Australian_Yoga_Journal_-_September_2015_

50

august/september 2015

yogajournal.com.au

EATING WISELY

nourish

The idea of eating local appeals on several levels.

The food is fresher and often more nutrient dense

than stuff that’s been in transit for days. Less travel

time also lightens our carbon footprint. And buying

local supports our neighbour farmers and local

economy. But it can get a tad dicey in some regions

during winter months, when there aren’t fresh crops

of colourful produce, and when farm stands are

either overrun by root vegetables or they disappear

altogether. To keep the local love going through to

spring, make a plan now to preserve surplus. By

matching foods with the best preservation methods,

you’ll enjoy more colour, texture, flavour, and even

nutrients all winter long. Here are four methods to

try, plus four recipes for enjoying your stored

bounty.

Dehydration

This method turns fruits and veggies into tempting,

crispy snack foods without sacrificing nutrition,

according to Dr. Drew Ramsey, a farmer and

assistant professor of psychiatry at who specialises

in brain nutrition. Removing water doesn’t damage

the disease-fighting antioxidants you find in the

pigments of plants, he explains. You can dehydrate

any food that can be thinly sliced—which speeds

drying time—and it’s a great alternative for foods

like zucchini and other summer squash whose

texture falls apart when canned. You’ll need a good

dryer; we like the Sunbeam (see box piece on page

49). First, preserve flavour, colour, and nutrition by

blanching veggies: Boil for 1 minute and then plunge

them into a bowl of ice water. You may also blanch

fruits such as apples, peaches, pears, and apricots.

Thinly slice high-moisture produce like tomatoes for

faster drying; a Benriner Japanese Mandoline works

well (see page 55.) To add extra flavour to vegetables,

toss them with a wet marinade consisting of 1 tbsp

olive oil, 1 tbsp chopped rosemary or thyme, and 1/4

tsp salt. Then, to dry the marinated veggies, line the

bottom of your dehydrator with unbleached

parchment paper to catch drips. Follow instructions

on your dryer for drying times and temperatures.

Store dehydrated produce in glass jars in the pantry,

then add to soups, salads, and stir-fries, or enjoy

solo as a snack (think tomato chips and Brussels

sprout crisps).

Root-Cellar Storing

Root cellaring—a practice from a bygone era—is

making a comeback as an easy way to save earthy

root veggies such as carrots, parsnips, shallots,

horseradishes, and even artichokes. Fruits that

sweeten slowly in a cool space are good candidates,

too; try apples, pears, and quince. Keep the

temperature at around 7 degrees Celsius or cooler,

but not cold enough to freeze; a cool crawlspace or

mini-refrigerator works as well. Layer the bottom of

wooden vegetable crates or waxed, corrugated

vegetable boxes (sometimes available from the

farmers’ market) with newspaper or brown paper

bags to help regulate humidity, which can cause

spoilage. Pack in the produce, storing fruits away

from veggies, since fruits emit fumes that cause

vegetables to quickly over-ripen. Root vegetables like

potatoes, and turnips store up to six months, and

fruits like pears and apples up to three months.

Produce that’s wrinkled, shrivelled, or has dark

self

Preserve your farmers’ market haul now and enjoy a variety of

local produce all winter long. By Jennifer Iserloh

Preservation

PHOTOS: AARON COLUSSI; FOOD STYLIST: ERIC LESKOVAR; PROP STYLIST: EMILY CHOI