Quick Dehyrating Meals

[lavendarJ]

I still don't know about using a dehydrator on a regular basis. I don't have one. I was just thinking about the yummy recipes I've seen posted and wow, it seems that they take soooooooooo long in the dehydrator. I'm thinking about the time and the energy used. Can someone share a recipes that were quick as far as dehydrating time (like 2 hours or even less)?

[greenfeline]

I think the only things you can do in a dehydrator in a short amount of time is warm things up, soften chopped or sliced vegetables and maybe dehydrate soaked buckwheat for granola. I think the buckwheat took me a few hours...

[juliebove]

I don't think the dehydrator uses a lot of power, but I really don't know. Most of the recipes I've tried have taken a really long time. When I tried the potato chips, I found that I didn't like them at all as chips. Why I thought I would is beyond me because I don't much like "real" potato chips. But I did find that when I tasted them at just the right moment...maybe half an hour or so, they lost their raw taste and reminded me of creamy mashed potatoes. But not long beyond that, they went back to tasting raw. Yuck!

The first time I made the nacho cheese, I put it in the dehydrator with the intent of fully dehydrating so I could make slices. That didn't happen because as I was checking it, my daughter came in and stuck her fingers in it. So I just sort of scooped it up, flipping it as best I could. What I wound up with was a partially dehydrated cheese with a thick, soft texture like a cheese spread. I love to pack it into small hollowed out peppers, pieces of celery or other veggies.

So there are a few things you can use it for that take only a couple of hours, but since you are using such a low temp., most things will take longer.

I have the Nesco dehydrator and I bought extra trays and sheets for mine. When I use it, I usually fill it up as full as I can. I will usually make the onion bread and then two kinds of nut cheese. That pretty much fills it up. If you make more than one thing at a time, you'll save energy because I don't think it requires much more energy to add additional trays. In fact, it says that it works best with 4 or more trays.

[Veganforlife]

I have an Excalibur 9 tray, and this came off their web site:

Costs only Pennies a Day to Operate!
The Excalibur is extremely inexpensive to run: it uses just 2 or 3¢/hour in electricity! Compare that to the cost to run your freezer year-round! When you dehydrate produce, your Excalibur runs for only a few hours. If you elect to freeze the same produce, your electrical expense continues until you take that produce out of your freezer.

[moonlovers812]

"The first time I made the nacho cheese, I put it in the dehydrator with the intent of fully dehydrating so I could make slices. That didn't happen because as I was checking it, my daughter came in and stuck her fingers in it. So I just sort of scooped it up, flipping it as best I could. What I wound up with was a partially dehydrated cheese with a thick, soft texture like a cheese spread. I love to pack it into small hollowed out peppers, pieces of celery or other veggies."

How long did you dehydrate to get this texture. It seemed to me that Nacho Cheese should be creamy not like slices so I had wondered how to acheive that creamy texture. What can you do with the slices?

[JEN]

You have to try Healthisraw1's mushroom loaf. It is divine!!! You can use portabellas or button mushrooms. The sundried tomatoes give it such a yummy flavor. I also add a dash of chili powder to it since it call for cumin. It makes a great burger as well. It has just a little kick to it and is great topped with guacamole or tomatoes. It is super easy to make and if you make it into burgers they dehydrate quickly. Flax crackers are also quick and easy. I think some people in the forum have inexpensive dehydrators so maybe someone could suggest one to you.

[rawbeliever]

Anybody know what the comparison for a dehydrator is to, say, a stove's energy?

[Revvell]

Why even bother with a dehydrator? Mine is mostly taking up space in my kitchen. I only use it now to warm things up to room temp if I'm in a hurry.

Suggestion:

Make up some pates, guac, pesto and figure different ways to use them during the week ~ say, tomato stacks, wraps with collards or nori, stuffed mushrooms, bell peppers or tomatoes etc. Quick, easy and luscious.

Have various dessert balls on hand made from what one would normally make pie crusts out of. Find pie recipes which need no dehydrating. Yesterday I made a great Tropical Pie. I left some for Bo when he came home. Had one slice. I ate the rest for breakfast. :p
Revvell

[juliebove]

"The first time I made the nacho cheese, I put it in the dehydrator with the intent of fully dehydrating so I could make slices. That didn't happen because as I was checking it, my daughter came in and stuck her fingers in it. So I just sort of scooped it up, flipping it as best I could. What I wound up with was a partially dehydrated cheese with a thick, soft texture like a cheese spread. I love to pack it into small hollowed out peppers, pieces of celery or other veggies."

How long did you dehydrate to get this texture. It seemed to me that Nacho Cheese should be creamy not like slices so I had wondered how to acheive that creamy texture. What can you do with the slices?

If you want it creamy, don't dehydrate at all. That's what I do with it now. Just blend it up and eat. To get a firmer texture, I think about 2-3 hours is enough. I was just going by the recipe in Alissa's book and I was making it just like I made the Swiss. I prefer the Swiss in slices but I've only managed to achieve that texture once. Since then I've been flipping it too soon and I just have chunks.