Ani's Raw Food Essentials - Ani Phyo [12]
MORE FULL, MORE TIME
If I’m going to dehydrate, I make sure to fill as many dehydrator trays as I can. However, note that the more your dehydrator is filled, the longer it will take to dry, because more total moisture needs to be extracted and evaporated.
CLIMATE
The temperature and moisture around your dehydrator will effect the drying time. Drying times will be briefer in hot, dry climates and will be longer in cold damp climates.
BATCH VOLUMES
In general, to make a cracker or crust, you want to spread 2 to 3 cups of batter per 14-inch-square Excalibur Dehydrator tray.
ROTATE BACK TO FRONT, TOP TO BOTTOM
The Excalibur Dehydrator has a fan in the back of the unit, so I like to rotate the trays from back to front as well as from top to bottom. This is not completely necessary, since the Excalibur is designed to dry evenly; it’s just a habit I’ve acquired over the years that’s especially useful when not fully drying out my food.
DOUBLING AND TRIPLING RECIPES
I recommend doubling and tripling these recipes, and you’ll see that making larger volumes doesn’t take much more time than a single batch does. Preparation is simple and fast, and cleanup is the same whether you make one batch or five. The only extra ingredient you need is patience, since you have to wait anywhere from 3 to 12 hours for your food to dry before eating.
IF YOU DON’T HAVE A DEHYDRATOR . . .
In my world, live foods are not heated above 104°F; a dehydrator with a temperature control will allow you to maintain the proper heat, to preserve the enzymes in your food. However, I know that not everyone is going to immediately go out and get an Excalibur! While a raw foods lifestyle means not using your oven, if you’re new to raw foods and are curious about dehydrating, you can use your big kitchen appliance to experiment with the following simple steps:
Preheat the oven to 140°F or set at the lowest setting. The temperature controls aren’t as fine especially at lower heat ranges, but just do the best you can for now. Line cookie sheets with parchment paper. Spread your batter on the lined cookie sheets and place them in your oven. Prop the oven door open with a butter knife or a chopstick. This method will take a long while to dry. But is a good way to test out the recipes before investing in a dehydrator. Although letting the heat escape is generally not a great idea in terms of conservation, you can use this method sparingly, and hopefully you’ll be inspired to invest in a dehydrator.
FLATBREADS
Unlike traditional bread that has wheat and gluten, these dehydrated breads are gluten and wheat free and are made with flaxseeds, a great source of omegas and fiber. Crisp crackers, flatbreads, and moist biscuits have flax meal as their common binding ingredient; this is mixed with seasonings, vegetables, and buckwheat to make different textures and flavors.
Two to three cups of “dough” are blended or processed and then spread evenly across a 14-inch-square Paraflexx-lined Excalibur Dehydrator tray, to make nine slices of “bread.”
These recipes serve to introduce you to dehydrating; you’ll see recipes for other dehydrated foods throughout the book, as well as recipes that use these breads. Feel free to experiment to get just the consistency you want; for sandwiches, you may want a bread that has a bit more firmness; for pizza, one that has a bit more give. It’s all up to your preference and cravings.
RYE FLATBREAD
MAKES 9 SERVINGS
The olive oil and fiber from celery make for a soft, flexible bread. And the cacao really makes it taste like and look the same color as a dark rye bread.