Page 68 - Fall2011

Quickly author of Stocking Up, and her research team desired quantities for breads, muffins and soups.
blanching discovered that quickly blanching fresh herbs And zucchini purée makes a wonderful base for
before freezing resulted in superior taste and soups; just cook it down with a little water, herbs
fresh herbs flavor over tossing raw herbs straight into the and spices of your choice, blend and freeze.
before freezer. And fortunately, it is easier than you Squash can be dehydrated with relative
freezing might think. De-stem and mince your herbs of success and does better with a quick blanching
choice—basil, coriander, chives, oregano, dill, first, unless you are making chips, then bypass
resulted in thyme—and press into ice cube trays, cover with blanching and dry raw. Take a look at Donna

superior taste boiling water to lightly blanch and pop into the Gates' recipe for Veggie Chips under the recipe
and flavor freezer. Once frozen, store in freezer bags and section at www.bodyecology.com for inspiration.
add to soups, stews, roasts and sauces all year Use dried squash in soups and casseroles.
over tossing long. (Note: consider using BPA-free plastic, Fermenting squash also works; however,
raw herbs stainless steel or silicone ice cube trays, espe- its texture tends to be mushy. One experiment
straight into cially because of the heat being applied.) worth trying is Zucchini Relish (see recipe on
page 65). With its tangy bite and burst of flavor,
the freezer. SUMMER SQUASH AND ZUCCHINI it’s a winner.
Summer squash is a wildly prolific crop.
Even just one plant in a home garden can yield LATE SUMMER AND FALL BERRIES
more than a family can use, so after you have Berries can be easily frozen on cookie sheets
bestowed your friends with their fill, consider before storing so they don’t clump together, no
implementing our three preserving methods to blanching needed. But they also freeze very
the leftovers. Let’s begin with freezing, which nicely in purées (for later use as pancake or
offers many choices. Simply cut your summer waffle topping) and stirred into ice cream before
squash into rounds and freeze on cookie sheets freezing. As for dehydrating, the aforementioned
before transferring to freezer bags. To cook, try mouthwatering leathers (see recipe below) are
sautéing with butter and garlic until the water my personal preference, but blueberries and
evaporates, but be aware, a squash’s texture is strawberries can be dehydrated whole. However,
altered with freezing so it will be softer than their skin needs to be cracked so the moisture
fresh. You can also shred the squash and freeze in can escape. This can be done through a quick

HOMEMADE FRUIT LEATHER

Take any desired ripe fruit (apricots, pears, peaches, apples, berries, plums, grapes, etc.), peel only when necessary
(such as in pineapple and banana), wash, cut out any bruised areas and remove any pits, stems, or cores, then cut into
chunks. Purée fruits together, using water if needed, to reach an applesauce-like consistency. The fruits can also be cooked
first (simmered in a little water, about a half cup for 4 cups chopped fruit, for 10 to 15 minutes, covered), which intensifies
the flavor a bit and eliminates any enzymes or bacteria that may cause trouble later.
Add extracts, spices (cinnamon and nutmeg are usually winners) or herbs to complement and enhance the flavor of
your leather. Some leather-connoisseurs like adding a little lemon juice (one to two teaspoons) to prevent the fruit from
darkening. Spread leather approximately ¼ inch thick onto dehydrator tray. Depending on consistency and thickness, dry
up to 20 hours, until it peels easily from the sheet. For faster results, once one side is dry, flip it. Leather inspiration:
• Add a cup of homemade yogurt or cottage cheese for a unique texture and a nutritional boost.
• Consider squash—such as butternut or pumpkin—to smooth out a fruit combination.
• Try dehydrating pudding, a favorite smoothie recipe or even a pasta/pizza sauce for easy storage and a unique sandwich
fixing.
• Include chopped dates, dried coconut, or ground crispy nuts or seeds or a scoop of almond butter to add texture to
your mix.
• Intensify the flavor with grated lemon, orange or lime peel.
• Some combo ideas: 3 cups chopped apricots, 3 cups chopped plums; 4 cups mashed bananas, 2 cups chopped pine-
apple, handful of dried coconut; 3 cups chopped apple, 3 cups cooked pumpkin purée, season with cinnamon, ginger,
allspice, cloves; 4 cups chopped strawberries, 2 cups chopped cooked rhubarb.

68 Wise Traditions FALL 2011 FALL 2011 Wise Traditions

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