4.19.2011

The Single Most Boring Post to Ever Grace a Blog.

(Appropriately named after I wrote the post.)



 Image via here

I don't love fruit. I just never have... Apart from grapefruit which I totally love. Almost every day I wake up about 4:00 a.m. and eat a huge bowl of grapefruit, then fall back to sleep with a full, happy belly... And to be fair, I should also mention my love for peaches in the summer. Oh, and there is nothing more tantalizing than strawberries... unless of course you cover them in chocolate. And enjoying watermelon with your family on a camping trip is also heavenly... I prefer the part right before the rind...crisp, firm and delish! And don't get me started on mangos... Sitting down to a dewy mango can be considered paradisaical. And, if we're counting the tomato as a fruit then I have to claim those as my favorite. Nothing. Nothing beats a room temperature, dark red, succulent tomato. I won't count apples in this list, because who doesn't love apples? Everyone does... They're considered  a staple and should go without say. Of course I am referring to the Fugi apple. The only apple. And, I would be amiss if I didn't mention raspberries. I can eat those by the flat... (And I usually do.) I  feel like I am leaving something out...Blueberries! Yum!!! I prefer nothing more than those in my pancakes. And my muffins. And  my bread. And plain, of course...
.
So since I am not much of a fruit consumptionist (don't google that word), I needed to come up with a way to eat what is an acceptable amount in the food pyramid. My solution? Fruit leather. I thought even the children would love this. Although they consume plenty of fruit, due to their all fruit and not so green smoothies in the morning, I can't think of a better, healthier snack for them.
.
Notwithstanding the fact that I can't cook, bake, toss, boil, blanch, or any other adjective you would use in describing the preparation of  food items, I do know my way around a food dehydrator. (I used to deal in large amounts of beef jerky as a youth... Thank you dad, for supporting me in that endeavor.) So I thought I would give the production of  fruit leather a go. With the use of a Vita mix, you don't need to steam or heat anything up. You can put the fruit, skin and all, right in the blender and puree it in about twenty seconds.  Although I wasted a lot of fruit and a lot of time the first couple of days, I am super happy to report that after my third attempt, my fruit leather has turned out! (Forgive my boasting)   I can't believe it! I really can't! It isn't only bearable, it's crave worthy. So line up friends and family. You'll all get a taste.
 .
My first try: I used strawberries and a touch of yogurt. I didn't use the dehydrator, instead I filled three cookie sheets and put them in the oven and left the door open... as per interweb instuctions. It burnt, stuck to the pans and  I wasted half a  flat of strawberries.
 .
My second attempt: I used Strawberries and mangos. I filled four dehydrator trays and used wax paper. The interweb said 16 hours. They not only burnt, they also stuck to the wax paper.

My third and final undertaking: I filled four trays using a  strawberry, mango, peach, carrott, beet, and a touch of spinach blend.  Since this was my last try, I figured if I was going to go down, I would go down.  So I made three trays of apple and three trays of blueberry. Using pure carrott and beet juice in both of those as well. And they are all yum!

Here is a couple photos of the mango, strawberry, peach, etc. blend

 

 Tom's hands. Not mine.

Note: A few years ago, I went through a phase where all I wanted to eat was pecans and dehydrated mango. Jackie had to step in and warn me that it is very easy to over eat dehydrated fruit, due to the value of caloric and sugar intake being the same, it's just lacking the water and therefore doesn't fill you up as much as a regular piece of fruit does, thus causing you (me) to eat and eat and eat. And eat. She had to convince me that yes, even eating too much fruit can be a bad thing. So I will keep in mind, I can't eat all ten trays worth in one day anymore.


If you are still reading this...Give yourself a pat on the back and know you  have great listening skills and a good amount of patience.

5 comments:

Adam and Brittany said...

I read the ENTIRE post. Now do I get some fruit leather? Looks delish!

Alison said...

yes yes i read the post...i figure if you read my boringness i will read yours. do you have blue cabinets? if you do i love them, and i must see.

lyndsey said...

You girls! You are the best for putting up with me! Your reward for reading that post will be fruit leather for both of you. Plus, Ali made Tom the best cookies and Britt made me the best bread. Come over... Ali, yes. I had a blue hutch built in to be used as a bake center... But my main cabinets are white and My island is dark walnut.

Ang and Shawn said...

Lynds I'm confused...you used a dehydrator to make fruit leathers? Why did you have to leave the oven door open? What type of dehydrator do you have? I am on the look out for a dehydrator...one that's inexpensive (how much longer will I be a poor married college student?) and one that's fool proof.

I have never had fruit leathers...your pictures made my mouth water.

lyndsey said...

Ang... Look! You left a comment. Does this mean you won't be texting your comments anymore?

So, the oven door had to stay open because I tried baking it first, but my oven only does 170 degrees and I needed it 150... But it didn't work anyway. SO that's when I got out the dehydrator. When Jenny has Jett, we are going to go visit her. Do you want to come?I'll bring the fruit leather.