Dehydrator Love

I don’t have a recipe to share today, just some low-quality, iPhone photos of a raw pizza that kinda rocked my sheltered plant-based planet.  You see, I recently acquired an Excalibur 9-tray dehydrator, an item that had been sitting patiently on my Amazon Wish List for many, many months while I accumulated enough points (freebie!) to hit the Order button.  To many vegans, purchasing a dehydrator produces feelings akin to having a sturdy high-speed blender (there are two camps: the Vitamixers camp and the Blendtecers) gracing their countertop. (For insight into how people feel about owning a high-speed blender, please read this very funny post.)

The pizza pictured below is made from a mish-mash of recipes: the crust is a very slight adaptation of a recipe by Matthew Kenney, one of the gods of raw food cooking.  It is absolutely delicious and stands up as a snack – sans topping – in its own right; the cashew-mushroom sauce is my adaptation of yet another recipe found in the pages of Runner’s World.  I didn’t change it enough to justify including the recipe here.  Again, it’s tasty enough to scoop up on its own, but I’d hold off unless you are trying to gain weight.

Already my dehydrator has opened up a new food world to me and I know I have much left to learn and dry out.  Look out world!

Shameless plug: did you hear that Virtual Vegan Potluck made it onto Post Punk Kitchen’s 100?  Yep, it did!  Please check out the list to see their blurb about the VVP and to visit 99 other awesome sites (including Vegan Richa and Keepin’ It Kind)!

One year ago today: The Vegan Option
One year and one day ago today: Buttermilk Rolls with Flaxseed and Wheat Ger

Raw Pizza An Unrefined Vegan Raw Pizza An Unrefined Vegan

Raw Pizza An Unrefined Vegan

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53 thoughts on “Dehydrator Love

  1. Kay

    Congrats on your dehydrator. I just got a 9-drawer Excalibur from Craig’s List.

    Took a food preservation training course last year from our state extension service. Those volunteers who have been through the course teach community education courses, one of which was on dehydration. (We had so many people who couldn’t get in – and the class had 55 students – that we’re offering two classes this year.) After the dehydration class, borrowed two dehydrators – one from the the program and a friend. These were the round, six tray variety. No temp control, no fan.

    Loved it. It was the end of the season, so picked a couple of things at the Farmer’s Market each week to try dehydrating. Dried LOTS cherry tomatoes (orange and yellow pear were my favorites and are so enjoyable this time of year), sliced tomatoes, Italian plums (only have seen them in the Pacific Northwest) – these are fantastic in winter oatmeal, peaches (some with dried chipotle sprinkled on top – yummy), pears, several varieties of apples (with a variety of spices), frozen organic corn (delish and crunchy on salads) and green beans, and more. Such tasty treats. So looking forward to using this new toy, with temperature control. It’s going to be so much fun! Looking forward to reading what you’re creating.

    Reply
    1. An Unrefined Vegan

      Hi Kay! I’m looking forward this year to preserving some of the good, summer produce. Haven’t yet dehydrated fruits or veggies, but I think that will come in very handy. Have fun experimenting :-)! And thanks for visiting.

      Reply
      1. ckc7

        Now that I’ve found you, I’ll be visiting regularily (followed so I get the e-mails.) Could you point me to the crust recipe? Finding all kinds of yummy things, but not that particular one. Thanks!

      2. An Unrefined Vegan

        Hey there! Glad you found me, too :-)! The crust recipe comes from Matthew Kenney’s cookbook, Everyday Raw. I didn’t share it cuz it felt like cheating – I only changed a few tiny things. But…I may be posting a variation on this very blog so stay tuned.

      3. ckc7

        Went to his website and saw all the cookbooks. Now I know which one to get first. And I’ll be looking for your own variation. Thanks!

  2. veghotpot

    I’m getting a dehydrator this year after buying some raw cookbooks! Can’t wait to try it out and I think pizza bases will def be one of my first things to try :)

    Reply
  3. tearoomdelights

    I’ve never heard of a dehydrator before, you continually educate me. Congratulations on hitting the top 100 – very well deserved!

    Reply
    1. An Unrefined Vegan

      Glad I can pass on some knowledge, Lorna ;-). And thanks for the congratulations – it was a real thrill to see that our little event was included in such a (ahem) prestigious list!

      Reply
  4. Sophie33

    a great post, Annie! Good luck with finding tasty recipes with it. I am not fond of dehydrated foods,…!

