This is day two with my new toy, the 9 tray Excalibur 2900 series dehydrator (use google)… and the first thing I dried were sage smudge sticks I bundled up from the ceremonial sage I grow in the garden. Not only was it a good test run for the machine, but considering what sage is used for, I feel it was a great first choice. And now my machine has been blessed, I have crisped up the rats food, and now I have a jar of soy yogurt going in there, along with slices of limes and grapefruits.

Have an idea about dehydrating citrus and using it for the water kefir, it would rehydrate in the kefir itself, and hopefully will work just as well, this way I can buy lemons etc on special and dehydrate them in slices, pack and use when lemons etc are not so cheap… that’s the idea right? Grapefruit was a purchase mistake, thought they were larger oranges, but they were not marked and on the clearance shelf. So I might use them for “suns” in arts and craft projects, or as gifts to people. Not sure yet, but rather than let them go to waste… slice and dry!

Now according to the little manual that came with this machine I can do all sorts of things in there from the obvious drying of foods, to drying tea towels, drying photos, drying arts and crafts projects, raising bread on cold days, making yogurts, re-crisping foods like crackers and chips, making crackers, drying herbs, flowers and more… this is one versatile machine. I am looking forward to many many years of use from this new addition to my kitchen!

Would love to hear from others who have one too!

Namaste & Blessed Be

 In an effort to embark on more  DIY Foods, I have undertaken the making of yogurt. Now when making it with milk, you have to scald your milk, this temperature and that temperature, and do this and that, make sure it’s not too hot nor too cold.. what a pain that is.. worthwhile, but a pain..Now, Soy Yogurt.. I have experimented and come up with a method that works, is easier than anything else I do, and tastes great. All you need is a 2L jug of Sweetened Soy Milk (or other bean milk I think would work) and some Florify (well that is what I use and it works) or some other Acidophilus supplement in a capsule that you can break apart. The instructions are simple. Sit your soy milk out at room temp and let warm up. Add one or two capsules worth of acidophilus, minus the capsule – you just want the contents (Florify is vegan which is why I use it), put the lid back on the jug, shake it well, and let it sit at room temp for 24 – 48 hours… when it starts to thicken, or separate, or smell yogurty, put it in the fridge for 24 hours… then you can pour out of the jug. Some of mine separate and I have soy whey, other times it doesn’t. Not sure why.. Put it in a big container, add your flavourings, chopped up fruit, and enjoy! Lasts a couple of days.If you have other ways of making this, let me know… Have you made Almond Milk Yogurt or other types of non-milk yogurts, then I would love to hear from you. Blessed Be