying or dehydrating, freeze-drying maintains MORE of the original food’s nutritional content because the process takes place at low temperatures, ensuring that heat-sensitive vitamins and minerals are preserved.
The Benefits of Freeze-Dried Food
freeze dried foods compared to the same food purchased in a grocery store IF those fruits were picked ripe when all phytonutrients are developed, AND flash frozen within 4 hours of harvest
Long Shelf Life One of the primary advantages of freeze-dried food is its exceptional shelf life. Since freeze-dried food contains hardly any moisture, it can last anywhere from 10 to 30 years (depending on storage conditions). This makes it an ideal choice for emergency preparedness, survival kits, and long-term food storage.
Lightweight and Compact The freeze-drying process removes up to 98% of the food’s water content, making it incredibly lightweight and easy to pack. This is why it’s commonly used for camping, hiking, and backpacking. With freeze-dried meals, you can carry a substantial amount of food without the bulk.
Retains Nutrients Commonly asked questions: 1. Does freeze-dried food lose vitamins or minerals during the process? Freeze-dried food retains much of its original nutritional value. The preservation process preserves essential vitamins and minerals, ensuring that you get the same nutritional benefits as fresh food. 2. Is freeze-dried food suitable for people with food allergies or sensitivities? ABSOLUTELY. For all intents and purpose, it is just as if it was fresh. 3. Are freeze-dried meals low in calories? Nope. Not any more or less than the original food because as soon as you refresh them. they are the same thing. 4. Can freeze-dried food be part of a balanced diet? You Bet! 5. Is freeze-dried food suitable for babies or toddlers? It is a perfect choice for infants – right from early baby foods.
So, whether you’re enjoying freeze-dried fruits, vegetables, or meals, you’re still getting a healthy option.
Convenience and Easy to Prepare Freeze-dried food is easy to prepare. To rehydrate, you simply add water to the freeze-dried food and wait a few minutes for it to return to its original state. This ease of preparation makes freeze-dried meals perfect for busy individuals or anyone who doesn’t feel they have the time to wash, peel, and chop – not to mention the following clean up.
Variety and Versatility Freeze-dried food isn’t limited to just fruits and vegetables. You can find a wide range of dairy, proteins, and even freeze-dried meals, including full entrees like pasta dishes, soups, and even desserts. This variety ensures that you have plenty of options to choose from when meal planning or prepping.
How Freeze-Dried Food is Used
Emergency Preparedness and Survival Kits One of the most common uses for freeze-dried food is in emergency preparedness. Whether you’re planning for a natural disaster, power outage, or an unforeseen event, having freeze-dried meals on hand ensures you’ll have access to nutritious food when you need it most. Freeze-dried food is a crucial component of survival kits and bug-out bags due to its long shelf life and ease of transport.
Outdoor Adventures (Camping, Hiking, Backpacking) Outdoor enthusiasts swear by freeze-dried food because it’s lightweight, compact, and convenient. Carrying bulky canned goods or fresh produce on a hiking or camping trip isn’t practical. Freeze-dried meals, however, offer an easy, lightweight alternative that doesn’t compromise on taste or nutrition. Plus, with an array of options available, you can enjoy a variety of meals while out in the wilderness.
Everyday Meals and Convenience Freeze-dried food is becoming more popular for everyday use. Busy families and professionals can rely on freeze-dried meals as a quick and easy solution for lunch or dinner. With no need for refrigeration and a long shelf life, freeze-dried food is a pantry staple that’s always ready when you need it.
Travel Whether you’re traveling abroad or going on a road trip, freeze-dried food can be a lifesaver. It doesn’t require refrigeration, making it perfect for those who need portable, nutritious meals while on the go. Simply pack a few freeze-dried meals, and you’ll always have something healthy to eat no matter where you are.
How to Store Freeze-Dried Food
Proper storage is key to maximizing the shelf life of freeze-dried food. To keep your food fresh for as long as possible, store it in a cool, dry place away from direct sunlight. When storing the food you freeze dried yourself, a vacuum-sealed container or mylar bag with oxygen absorbers is an excellent choice for long-term storage. This helps protect the food from moisture, oxygen, and light, all of which can reduce its shelf life.