    Reply
  5. narf77

    I have an excalibur but use it mostly to dry out the dogs treats! I haven’t tried making much in the way of raw things but that might be remedied with this recipe :)

    Reply
      1. narf77

        The easiest and most successful dog treat that we make for our boys is thin sliced steak dehydrated overnight till it is crispy. Our dogs will do tricks for it and we haven’t met a dog that won’t roll over for a piece of it but there are HEAPS of dog treat recipes online…heres a few…
        http://www.rodale.com/homemade-dog-treats
        http://www.cesarsway.com/dogcare/nutrition/Recipe-Ideas-for-Quick-and-Healthy-Homemade-Dog-Treats
        http://nutrition.tripawds.com/2012/04/10/how-to-make-paw-lickin-good-home-made-chicken-jerky-dog-treats/

        And don’t forget to experiment. You know what your dog likes to eat and pretty much anything can be put into the dehydrator. Our boys won’t eat vegetables so the sweet potato treats are out but any meaty products can be dehydrated till crisp and are really adored, even human food grade offal meats work well :).

  6. Gabby @ the veggie nook

    YUM! I recently had a raw pizza that blew my world too!

    Also- YAY for the dehydrator! You’ve waited so long! Now if only I could get a Vitamix and be as blissful as you… 😉

    Reply
      1. Veggie V! @ Veggie V's Vegan Adventure

        I love Amber’s recipes from Practically Raw. The pizza and nacho are my favorite. But, you really can’t go wrong. You’re going to be in love with everything that comes out of that thing. I let the hubs talk me into the 5 tray. Silly me. A 9 tray is better. More room! The “shelves” are so skinny!

      1. An Unrefined Vegan

        I have Practically Raw and it was one of the reasons I NEEDED to get a dehydrator! I was using Amber’s alternate method, but knew that to do justice to the recipes, I had to commit ;-). Thanks for the link, Sarah!

  7. Sarah

    If you think us high-speed blender owners get into hissy fits over which is best, you should see backpackers argue over what brand of dehydrator is better 😉
    Vitamix & LeQuip Dehydrator owner here 😀

    Reply
      1. Sarah

        It is like Westside Story 😉 Or something…lol! I actually own 3 dehydrators. Should I even admit that??

  8. Somer

    I think that may be the loveliest pizza I’ve ever seen, raw or not! The 100 kept me happy floating for days. So rad! love you!

    Reply
  9. Brittany

    This is one vegan staple I DO NOT OWN but I would love to have!! I have a Blendtec (love the thing) and I now need this too. Whatever that is that you created (pizza I see from other comments) looks amazing.. absolutely amazing.

    Reply
  10. Courtney

    Wow. So many things…first of all, I am super jealous of your dehydrator! And you got it for free!?! Amazing!
    Second of all, that pizza looks incredible! I hope you will share some dehydrator recipes soon. I am not lucky enough to have one, but I have a friend who recently got one who has been looking for recipes…

    Courtney

    Reply
  11. Shira

    Looks like the iphone is doing a great job Annie – I just got hungry looking at that delicious creation! There was a time when I owned not one, but two dehydrators – I miss it a little but alas I do okay. Would love a yummy bite of this now! And such a massive congrats on the PPK mention – it could not be more well deserved. Big love! xx

    Reply
  12. * Vegan Sparkles *

    Oh so much excitement at once! Great job on the PPK list and thank you again for organising the VVP for us – I have loved participating in both events and am super excited about future ones!
    I’m also super duper keen to get a dehydrator now! That pizza looks SO FINE!

    Reply
  13. Cauldrons and Cupcakes

    Congratulations on being in the PPK Top 100! You’re a force to be reckoned with, Annie.

    And how can you call these mouth-watering images low quality? It made me want to reach through the screen and dip my finger into the sauce!!! BTW almost all my blog pics come courtesy of my iphone…

    Dehydrators. I’ve been on the fence a while about getting one, but now I’m thinking it’s a yes. 😀 xx

    Reply
  14. Richgail Enriquez

    Looks great! So you scored the dehydrator for free? Nice! I’m planning to get a dehydrator too for better texture when I make vegan cheese. Saving some dinero for now. That article about food blenders is so funny and so true.

    Reply
  15. Richa

    congratulations on the dehydrator and the PPk100!! the pizza looks fabulous.. i dont have no space for another machine.. maybe once we find a bigger house? lets see if our 8 month long search will end this year. we r too picky:)

    Reply
  16. tinykitchenstories

    Oooh! I have dehydrator envy! I think if I get one more kitchen appliance The Husband might put his foot down…

    Reply

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