Guest guest Posted April 15, 2012 Report Share Posted April 15, 2012 What kind of dehydrator do you have? Does drying them in microwave do the same as the oven? Might not be able to air dry here as summers are a bit humid usually. We get our tropical rains at times here. Come down hard and fast and then dry up. Yet not much worse than up orth it seems. Winteres are more dry and we don't get enough water then.  Carolyn Wilkerson  ________________________________ To: sproutpeople Sent: Sunday, April 15, 2012 12:44 PM Subject: Re: I made kale chips  I make a few kinds of Kale chips in the dehydrator because then you get the benefit of the live food too. They are just as good as made in the stove....but the good stuff isn't destroyed/deactivated caused by the baking. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted April 16, 2012 Report Share Posted April 16, 2012 Terry, I also have an Excalibur, it's top of the line. I also have 2 Nesco's. I hit a sale on mushrooms and got 25 lbs, I love mushrooms. I also hit frozen vegetable at 10/$10.00. A good price for here. Buy in bulk in season. in VT. Subject: Re: I made kale chips To: " sproutpeople " <sproutpeople > Date: Monday, April 16, 2012, 4:05 AM To preserve the nutrients in the food, you should dehydrate at a temp lower than 115. I make kale, zucchini, sweet potato chips a lot they are yummy. I use a nine tray Excalibur dehydrator because it heats evenly from back to front ... Does a great job. The dehydrator is good to preserve food when you hit a good sale or have a bumper crop ... I use it a lot. Terry Sent from my iPad ------------------------------------ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted April 16, 2012 Report Share Posted April 16, 2012 I looked at Bass Pro and the one for $129 would probably do it as it is adjustable. Can't dry herbs with the $44 one as it is too high a temperature. The one for $159 has big trays but takes a lot of space it appears. Then it goes up from there. I am considering the $129 one. Which one do you have? Says the plastic does warp after so many years and with higher heats that it takes with jerky. I like jerky but takes meat.   Carolyn Wilkerson  To: sproutpeople Sent: Monday, April 16, 2012 10:31 AM Subject: Re: Re: I made kale chips  If the oven heat is above 115 degrees(I think) it destroys the vital life energy in the kale/produce.......time for a new gadget.....a dehydrator!!!!! Re: I made kale chips > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > Â > > > > > > > > I make a few kinds of Kale chips in the dehydrator because then you get the benefit of the live food too. They are just as good as made in the stove....but the good stuff isn't destroyed/deactivated caused by the baking. > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted April 16, 2012 Report Share Posted April 16, 2012 , I read somewhere that herbs were more delicate and needed to dry at 65-85 or thereabouts so that is low so has to be adjustable. Do you have a big expensive dehydrator because you do a lot? Why do you dry frozen veggies? Is that because it has a longer life that way? Or takes up less space?  Bass Pro has one for $129 that is plastic but is adjustable. I am trying to figure out if that would be decent enought to do the job. I might want to dry fruit or herbs. maybe some veggies but I don't have much space to garden and am a bit decrepit to do too much. I just got some aerogardens and don't want things to go to waste, especially herbs which I may not use as fast as the lettuces.  Carolyn Wilkerson  To: sproutpeople Sent: Monday, April 16, 2012 5:06 AM Subject: Re: Re: I made kale chips  Melody, I do a lot of dehydrating. All kinds of vegetables and herbs. Drying at 140-150 is way to high. The higher the temp the faster it will dry, but you are also lousing color and nutrients big time. On most everything I dry at 95-115. (Except meat) Also good air circulation is a must. I buy on sale frozen vegetables and dehydrate at 110. I am also moderator of one of three groups I belong to. Hope this helps, in VT. Subject: Re: I made kale chips To: sproutpeople Date: Monday, April 16, 2012, 1:27 AM I have a Farberware Convection Oven that is also a dehydrator but I've never used it as such. It indicates that to dehydrate I should put the temp at 140 to 150 degrees. Now I no longer have the instructions so just in case I want to use my Faberware to make kale chips instead of using my oven, can you estimate how long it would take to make the kale chips. Using the regular oven it's 300 for 20 minutes. Thanks much Melody ------------------------------------ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted April 16, 2012 Report Share Posted April 16, 2012 Not sure if I'm the your referring to, but just in case, no, I'm in Brooklyn, NY......although Worcester ,VT sounds nice!!! Re: I made kale chips , Are you anywhere in the neighborhood of Vermont Fiddleheads in Worcester VT? Terry Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted April 16, 2012 Report Share Posted April 16, 2012 I think for the kale, it is a bit higher heat and it crisps up. The recipe I saw was for oven. I'll try to find my recipe and see if it is the same for you.  