Dried Kale Flakes!

Idea: replace Parsley flakes with Kale Flakes!
Add dried Kale to your seasonings rack for extra nutrients! It's easy! DIY homemade seasonings that are super good for you and your family!! Yay!!!
Kale is a super, SUPER Food!
Fabulous for having Vitamins C, A, and K, plus calcium, potassium, and lutein.  Kale also has: cancer fighting properties, lowers cholesterol, is anti-inflamatory,  high in anti-oxidants, carotinoids, folic acid, and is low in carbs.

However, it isn't always easy to get the whole family to eat Kale.
But you can sneak it in as a seasoning! Add Dried Kale Flakes to soups, salads, meatloaf, stews, casseroles, pizzas, omelets, scrambled eggs, or dust your foods with it like a garnish just as you would parsley flakes! Versatile! Pour it on! Sprinkle it on! Stir it in!

To dehydrate:
Clean kale leaves and either lay them out to dry from the washing or pat them dry (the less water on them to start the faster they'll dry in dehydrator. Cut of the thick stems- they do not flake very well. You basically want the leafy green. Place these in dehydrator in single layer, and dry at 135 F for about 4-6 hours, depending on the humidity in your area.  When dried to crisp, let completely cool, and then place into food processor, pulsing until you reach the desired size of flakes wanted for seasoning. process longer to get a powder- the size and consistency is completely up to you.  I put mine into a mason jar, but you can reuse a seasonings jar as well, & store in cool dry place.








You might like to try:




Disclaimer: Affiliate Links in no way affect your end price, there is no increase for you. But, they do help to support the cost of the blog. Thank you.

DIY Homemade Seasoned Bread crumbs

DIY Homemade Seasoned Bread crumbs

I love bread crumbs. Since I bake more than fry- a good coating for us starts with bread crumbs. Chicken, pork chops, scotch eggs, what ever - a good quality bread crumbs recipe can make or break the flavor. Making my own eliminates the boxed/convenience food problems of added preservatives and or chemical flavorings. Because I'm using up day old pieces of bread, it's frugal and really promoting no extra waste.

One of the best features of making your own bread crumbs is you are not limited in what you use- Homemade bread, white, whole wheat, sourdough, Italian, rye... it simply does not matter. Flavors can pop from trying different breads! The only limit is your imagination!

I have made my own croutons and bread crumbs many times in the past- I would toast bread, and grate it. However I have discovered a new and actually easier way to make my own bread crumbs- I got my own dehydrator! Yay!!!!! Love this thing!

Seasoned Bread Crumbs using the dehydrator

I place in the dehydrator left over bread. Day old is fine- heals are fine! I put the dehydrator on 125F and leave it for a couple of hours- I have a batch going right now- they have been drying for about 4 hours now- I'll check them soon. I want them to be so dry when I pull them out that they crumble easily between my fingers. Drying times can vary depending on the weather- more humid days require more time; also varies due to thickness of the pieces you use.

Once dry, I place the bread into the food processor
 and grind them up into tiny crumbs. If you don't have a food processor- no worries! Place the bread into a zip lock or any bag without holes, and use your rolling pin to crush the bread into crumbs. It's easy and doesn't take that long to do.

I personally like to pour crumbs  into an a recycled Parmesan shaker, adding spices that I want and label it clearly. I find nothing wrong with having a couple shakers- each seasoned differently sitting ready to use!

One of my favorite bread crumb mixes is Italian seasoning (2 tbsp.to each cup of bread crumbs)  added to a shaker of bread crumbs. I mix thoroughly to ensure they shake evenly.

Another excellent addition is garlic and onion flakes (1 tbsp. each to each cup of bread crumbs).  I personally like a an added tbsp of dried parsley with this. Gives it a nice color.

To spice things up you can add 1 tbsp. chili powder; or a combination of cayenne, paprika, and cumin. Adding in dried red pepper flakes would be a colorful addition to the heat. Use your imagination and tastes to create!

A friend of mine mixes in Parmesan cheese with bread crumbs- 1:1 ration. When I tried this- it served as an awesome touch sprinkled over Au Gratin potatoes, baked Zitti, or Lasagna! Yay!