The Future of Freeze-Dried Food
As people’s needs for convenient, nutritious, and long-lasting food grow, the freeze-dried food industry will continue expanding. More companies are investing in freeze-drying technology to offer a broader range of food options, from gourmet meals to organic produce. Innovations are being made to improve the taste, texture, and variety of freeze-dried food, making it even more appealing to a wider audience.
Cost & Accessibility
Is freeze-dried food more expensive than regular food? All food these days is shockingly expensive. Freeze dried food looks like it cost more, and in most situations it is. But the the thing to remember is: there is zero waste, and no trim. That ends up being quite economical.
Where can I buy freeze-dried food? See below.
Can I freeze-dry my own food at home? You sure can. See below.
What brands make the best freeze-dried food? In my opionion, I prefer the quality and fresh taste of THRIVE LIFE foods.
How do I know if freeze-dried food is high quality? Stick to the brands with accountability. Look at reviews. Listen to personal recommendations and referrals.
so if freeze dried food is so wonderful, why don’t you freeze dry yourself?
Yes I’ve been asked that before. Many times in fact. And I admit it must seem incongruous when considering how fully I advocate a self reliant lifestyle. I garden organically. I feed my family ‘garden-fresh’ as much as possible. I can, freeze, dehydrate, and ferment. I juice, and I pickle, I make my own bread, and grind my own flour. And yet . . . . I do not freeze dry. I BUY my freeze dried food. Where is the harmony in the lifestyle I choose when I choose to buy my freeze dried food instead of freeze drying it myself? You’re not the first to ask.
The truth is – I’ve considered it. I’ve looked very closely as a matter of fact. And if I thought for one minute that I could do a better job than what I’ve already found – I’d BE that person. But these are the facts that influence my decision to continue doing what I am currently doing.
After trying multiple different brands of freeze dried food over the years, I finally settled on THRIVE LIFE. I was first introduced to it in 2008. I began purchasing it in 2009 – primarily for food storage. But while acquiring it as a storage food, I learned about it’s nutritional superiority – which validated my personal choice in a big way, but still didn’t influence my day to day meal preparation. I continued buying groceries the same way I always had, making meals the same way I always had. One day, while throwing some mushy peppers from the fridge to my compost pail – I was struck by the ridiculousness of what I was doing. I thought to myself “I KNOW that I have the most nutritious food on the planet downstairs. I know it will last at least 25 years, and I also know it will last me a year in the pantry once I open it. And I know we LIKE it. And yet, I continue buying groceries the same way I always have, knowing its not as fresh as I once thought it was, and throwing out too much of it because I didn’t get TO IT in time. There is something really wrong with this picture.” That moment was a defining moment, a fork in the road you might say, and everything changed after it. I decided to learn how to use it; and that choice opened up a whole new world. A wonderful new world.
I have confidence in the quality of THRIVE LIFE freeze dried food. And after 16 years (and counting), I never cease to be impressed – sometimes even amazed.
They have a guarantee that is pretty compelling; they call it their NUTRILOCK GUARANTEE. In a nutshell, the Nutrilock Guarantee is a 40+ step process that they never compromise, ensuring the highest quality. Like for instance: they meet with the growers and suppliers to ensure they continue to meet their high standards of production, including soil conditions and overall processes. They verify that each supplier follows strict food safety plans, they work with customers and consultants to design products that are desired and relevant for today. They use ONLY Grade A products. They prohibit foods from companies or countries that don’t meet their strict food standards. They do not use any artificial colours, flavours, sulfites, MSG, or hydrogenated oils. When possible, they select products that are Non-GMO and gluten-free. They verify that each harvest takes place at the peak time frame of ripeness. They flash freeze produce within 2-4 hours of harvest to maximize flavour and lock in nutrients. . . . . . . click HERE to see more
Because of all these factors, I simply do not believe I can duplicate the quality. *I have a productive backyard garden, and from it, we eat pretty much all our vegetables and most of our fruits during the season. But we live in a city, and cannot produce enough to feed our family the whole year.