Carolyn Wilkerson  To: sproutpeople Sent: Monday, April 16, 2012 9:14 PM Subject: Re: I made kale chips  well, melody, maybe dehydrating just doesn't suit your nature .....peace, mary > > > > > > > > > > What kind of dehydrator do you have? Does drying them in microwave do the same as the oven? > > > > > Might not be able to air dry here as summers are a bit humid usually. We get our tropical rains at times here. Come down hard and fast and then dry up. Yet not much worse than up orth it seems. Winteres are more dry and we don't get enough water then. > > > > >  > > > > > > > > > > Carolyn Wilkerson > > > > > > > > > > > > > > >  > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > ________________________________ > > > > > From: " paulaeliza@ " <aEliza@> > > > > > To: sproutpeople > > > > > Sent: Sunday, April 15, 2012 12:44 PM > > > > > Subject: Re: I made kale chips > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > >  > > > > > > > > > > I make a few kinds of Kale chips in the dehydrator because then you get the benefit of the live food too. They are just as good as made in the stove....but the good stuff isn't destroyed/deactivated caused by the baking. > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted April 16, 2012 Report Share Posted April 16, 2012  Melody, will your equipment dial down to 90-95 degrees? That would keep more nutrients, though a long time for a snack food. My recipe was more like yours but maybe even more hot. I'm not sure how nutritious but may be better than some alternatives. Can you scoop up salsa or anything with it? I like to scoop chips. I've had wonderful pea pods dried but with salt on them from the grocery. They are often in the veggie area rather than in the snack area. They are very, very tasty. So grow those peas and sprinkle them with a bit of garlic powder and maybe some seat salt very lightly after you spray with Pam or other olive oil and bake them. If they tasted good, if I don't get more great nutrition, it might be better than the calories from something else like potato chips. Taste a lot like them.   I don't know if the pea pods would dry out enough quickly enough. Those in the bag are probably freeze dried. But it is worth a try. Have you tried sweet potato fries baked in the oven about the same way? Spray and add a bit of salt (very little for me) and bake and turn over and do the same. I don't recall the time. I have used some from the store in bags that were frozen and also took a whole sweet potato and cut it on the mandolin and then cut with a knife. Actually I think I found the knife better as mandolin did to thin, but can do sweet potato chips with the mandolin, sliced thin. Carolyn Wilkerson  To: sproutpeople Sent: Monday, April 16, 2012 5:06 AM Subject: Re: Re: I made kale chips  Melody, I do a lot of dehydrating. All kinds of vegetables and herbs. Drying at 140-150 is way to high. The higher the temp the faster it will dry, but you are also lousing color and nutrients big time. On most everything I dry at 95-115. (Except meat) Also good air circulation is a must. I buy on sale frozen vegetables and dehydrate at 110. I am also moderator of one of three groups I belong to. Hope this helps, in VT. Subject: Re: I made kale chips To: sproutpeople Date: Monday, April 16, 2012, 1:27 AM I have a Farberware Convection Oven that is also a dehydrator but I've never used it as such. It indicates that to dehydrate I should put the temp at 140 to 150 degrees. Now I no longer have the instructions so just in case I want to use my Faberware to make kale chips instead of using my oven, can you estimate how long it would take to make the kale chips. Using the regular oven it's 300 for 20 minutes. Thanks much Melody ------------------------------------ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted April 16, 2012 Report Share Posted April 16, 2012 I'm below Okeechobee.  I think there is one north of me, around Del Rey Beach or just north of there. They have free shipping right now on line. I wanted one that dialed down lower as I wanted it for herbs. Though I like that idea from EW about tying up and putting in a brown bag in the trunk of the car (I have a van but just in back would probably be good enough down here. The ones that weren't $129 or over didn't go down very much and they went to 90 degrees and the next one up went down to 95 degrees. The one lower than 129 was aboug $44 and it had no ability to change temperature so that is not going to work. I don't think they had a Waring. I did see those others on Bass Pro. I could check on Waring. The one for $129 had a plastic housing and trays. Said could put in dishwasher but take out before the dry cycle. But also said just soap and water was fine. I'll try to check Waring. I am not really looking at heavy duty stuff. Might try jerky as I do like jerky but that wouldn't be very often. Carolyn Wilkerson  To: sproutpeople Sent: Monday, April 16, 2012 9:30 PM Subject: Re: I made kale chips  hi carolyn.....yes, i'm pleased with the one from bass pro and will check out the exact name on it if you want.....it was in the $30 something dollar range.....not all of them are worth having.....the last time i looked at a waring, it was running about $90.....i didn't look at it for long.....i've had those 2 old warings for so long that i can't remember from whence they came.....if i were going to get another one, i'd get another from bass pro you're down near okeechobee, right ?.....there has got to be a bass pro down in