Jordan Freytag + photo

Jordan Freytag

Jun 9
3 min read
bubble 1

Eating raw doesn’t have to be boring or tasteless as some may lead you to believe. Health benefits aside, the truth is that “cooking” with raw foods can be a creative way to mix and enhance flavors, and that the raw food diet has many culinary facets, one being dehydration. And with summer in full swing, the sun and warm air can be a great friend to the raw foodist.

Dehydration is one of the most ancient forms of preserving food and one of the raw foodist’s best techniques for adding variety of flavor and texture to meals. For example, adding dehydrated carrots and radishes to a raw pea puree soup adds the crunchy texture of a crouton but with more depth of flavor, or even using dehydrated tomatoes as chips for a homemade hummus. These techniques are the cards up the raw chef’s sleeve.

Nonelectrical and solar dehydrators like The Food Pantrie are ideal because they allow natural heat and oxidation to preserve the flesh without compromising the nutrients. Fiber, Vitamin B Complex, and Vitamin C are not lost to the heat, all of which promote healthy digestion and cardiovascular health.

If you find yourself overwhelmed with a large spring, late-summer, or fall bounty, dehydration can be an ideal way of preserving it. Dehydrate your harvested herbs and place in mason jars for year-round use. Do the same with peppers, fruits, and vegetables for year-round snacking. Create your own trail and veggie mixes for your journeys like this one:

Savory Sun Trail Mix

Mix ½ cup each of sunflower seeds, almonds, and pumpkin seeds together. Add ½ cup of dehydrated tomatoes and ¼ cup of dehydrated carrot bits and 2 tablespoons of dehydrated minced garlic to the mixture. Finally, add salt to taste.

Get creative with your food drier and create these sweet snacks for your kids –and for yourself with this fun recipe:

Homemade Fruit Leather

Just blend your desired fruit(s), add gelatin alternative like agar-agar, and pour puree onto Paraflexx sheet or parchment paper and place in the dehydrator until the puree tough-ish and dry to the touch. Slice the dried puree into strips, roll in parchment or wax paper and enjoy!

I have enjoyed a purely strawberry version of this recipe as well as a mixture of grapes, strawberries, and apples. Both are sweet and rich with the natural sugars and pulp of the fruit.

Dehydration is just one technique used by folks eating raw, but it’s one of the easiest and most utilized among raw foodists, vegans, and vegetarians alike. I think it’s because dehydration allows us to eat our favorite fruits and veggies for longer periods of time, but it also gets us to think differently about the food we prepare and how we intend to bring flavors together without compromising the nutrients.

Leave a comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

1 comments

zrdmhdmsmw

Muchas gracias. ?Como puedo iniciar sesion?


  1. From Grass to Garden: How to Expand Your Garden BedsGardener turning over soil in a new garden plot

    From Grass to Garden: How to Expand Your Garden Beds

    Written By Lara Wadsworth Taking the step to expand your garden is an exciting milestone. Turning a patch of grass into a vibrant garden bed enhances the aesthetic appeal of your yard and provides more room for growing flowers, vegetables, or herbs. Th...


    Ashleigh Smith + photo

    Ashleigh Smith

    2024-10-29
    9 min read
    bubble 0
  2. Halloween Is in the AirHappy Halloween - kids dressed as ghosts

    Halloween Is in the Air

    Written By Lara Wadsworth As the autumnal season is fully underway, I feel anticipation for one of my favorite holidays: Halloween! As a kid, I LOVED dressing up and running around with my friends and cousins… not to mention the candy! Of course, the c...


    Ashleigh Smith + photo

    Ashleigh Smith

    2024-10-29
    7 min read
    bubble 0
  3. Expect the Unexpected: 3 Emergency Kits Every Home Needsemergency preparedness backpack kit

    Expect the Unexpected: 3 Emergency Kits Every Home Needs

    Unexpected emergencies happen all the time—earthquakes, fires, floods, tornadoes, power outages, etc. Stay prepared with quick access to basic supplies in any situation. Check out these 3 DIY Emergency Kits that will carry you through short, long-term,...


    Ashleigh Smith + photo

    Ashleigh Smith

    2024-10-22
    6 min read
    bubble 1
  4. 2024 Giant Pumpkin Regatta: A Wave of Fun!2024 Ginormous Pumpkin regatta header

    2024 Giant Pumpkin Regatta: A Wave of Fun!

    This year’s Ginormous Pumpkin Regatta was filled with new races and activities for all ages! What is a pumpkin regatta, you may ask? It is a captivating and entertaining race featuring giant pumpkin boats captained by individuals dressed to the nines i...


    Ashleigh Smith + photo

    Ashleigh Smith

    2024-10-21
    3 min read
    bubble 0