I ‘put-up’ all the excess from our garden. But I’d have a hard time getting it from the garden to the freezer inside of four hours. I might get some of it from the garden to the table in a short time if I really set myself to accomplish it. I can get it from the garden to the kitchen counter inside of four hours, but I don’t think I could pick it, wash it, chop it, bag it and label it, and have it in the freezer in that amount of time.
Everything begins deteriorating in the hour it’s harvested so you’re in a race with the clock. Every hour I don’t get it taken care of means more nutrients lost.
I can’t possibly grow the variety of vegetable that I can buy through THRIVE LIFE: like broccoli, corn, green beans, kale, mushrooms, onions, peas, three different peppers, spinach, squash, tomatoes and zucchini. Or fruits like: apples, bananas, four kinds of berries, peaches, pineapple, mangoes and cherries. Not the mention the dairy and meat products.
If I can’t grow them, that means I’m purchasing them from the grocery store. But since I live in central Alberta, that means I’m buying them a week or two or three after they were harvested – ‘unripe’. What would be the point of that?
I figure if I had to buy them TO freeze dry, I might as well buy them freeze dried already.
Considering the price of a good quality freeze dryer, I’d have to save a lot of money on the food, before I reached the break even point – while simultaneously not compromising the quality of the food I’m processing.
I just don’t believe I could do better than what THRIVE LIFE is providing. I’m sure there are some who might be able to. But I know myself, and I know what my garden can produce. I also know I’ll get busy out there when I’m picking produce, and by the time I get it all in the kitchen, the clock will be ticking, and by the time I get it on trays and into the freezer (the first step in the process), I’ll be past the four hours THRIVE LIFE ensures. I also know that I don’t have scads of room in my freezer at any given time for trays of food that need to be frozen before they can go into the freeze dryer. I also know I don’t grow bananas, pineapple, mangoes, peaches, cranberries, or lots of other things I like – and I’m not buying them from the grocery store, to go into the freeze drier. If it comes to that, I’ll buy them already preserved.
Those are my personal reasons for continuing to purchase the food instead of freeze drying it myself, but I fully support someone else’s decision to do different. We’ve all gotta do the best we can do.
conclusion
Freeze-dried food is a game-changer for anyone looking for convenient, nutritious, and long-lasting food options. Whether you’re prepping for an emergency, heading out on an adventure, or you simply need an easy meal solution right now, it’s got you covered. With its impressive shelf life, lightweight nature, and ease of preparation, it’s no wonder that freeze-dried food is becoming a staple in homes, 72 hour bags and survival kits across the globe.
If you haven’t yet explored the world of freeze-dried food, now is the time to start. Whether you’re looking to add to your home food storage, your kitchen pantry or you’re embarking on your next outdoor journey – freeze-dried food is the perfect companion for your adventures.
I teach workshops on how to use it, including a LIVE Cooking show I do with some friends on ZOOM once a month. Always the 2nd Thursday of each month at 2:00 pm mountain time, we give four recipe demonstrations featuring the food that is currently on sale. We have a Q&A at the end, and the main body of it is recorded so we can share it later. We even have draws for prizes just to make it more fun. Mark your calendar right now for the 2nd Thursday of every month. 2:00 sharp Mountain time (adjust to your time). I hope you’ll sit in some time. Here’s the link to join me. The passcode is ThriveEx
Hey friends! Join me for a LIVE Cooking Show where we will be whipping up some easy, mouthwatering meals using freeze-dried ingredients that will change the way you think about cooking! What’s in it for you? See how to make quick, tasty meals in minutes Get exclusive tips on saving time & money in the kitchen WIN PRIZES! Bring a friend (or two!) and get extra chances to win! Zoom Link: https://us05web.zoom.us/j/4033604361 Password: ThriveEx
Join me for a LIVE Cooking Show where we will be whipping up some easy, mouthwatering meals using freeze-dried ingredients that will change the way you think about cooking! 
What’s in it for you?
See how to make quick, tasty meals in minutes