the miami area.....i love miami !.....peace, mary > > > > What kind of dehydrator do you have? Does drying them in microwave do the same as the oven? > > Might not be able to air dry here as summers are a bit humid usually. We get our tropical rains at times here. Come down hard and fast and then dry up. Yet not much worse than up orth it seems. Winteres are more dry and we don't get enough water then. > >  > > > > Carolyn Wilkerson > > > > > >  > > > > > > ________________________________ > > From: " paulaeliza@ " <aEliza@> > > To: sproutpeople > > Sent: Sunday, April 15, 2012 12:44 PM > > Subject: Re: I made kale chips > > > > > > > >  > > > > I make a few kinds of Kale chips in the dehydrator because then you get the benefit of the live food too. They are just as good as made in the stove....but the good stuff isn't destroyed/deactivated caused by the baking. > > > > > > > > > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted April 16, 2012 Report Share Posted April 16, 2012 They have a lot of Excalibers on Bass Pro. but so complicated and look so big. I am in a little mobile home and not a lot of space. I am putting up a cabinet to help hold appliances I am not using to free up other space but not sure if that would fit in there or not and sure don't have space on a counter to hold something that I wouldn't use too often. but there are about 5 different kinds of Excaliber. I am not sure if they went as low as 90, but think they went to 95 as low. They did look good for hunters and people who have larger gardens. My grandparents in TN used to air dry and dry behind the wood stove and that was apples and green beans. That would have been 85-95 I suppose. they put on screen on a table on the porch and covered with a tablecloth to keep the bugs off.  Carolyn Wilkerson  To: sproutpeople Sent: Monday, April 16, 2012 9:32 PM Subject: Re: I made kale chips  i never gave a second's thought to what the appropriate temperature for dehydrating is.....thanks, terry.....peace, mary > > To preserve the nutrients in the food, you should dehydrate at a temp lower than 115. I make kale, zucchini, sweet potato chips a lot they are yummy. I use a nine tray Excalibur dehydrator because it heats evenly from back to front ... Does a great job. The dehydrator is good to preserve food when you hit a good sale or have a bumper crop ... I use it a lot. > > Terry > > Sent from my iPad > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted April 16, 2012 Report Share Posted April 16, 2012 There is another in VT. Melody and you are both in Brooklyn then. Carolyn Wilkerson  To: sproutpeople Sent: Monday, April 16, 2012 8:04 PM Subject: Re: Re: I made kale chips  Not sure if I'm the your referring to, but just in case, no, I'm in Brooklyn, NY......although Worcester ,VT sounds nice!!! Re: I made kale chips , Are you anywhere in the neighborhood of Vermont Fiddleheads in Worcester VT? Terry Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted April 16, 2012 Report Share Posted April 16, 2012 Great Melody. Sometimes you have to download directions to put things together even. That makes it harder to put things together though. Carolyn Wilkerson  To: sproutpeople Sent: Monday, April 16, 2012 10:08 PM Subject: Re: I made kale chips  good for you.....when you pick up a " treasure " at a garage sale or thrift store and don't have the manual, you can usually get it on the internet.....peace, mary > > Oh, forgot to mention I downloaded the manual for my convection oven and it's on my desktop. > > Melody > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted April 16, 2012 Report Share Posted April 16, 2012 And with my age too and how long I'm going to be around to use it. I like gadgets too much. Carolyn Wilkerson  To: sproutpeople Sent: Monday, April 16, 2012 10:29 PM Subject: Re: I made kale chips  yes, we have to figure out how much use we'll get out of all of these interesting appliances, don't we ?.....i didn't think that the new waring was worth the money.....good luck finding what you want.....peace, mary > > > > > > What kind of dehydrator do you have? Does drying them in microwave do the same as the oven? > > > Might not be able to air dry here as summers are a bit humid usually. We get our tropical rains at times here. Come down hard and fast and then dry up. Yet not much worse than up orth it seems. Winteres are more dry and we don't get enough water then. > > >  > > > > > > Carolyn Wilkerson > > > > > > > > >  > > > > > > > > > ________________________________ > > > From: " paulaeliza@ " <aEliza@> > > > To: sproutpeople > > > Sent: Sunday, April 15, 2012 12:44 PM > > > Subject: Re: I made kale chips > > > > > > > > > > > >  > > > > > > I make a few kinds of Kale chips in the dehydrator because then you get the benefit of the live food too. They are just as good as made in the stove....but the good stuff isn't destroyed/deactivated caused by the baking. > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted April 17, 2012 Report Share Posted April 17, 2012 Terry, No I'm a quite a ways away. in VT. Subject: Re: I made kale chips To: " sproutpeople " <sproutpeople > Date: Monday, April 16, 2012, 11:06 PM , Are you anywhere in the neighborhood of Vermont Fiddleheads in Worcester VT? Terry Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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