On an added note!
For my readers who prefer to store using only glass, I love the fact the lid to a Parmesan Shaker fit perfectly to a regular mouth canning jar!!!!! Yay!  :)

You may love the links shared at:

Frugal Days Susutainable Ways #75











You might like to try:



Disclaimer: Affiliate Links in no way affect your end price, there is no increase for you. But, they do help to support the cost of the blog. Thank you.

Using the Whole Tomato

Using the Whole Tomato

I'm tired of wasting. I am learning to make the most out of everything! Homemade anything is so awesome for the simple fact that I know exactly what is in the product I make. All natural, no preservatives or fake food chemicals.  I am loving using every part of the fruit or vegie that I can.

This weekend we canned Roma tomatoes. Love the way the cans fill my shelves, and I know I have a quality canned tomato without extra chemicals ready to use- makes awesome sauces, and soups!

A wonderful guide to canning exists on this page: Pick Your Own.org Canning Tomatoes
I could attempt to tell you the entire process, but their tutorial is so thorough that it is better to just let you know where I learned it from that try to copy cat their process. 

One thing I would like to note is: 
Be sure to always wash your produce: I use a cup of vinegar to a pan of water and let them soak in it for 10 minutes. It is so important to get the residues off the skins, you just never know- and the process is so easy.
A simple note and measure to ensure no one gets sick and your food is healthier for your family.



One of the steps taken in canning our tomatoes is to blanch them and remove the skins. In past I did this without thought- and tossed the skins!  But no more! What a waste!

Three wonderful things can come from the tomato skins! 

1. You can use them in a crock pot along with other vegie left over and cuttings and start a pot of vegetable broth.  A great blog about this is found at: My Humble Kitchen
2. You can put all the skins into a food processor and grind them into a pulp for tomato bark! Dehydrate the pulp, and yay! You have instant tomato paste later for anytime you need it! tomato bark
-or-
3. You can dehydrate them, as I did this time. The end result was wonderful flaky dried tomato,  that I whirred into the food processor for a minute until I had small flakes and poured into a recycled spice jar to add to my new homemade spices! Instant tomato flavor to add to anything! -All natural, all homemade.
I laid the tomato skins  on my dehydrator racks, set the dehydrator for 135F and let it go for about 10 hours to be sure we were completely dry. Times may vary due to weather and humidity. We had a cloudy weekend, so I wanted to be certain I got all the moisture out.

<-- this is how we started
        this is what came out ----->







<--I tossed these into the food processor

and this is my end result-
 pure tomato flakes! -->


Love it!



No waste, and a new spice jar for my cabinet! Awesome!!






You might also like the links found at:

Frugal Days - Sustainable Ways #74

Tomato Bark, Dried Tomatoes and Zucchini chips

Tomato Bark, Dried Tomatoes and Zucchini chips

In adventures for trying new things I'm dehydrating Roma tomatoes, Zucchini chips and 1 test run on tomato bark.

Tomato Bark is dried tomato sauce. 1 tomato sauce can covered a whole leather tray. I am excited to find out how this turns out! A Small experiment for me; but, if it works as well as I have read, I will make a whole lot more! Easy storing, and what a wonderful way to pack and transport more flavors for camping trips etc. Re-hydrates in a sauce pan of water within 20 minutes, and would leave me so much more room to pack other things! (less weight and all the nutrients!)

Dried tomatoes are wonderful additions to so many things I can't count- pasta, salads, rice, soups, stews, vegetable dishes! I'm looking forward to this! As with the dried sauce- if this turns out right, I'm making a lot more! Only with these I believe they will fill a quart jar and sit with my spices and seasonings for regular use! We love tomatoes!

Zucchini chips are highly recommended. I sprinkled paprika and a bit of sea salt on mine before starting. I am looking forward to a healthy alternate for potato chips that isn't full of fat and preservatives! Zucchini chips come highly recommended, and dehydrating them doesn't make them lose their nutrients! Yay!
The dietary fiber in zucchini helps lower cholesterol.  The magnesium and potassium found in zucchini helps lower blood pressure. The vitamins C and A found in zucchini act as powerful antioxidant. Zucchini is so good for you! Delicious too!

