Today's article by Nancy Krcek Allen on deydrated foods appears in full in the Record-Eagle's print edition. While we are unable to post Nancy's articles online, we do post her recipes.
Eggplant Bacon
Yields about 30
2 to 3 large eggplant, stemmed and thinly sliced
1 T. chopped chipotle in adobo
1/4 t. liquid smoke
2 T. maple syrup
1 T. olive oil
2 T. soy sauce
2 T. cider vinegar
1 t. ground cumin
Pinch of black pepper
Slice the eggplant thinly with a mandoline, Japanese Ben-riner or by hand with a very sharp knife. Mix together the remaining ingredients and bathe the eggplant slices in it for one hour or more. Drain and place the slices on dehydrator screens in one layer. Dehydrate until crisp, about 24 to 36 hours.
-- Adapted from "Everyday Raw"
Curry Crackers
2 c. sunflower seeds, soaked 6 hours, rinsed and drained
3 medium yellow summer squash or zucchini, washed, trimmed and diced, about 3 c.
1 large carrot, washed and diced
2 t. sea salt
2 to 3 T. curry powder
3 T. peeled and chopped ginger root
3 c. water
2 c. flaxseed
1/4 c. packed, chopped cilantro
Grind the sunflower seeds, squash and carrot very finely in a food processor. Add salt, curry, ginger and 2 c. water and puree to a smooth batter. Scrape batter into a large mixing bowl. Grind flaxseeds in a clean spice grinder to a fine powder. Stir them into batter with the last cup of water and the cilantro. Spread mixture 1/8" to 1/4" thick on a Teflex sheet on a dehydrator tray with an offset metal spatula. (Thinner and crackers will be crispy, thicker and they will be a little chewier.) Keep spatula wet to make spreading easier.
Dry the crackers at 118 degrees F for 30 minutes to one hour then score them with a butter knife. Dehydrate crackers at 118 degrees until dry and crispy, about 12 to 24 hours --- part way through this time you can take them off the Teflex sheets and place onto the screens to dry more thoroughly.
Optional: add one large apple, peeled, cored and diced, to the food processor with the vegetables.
Corn Chips
3/4 c. pumpkin seeds, soaked one hour and drained
4 c. frozen corn kernels
2 T. fresh oregano or 2 teaspoons dried
1 T. chilli powder
2 T. fresh lime juice
1 t. sea salt
Water as needed, about 1 1/3 cups
1 c. grated carrot
1 c. flax seed, finely ground
Sea salt
Grind pumpkin seeds finely in a food processor with the corn, oregano, chili powder, lime juice and 1 t. salt. Add water as necessary for smooth pureeing. Scrape the batter into a large mixing bowl and stir in the grated carrot.
Grind the flax seed in a clean spice grinder to a fine powder. Combine it with the pumpkin seed-vegetable batter and more water, if necessary, to form a spreadable, but not drippy-wet dough. Spread mixture 1/8" thick on Teflex sheets on dehydrator trays. Keep spatula wet to make spreading easier. Sprinkle batter with salt.
Dehydrate crackers at 118 degrees for 30 minutes and score them with a butter knife. Dehydrate crackers another 12 to 24 hours until dry and crispy.
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