It's time for school once again and with that comes money for clothes, books, lunches and extracurricular activities. In addition to all of this, you need to have snacks and after school treats so the kids don't raid the refrigerator as soon as they come through the door. As I was making my shopping list, I was able to leave off quite a few items. It was a great summer for fruits and vegetables and I really took advantage of this. My Excalibur dehydrator really came in handy making fruit rollups, banana chips, raisins and dried peaches. Get creative this year and count the dollars that you'll save.
How to Make Fruit Rollups
I had tried this recipe using strawberries last summer but now I am being overrun with apples so I decided to give it a shot. They're wonderful. Apple fruit leathers put you in the mind of apple pie without the sugar and starch. Peel enough apples to make 2 cups and cut up into chunks. Blend the fruit until it's a smooth pureee. Add 2 teaspoons of lemon juice of 1/8 teaspoon of ascorbic acid to keep from discoloring. Add 1/4 to 1/2 cup of honey for sweetness, sprinkle with cinnamon and nutmeg and pour onto the dehydrator tray (fruit leather tray or Teflex sheets). Dry at 140 degrees for 6-8 hours. Check the product to make sure it's not soft then remove, cool, roll up, wrap in plastic and you're done!
How to Make Banana Chips
Banana chips have to be the easiest treat I've made so far. I used to save my ripened bananas and create banana nut bread for the winter months. After making a couple of loaves this year, I thought of all of the sugar that this took. No wonder the kids bounced off the walls! My Excalibur is large enough that I can cut up 17 bananas to 1/4 inch thickness, soak in 1/4 cup lemon juice for 15 seconds, lay out and dry at 150 degrees. Depending on how you like your dried bananas, start by drying for 24 hours and check. Dry until you get the consistency that your kids like.
It's Been a Great Year for Grapes
Have you ever purchased those little boxes of raisins at the store for treats? Wow, are they expensive! And to think that you can wash, dry off and throw your grapes into your dehydrator for a few hours and spend just a few cents for electricity. I will never buy raisins again. The juice may evaporate but the vitamins and antioxidants are sealed into the raisins and more pure than any you could buy that's been treated with additives and chemicals.
Dried Peaches to Die For
Peaches are a delicacy at my home because they are usually so expensive but this year, my neighbor's tree worked overtime in producing more than she could possibly keep. I took advantage of this and made these dried peaches. Cut your peaches in half then peel. Remove the seed and quarter. Buy some fresh limes and make your own limejuice to pre-treat your peaches. Dry in your dehydrator at 135 degrees for 6 to 20 hours (depending on thickness of the peach slices and your dehydrator), until pliable and remove and cool. What a treat!
Trail Mix at .00 a Bag? Not!
In addition to all of your great snacks that you have just made, why not turn some of these into a special trail mix for the kids? Banana chips, raisins, peaches and apple chips, mixed together with some coconut and assorted nuts will put those store bought varieties to shame. And you know that they are all natural and a great pick me up without the sugar and salt.
Which Dehydrator?
Many consider the Excalibur Dehydrator the finest dehydrator you can buy. The only machine with a unique Parallexx Horizontal Airflow Drying System, it makes fruits and vegetables fresh and free from preservatives and additives, something you never knew had a funny taste until you have experienced the real thing. Junk food begins to taste just like junk once you have prepared your own fruit by drying with the Excalibur. The thanks you'll get from your family and friends, plus the money you save, makes the best worth getting and using regularly.
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