....I'll let you know how it goes.

**Evening Update! 

Everything turned out, but I have to admit- being in my learning stages has it's draw backs- the tomato bark is perfect! Love it!  All on it's own, has a strong flavor, and will be awesome for quick needs recipes!  The dried toms are extra sweet and strong in flavor!! I added nothing to them- ate a handful last night after they cooled! These are going to be fantastic on salads! I can't wait to try them on some pasta! 
My fail= zucchini. My learning experience has begun with the zucchini chips! I cut them way too thin! They are delicious, and every single one in my family tried them! But they would never stand up for dip- I gotta do thicker! Ya Never know until you try! and I have to report Tomato bark =A+, Dried Romas= A+, Zucchini chips= Fail.... but I am going to chop them up in the food processor this morning and save them in a recycled seasoning bottle- I think they'd be perfect seasoning! so Zucchini seasoning=A+ WIN! (Just not in the manner I intended! LOL )

This, I am definitely going to enjoy making more of! 

upcoming dehydrator trials: butter, squash, and sweet potato chips! Yay! (I'll cut them thicker I promise)







You might like to try:




Disclaimer: Affiliate Links in no way affect your end price, there is no increase for you. But, they do help to support the cost of the blog. Thank you.

Seasonings: dehydrated vegies

Making your own seasonings:

As I am cooking, I go through seasonings like there is no tomorrow! Especially garlic powder, onion powder, dried onion, and garlic pepper! We are garlic fans! Haha! I have found, though, that the flavor just zings! if I add my own dehydrated vegies to the mix!  Whether they are fresher and haven't sat on a shelf forever, or what, I don't know- but making my own dehydrated vegies into seasonings is wonderful! And soooo easy! Dehydrated vegies do not lose their nutrients, and if stored in a sealed jar (I store mine in a Ball jar)  or in a closed recycled seasoning jar stay fresh for weeks!

On this particular batch I dried 2 yellow onion, a bunch of green onions, Fresno chilies, garlic, and carrots. (Bell pepper, tomatoes, any chilies, any onions, celery, basil, parsley, spinach, and kale work wonderful too!)

 In dehydrator set at 135F for 8 hours, then after cooled I tossed them into the food processor, and pulse until they came out small enough to use for a recycled seasoning shaker. If I have made enough I sometimes store it in a mason jar. Either way- amazing on meats! Great for addition to bone broth for quick soup! Fresh and no preservatives! No MSG.  

 So easy- it becomes fun to experiment with! Invent your own soup spices: add pepper, add sea salt, add cumin or chili spices! What ever your fancy! Invent your own unique combos for healthier foods.

If you do not have a dehydrator:

Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. Cover with slices of vegies  (about an 1/8 to 1/4 inch thickness.) Place the baking sheet in the oven. Heat the oven to lowest setting below 140f. Perfect range: 135-140°F. If you have a convection setting, use it, it will speed up the process and help dry out the vegies in half the time.  Let dry in the oven like this for as long as it takes for the vegies to dry out and crisp; so about 6-8 hours, check at 6 hours for thin vegies and smaller pieces.When you can pick it up and snap it between fingers- it's ready. Cool. and process.

For idea for making real tomato flakes as seasoning try: Using the whole Tomato

Or making Tomato Bark: Tomato Bark


Regarding long term storage: With gardens beginning to produce, this is perfect way to save vegetables and not create waste! Mine never last too long.  However, being dehydrated and if sealed properly and stored in a cool dry place they could last years. Excellent for small mylar bags with oxygen absorber to create long term storage. Healthier than alternatives with preservatives and better consider you have the ability to create mixes that are personalized to your taste! Yay!


This has been shared with  &
You might also like the Real Food links at:


Real Food Wednesday 6/19

Common Sense Preparedness Link Up #7

You might try:





Disclaimer: Affiliate Links in no way affect your end price, there is no increase for you. But, they do help to support the cost of the blog. Thank you.

