In ancient times, foods were dried in the sun. Refrigeration did not exist back then, so villagers had to learn dry fruits, vegetables and even meats and store them for use in the winter months. Today people dry fruits and vegetables for snacking and cooking. These foods are high in fiber, low in carbs and are a great alternative to sugary snacks. Dried fruits and vegetables are great for adding texture and flavor to recipes, as well.
Instructions
1. Select drying equipment. You can dry fruits and vegetables in the sun if you live in a warm climate, but you'll need at least 5 consecutive days of 95 degree F temperatures. Choose a conventional oven if you don't want to invest in any equipment, or select an electric food dehydrator with a fan and an adjustable temperature control.
2. Choose fruits or vegetables to dry. Popular fruits include apples, peaches, mangoes, pears, bananas and grapes. Pick ripe and healthy-looking vegetables like broccoli spears, peas, tomatoes, carrots or green beans. Toss out overripe or moldy fruits and vegetables, since they taste bad and look worse.
3. Preheat the oven to 140 degrees F and wash the fruits and vegetables. Remove the core or pits from fruits like plums and peaches. Blanch vegetable to remove the skin: place them in hot boiling water for 2 minutes and remove from heat.
4. Cut fruits and vegetables into bite-sized pieces. Dip cut pieces in a diluted mix of one part lemon juice to eight parts water. Dunk and remove quickly--there's no need to soak. This helps to prevent discoloration during the drying process.
5. Pick up some wax paper and line a cookie sheet or the screens from the electric dehydrator with it. Place cut pieces on a single layer, making sure fruits and vegetables have plenty of room to breathe during the drying process. Fill each level with more fruits and vegetables, since you can dry more than one type of fruit or vegetable at one time.
6. Dry vegetables and fruits at roughly 140 degrees F for 6 to 12 hours. Check out the handy drying table on the Virginia Tech website for drying times for specific foods (see Resources below).
7. Let fruits and veggies sit for about an hour before you package them in air-tight containers. Plastic bags that seal and canning jars work best for storing. Expect dried foods to last for anywhere from 6 months to a year at the most before going bad.
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