Informative — Freeze Dried Food
How to Make Freeze Dried Food Even More Appetizing 0
There are so many reasons to fall in love with freeze dried and dehydrated food. For one, you don't ever have to worry about produce going bad. Just think of all the food (and money) you've tossed in the trash over the years, and you'll get our point. But, wait, there's more.Freeze dried food (FDF) also allows you to enjoy the flavors of your favorite fruits and vegetables as if they are fresh out of the farmer's market. Plus, most of the nutrients remain intact, delivering the same health benefits as their fresh counterparts.
However, longtime freeze dried food fans know there's nothing wrong with adding some flavor to the mix. A little more seasoning and out-of-the-box cooking never hurt anyone, right? So, here are five game-changing ways to make freeze dried food even more appetizing.
Blaze Your Own Trail... Mix
Despite containing just a small percentage of water, freeze dried foods can still rock your palate in the easiest way possible. And, in this case, adding water is so last season. If you don't know it by now, freeze dried food can be consumed as is, requiring zero cooking skills and barely a second of your time.
In fact, the texture of freeze dried foods is easy-to-chew and crunchy, reminding you of crunchy candies rather than dehydrated food. Plus, the flavors are the same as if you were nibbling on fresh fruit and vegetables. However, we've got a way to up the stakes flavor-wise, and it involves you, a handful of nuts and your favorite freeze dried bites.
You've probably heard the news: Trail mix is going through a healthy renaissance of sorts. This once-fattening snack can now contain all the right ingredients, from energy-boosting fruit to fiber-rich nuts. Want to keep up with the trend? Then, start mixing and matching your favorite nuts, seeds, and freeze dried fruit by Mother Earth Products and (why not?) some treat-like goodies, such as dark chocolate chips or mini marshmallows. And as always, moderation is key.
Sauté Spices for An Instant Flavor Boost
If you want to take your dishes to the next level, then spices are the way to go and freeze dried vegetables are no exception. With that in mind, we're about to let you in on a little secret: Did you know that you can infuse your food with the pungent flavor of spices while sautéing?
Contrary to popular belief, you can actually sauté freeze dried food. Just heat some oil and cook the product as-is (no water needed) along with the spices for about 30 seconds. This way: not only do you save time, but you also enhance the flavor of the food from the get-go. Just make sure you add water as soon as you are done sautéing to avoid burning. It's high time you dusted off that spice rack, don't you think?
Hydration is Key
Add water first; ask questions later. Unfortunately, this is the way a lot of people approach freeze dried food hydration, only to end up with a soggy pile of products. Luckily, it doesn't have to be that way.
To keep the flavors intact, simply add the food you are about to eat in a clear bowl and add water. How much water is enough? There are two ways to determine that. Either the food will start floating, or the water will start pooling at the bottom of the bowl. So, don't get surprised if hydrating freeze dried food may require less water than you initially thought.
Dip Them in Chocolate
Eating healthy is on top of most people's bucket list. But, what's a chocoholic to do when the hunger for this delicious treat strikes? An ingenious way to mitigate the not-so-healthy effects of chocolate on your health and waist is to add freeze dried fruit to the mix. In fact, use this tasty treat to coat a variety of freeze dried superfoods by Mother Earth Products, from the potassium-rich bananas to the fiber-packed apples. Isn't that sweet?
Sneak Them Into Baked Goods
What's not to like about freeze dried foods? They are affordable, contain lots of nutrients, and they taste just like the real deal (and sometimes even better if you have an issue with the texture of fresh fruit and vegetables). But, here's an excellent way to enjoy their rich flavor to the fullest while making your meals taste even better: sneak them into your baked goods.
Whether you're in the mood for a fruity biscuit or want to sweeten your homemade cakes in the healthiest way possible, FDF makes for an excellent and nutrient-dense ingredient. In fact, due to their low concentration in water, freeze dried fruits and vegetables by Mother Earth Products don't interfere with the consistency of your baked goods, but instead, add to their delicious flavor.
The Takeaway
Eating tasty meals when there's enough time to cook is amazing. But, eating super healthy and delicious meals/snacks day in day out is even better. Now, there is a way. All it takes is these five suggestions and a handful of freeze dried foods from Mother Earth Products. Are you ready to give your everyday meals/snacks a makeover?
History of Freeze Drying 0
Freeze-drying, or lyophilization, is the removal of water from frozen food through a process called sublimation.1 This process is done under a vacuum and low temperatures, and the product freezing solidly during the process.2Freeze drying removes water from the food to make it last longer. The water's vaporized through the process of sublimation, where water, in solid state, changes directly to vapor, producing a product with controllable moisture.2 It's a perfect way to preserve food, since freeze dried food products don't shrink.3 Freeze dried foods can be stored without cooking or refrigeration. They need no additional flavor or color modification. Freeze dried foods are also light and are ideal for space travel, camping, backpacking, and traveling.1
The Process
Freezing - the product frozen to enable low-temperature drying.
Vacuum - placed under vacuum to allow the frozen solvent to vaporize through sublimation: it doesn’t pass through the liquid phase.
Heat - applied to the frozen product to accelerate sublimation.
Condensation - low temperature enforced by the condenser plates to remove the vaporized solvent from the vacuum chamber by converting it back to a solid. This completes the process of separation. The result is a dry product.2
The History of Freeze Drying
Freeze drying origins are traced back to the ancient Peruvian Incas of the Andes in the 15th century. 2 1 They stored their crops, like potatoes, on the mountain heights above Machu Picchu. The cold mountain temperatures froze the food stores, and water gradually vaporized under low pressure because of the high mountain altitudes - freeze drying the food.3 Buddhist monks living on the sacred mountain "Koya" used this technique. They stored tofu in the mountain snow, where the high altitudes and cold winds freeze dried the tofu. 3
In 1905, Benedict and Manning created the first freeze dryer, which dried the blood tissues using a chemical pump.3 In 1910, Shackell modified the basic design of the Benedict and Manning pump to an electrically driven pump to create the required vacuum, instead of the displacement of air with ethyl ether used in the original design.2 In 1934, the US patent was issued to Elser for creating the drying equipment that replaced Shackell’s design with a cold trap chilled with dry ice.3
Modern Freeze Drying
In the 1940s during World War 2, freeze drying took on the modern method, due to the need for blood.3 The blood sent to Europe from the US for the medical treatment of wounded soldiers required refrigeration.4 Due to the lack of refrigeration and transport, blood supplies would spoil before arriving at their destination;1 So, more modern freeze drying techniques had to be created to preserve blood plasma, making it possible for the blood to be chemically stable without the need for refrigeration. 2
The medical community implemented freeze drying for penicillin and bone.4 They recognized freeze drying as an important technique for preservation of biological matter.1 A freeze dryer was used, and it had a large chamber for freezing and a vacuum pump for removing moisture.2 From then on, freeze drying became a preservation technique for pharmaceuticals and food.1 Since the 1960s, over 400 different types of freeze dried foods have been produced commercially using freeze drying.2 NASA adopted this technique in 1968, and created freeze dried ice cream.
Freeze dried coffee outruns all other freeze dried products in popularity. 2 First produced in 1938 by Nestle after Brazil requested the company to help them find a solution to the coffee surplus, Nescafe, an instant coffee powder, debuted in Switzerland. It paved the way to the production of powdered food products.2
Freeze drying evolves continually. More products pop up more every year, because freeze drying's popularity has grown for a variety of different foods and flavors. They retain their natural composition, and the integrity of minerals, vitamins and other nutrients.
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