I dried carrots, green beans, corn, beans and tomatoes. It's an on going project to see if I can perfect a soup recipe that I can store dried in a canning jar.
Here is my best attempt so far:
Longevity Stew
Who says that a vegan or vegetarian lifestyle is bland or boring? This stew is scientifically formulated to provide gobs of essential nutrients, and it tastes great!!
Even if you are not a vegetarian, eat the longevity stew several times a week, even daily. You might have to prepare some of the ingredients yourself, but that's great 'cause you know what went into it, and you know it's not filled with preservatives. If you grow your own ingredients, you can minimize the amount of nerve agents (pesticides).
2 cups tomato juice
1 Tbs. dried bell pepper pieces
1 Tbs. brewers yeast
3 Tbs. dehydrated collard greens (crushed)
2 Tbs. dried sweet potato powder
2 Tbs. instant Lentils (directions follow)
1 tsp. oregano flakes
1 tsp. garlic powder or flakes
Bring tomato juice to a boil in a cast iron pan. Add other ingredients, stir and remove promptly from heat. Let sit for 15 minutes before serving.
SubstitutionsBecause different foods have different nutritional compositions, we recommend that this stew be prepared with a variety of substitute ingredients. Dehydrated kale, Swiss chard, spinach, or broccoli leaves may be substituted for collards. Carrot or pumpkin powder may replace the powdered sweet potatoes. Onion flakes may be used in place of garlic. Italian seasoning or other spices may replace or be added in addition to the oregano. Paprika or cayenne may be used in place of part or all of the dried bell peppers.
UsesThe Longevity Stew can be used anywhere that one would use tomato sauces or catsup. It's a great topping for spaghetti, or pizza. It goes very nicely with fried potatoes. We are very fond of eating it it straight out of the pan.
While TravelingTo make this stew convenient for traveling, pre-measure the dry ingredients into a plastic bag. Include in the bag a piece of tomato leather (see below). When you are ready for a meal, add two cups of boiling water to the dry ingredients instead of tomato juice.
Tomato LeatherPour 2 cups of tomato juice onto a dehydrator tray. When dry, fold, and store in a plastic bag or other air-tight container.
Dehydrated Collards (or other greens)
Harvest and wash collards. Remove stem and mid-rib. Cut into strips about 1" wide, and place in dehydrator. When dry, crumble into small pieces.
Dried Sweet Potato PowderPeel sweet potatoes. Boil until softened. Drain and mash. Spread on dehydrator trays, (about 3/8 inch thick). When dry, powder in blender or mortar and pestle. Pumpkin, orange squash, or carrot powder may be prepared in the same way.
Instant LentilsBring one cup of lentils and two cups of water to a boil in a cast iron pot. Lower the heat and simmer gently, stirring occasionally, until the Lentils are soft and have absorbed the water. (About 1 hour.) Spread on dehydrator trays.
Why is it called "Longevity Stew"?We wanted to design a simple, easy to prepare food, that could be easily carried from place to place and that had in it an abundance of those nutrients that the scientific literature have found to be highly beneficial in enriching health and prolonging life.
We started by seeking out the finest longevity ingredients; vegetables high in fiber and in antioxidant vitamins A and C, we added some ingredients that are highly regarded as longevity aides; garlic for example. We avoided ingredients which are widely acknowledged as life shortening. We then asked ourselves what we could make out of these ingredients. A stew was the natural answer. We calculated the nutritional balances on paper, and adjusted ingredients accordingly, pouring over nutritional charts and the longevity literature. We ran the calculations on many different combinations filling holes in the balance of nutrients, until it met our satisfaction. Then we made and tasted it. Oh what a culinary delight!!
In designing the Longevity Stew, ease of transportation, storage, and preparation was a primary consideration, leading to the decision to dehydrate the ingredients. Dehydration concentrates nutrients and preserves them better than canning.
The instructions for preparing the stew make several nutritional compromises. For example; the stew would be more nutritious if it were not boiled and the ingredients were not cooked, but we recommend boiling anyway for a number of reasons: 1) to re-hydrate the ingredients quicker. 2) to kill any bad-microbes that might be in the cooking utensils, water, or other ingredients. 3) most people prefer cooked foods.
We recommend the use of cast iron cookware as a means of increasing the amount of iron in a vegan diet.
Brewers yeast, a rich source of B vitamins, is added specifically to help meet the nutritional needs of vegetarians, but anyone can benefit from its abundance of nutrients.
Nutritional Analysis Estimates based on USDA recommended daily intakes.
Nutrient % RDA
Calories | 18 % |
Protein | 40 % |
Calcium | 35 % |
Iron | 50 % |
Zinc | 16 % |
A | 220 % |
Thiamin | 130 % |
Riboflavin | 50 % |
Niacin | 50 % |
Folacin | 130 % |
C | 440 % |
Fat is less than 1% of the maximum recommend daily amount.