Real Food snacks: Fruit Leathers

Real Food Snacks: Fruit Leathers

When talking with my husband and boys about the real food challenge, and writing about it; they jumped in with a request I post my fruit leathers. According to them, this is the biggest of all the changes. These have been a fantastic snack alternative to candy bars, etc.  Along with simple dried fruit for snacks(banana chips apple chips, dried pineapple), I always keep something of this on the counter readily available for anytime they need it. 

Apple Fruit Leather

1 jelly jar of apple butter (Homemade and canned, gala apples simmered with honey and cinnamon for 10 hours in crock pot until fully reduced, and canned in jelly jars) or 8oz applesauce!

1 7 oz jar homemade plain yogurt

1/4 cup honey

mix well and dehydrated in dehydrator on 135 degrees for 6-8 hours until leathered

pulled off and cut warm, wrapped in wax paper rolls. sent easily in lunches for snack.

Pina-Coco Leather

1/2 pineapple cored, skinned, and cut into chunks

1 cup shredded coconut

1/4 cup organic honey

Combined all in food processor  and pulse until smooth,  (this one will always appear slightly chunky- get it as smooth as possible). Spread flat on dehydrator tray. Dehydrate for 6-8 hours at 135 degrees. this one comes out a bit stickier, thicker- remove from sheets and wrap in strips on wax paper while warm. Delicious pina colada flavor.

Pina-coco leathers are not as pretty but just explode in taste:

If you do not have a dehydrator:

Line a rimmed baking sheet with wax paper. Pour out the mixture into the lined baking sheet to about an 1/8 to 1/4 inch thickness. Place the baking sheet in the oven. Heat the oven to lowest setting below 140f. Perfect range: 135-140°F. If you have a convection setting, use it, it will speed up the process and help dry out the fruit in half the time.  Let dry in the oven like this for as long as it takes for the fruit mixture to dry out and form fruit leather. We usually keep it in the oven overnight, so about 8-12 hours for the thicker leathers, check at 6 hours for thin leathers like apple. The fruit leather is ready when it is no longer sticky, but has a smooth surface.

From 3 bags of apples...

From 3 large bags of apples I bought- (about 10 gala apples in each bag), I made apple sauce for that night,  canned 6 jelly jars of apple butter, and 2 quart jars of apple pie slices, plus had a quart of fresh homemade apple juice to drink as a goodie.  I felt productive, made some awesome snacks and had juice to drink it down with! Was wonderful! No wasted apples.

 To make apple butter: Wash the apples ( I use a vinegar and warm water bath combo), peel and slice the apples into pan, fill with water and set on stove med heat to boil.

 Let it cook up until apples nearly mush with the spoon. Strain ( I save the juice to fill apple pie jars later, or for apple jelly, or just to drink! Kids love it!)  I take the strained apples and chop them in my food processor until completely pureed. At this point, I have ready to eat applesauce! You can stop here and can/serve this as is, or you can move on to apple butter!

Return apple sauce to pot, and Stir in 3 Tbsp Cinnamon, 1 tbsp Nutmeg,  (Some people add in cloves -I don't). Taste test at this point- I don't add sugar, apples are really sweet but this is when you add it. 1 cup sugar should be plenty if you do. Put back on stove at  low heat, stirring frequently, and boil down until  it pulls away from edge as you stir -leaving tracing-resembles paste, sticks to spoon like jam would and when you stir it leaves permanent traces in the mix .

Now it's ready for canning or to serve! A fantastic site to use as a resource for canning is http://www.pickyourown.org/   A wealth of information and how to's are provided!

 As an added benefit, this morning I took the left over apple butter and made apple cinnamon leather in the dehydrator! I spread out onto fruit leather tray, and set the dehydrator on 135 degrees, for about 6-8 hours.

 Super yum! Will cut into strips and wrap in parchment paper for snacks!
Yay!! So fun! felt so productive, and have enough to enjoy for a while. Healthy, sugar free, no waste, and loving it!






You may also like the links found in:
Frugal Days Sustainable Ways #73