Better dry or. What we have, we keep. Which is better - drying, freezing or salting. What is prepared from dried and frozen berries
Is it possible to make sure that all the vitamins collected in the garden are completely preserved until winter?
Alas, the dream of conserving vitamins is a utopia, - says Svetlana Derbenyova, Candidate of Medical Sciences, Leading Researcher at the FGBUN "Federal Research Center for Nutrition and Biotechnology". - The lifespan of vitamins is very short (some nutritionists believe that it is calculated in days). Therefore, vitamins in stale fruits are much less than in fresh fruits, and heat treatment kills them almost completely.
However, in addition to vitamins, vegetables and fruits also contain other, no less useful, but more stable substances (trace elements, antioxidants, etc.), which tolerate canning well. And some vegetables after heat treatment become even more useful than fresh ones.
Therefore, realizing that it is impossible to gorge on “usefulness” for the whole winter in a few summer months, we must try to prepare our crop as correctly as possible. There are many original and quick ways to harvest vegetables and fruits that ripen in Russia.
carrot tea
Carrots are the only root crop in the world, from which tea has been prepared for many centuries, or rather, a delicious vitamin drink (because carrots do not lose their beneficial properties during drying and heat treatment).
How to prepare. Grate the carrots on a coarse grater, wrap in foil and seal tightly. Put in the oven for 1 hour. Then unfold the foil and leave to dry until cooked.
Recipe. To prepare a drink, put a handful of dried carrots in a teapot, pour boiling water over it and let it brew for about 30 minutes. Carrot tea can be drunk without sugar - due to the high sugar content, the drink turns out to be sweet in itself.
Tomatoes with herbs
It is no coincidence that tomatoes are called the most useful vegetable. They are rich in potassium, magnesium, iron, phosphorus and zinc, as well as vitamins C, E and group B. But the main value of tomatoes is in the high content of the antioxidant lycopene, which reduces the risk of developing cancer and cardiovascular diseases. This healing substance is better absorbed after heat treatment.
How to prepare. Take 7 large tomatoes and 1 bunch of parsley. Cut the hard center out of the tomatoes, cut into cubes and transfer to a deep container. Wash the greens, chop, add to the tomatoes and mix well. Spread the mixture into culinary forms and put in the freezer for 3-4 hours. Then remove from the molds and arrange in batches in portions. The blank can be stored in the freezer for 6-8 months. Take out immediately before cooking borscht, stew, pilaf and use in cooking without prior defrosting.
Plum
Plum is the most easily digestible fruit. A storehouse of dietary fiber necessary for the normal functioning of the intestines and antioxidants (protecting against breakdowns in cells).
How to prepare. Gourmet dessert of plums in wine syrup. Prepare the syrup to start: add 0.5 tbsp. white wine, 0.5 tbsp. granulated sugar, 2-3 circles of ginger and 4 cloves. Bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat, cook for another 10 minutes. Wash 400 g of plums, remove the stones, chop the pulp into slices and put in syrup. Boil 5 minutes. Transfer the prepared products to a sterile container, seal. And at any time you will have a wonderful sauce for pancakes, ice cream, strudel filling, etc. at your fingertips.
eggplant mugs
The purple color of eggplant indicates a high content of antioxidants, which prevent the occurrence of any type of cancer. In addition, eggplant is one of the few low-calorie foods that saturate quickly and for a long time (due to its high fiber content). Eggplant is often called the "vegetable of longevity" (it is no coincidence that this is one of the main ingredients of Caucasian dishes) - the optimal ratio of potassium and magnesium supports heart health.
How to prepare. This recipe will allow you to cook a dish in winter that will taste no different from summer. Wash the eggplant, cut into circles, sprinkle with salt and leave for half an hour (this will save them from bitterness). Then dip the pieces in boiling water for a couple of minutes, then immediately cool in cold water. Dry the mugs on a towel and put in a wide shallow dish. Freeze (place the container in the freezer for 4 hours), then arrange in portions in plastic bags). In this form, eggplants can be stored in the freezer for up to 6 months. Get it just before cooking (fry, stew).
Spices
“Greens (parsley, dill, basil, cilantro) grow even among the most negligent summer residents,” says Igor Sokolsky, candidate of pharmaceutical sciences, specialist in phytochemistry. - Herbs are rarely harvested, although a pinch of spices contains more antioxidants than a glass of berries. Spices have an anti-carcinogenic effect, reduce cholesterol and blood sugar levels. It is best to prepare bouquets of spices - a bunch of parsley, dill, cilantro, celery, mint, basil and lovage. Each plant must be cut, dried, spread out in an even thin layer on clean paper (it is not worth drying the bundled bunches - this leads to decay and a decrease in useful properties). Grind dried herbs to 2-3 mm, then mix and store in a dry place. Bouquets can also be frozen and dipped for a few minutes in the dish being prepared.
What to add
Soup with meat broth: 1. Parsley, dill, celery, basil. 2. Parsley, celery, lovage.
Soup with fish broth: 1. Parsley, dill, bay leaf. 2. Parsley, thyme, dill, bay leaf, green part of the leek.
Soup with vegetable broth: 1. Cilantro, basil, celery. 2. Parsley, lovage, dill.
Canned stewed meat: parsley, basil, bay leaf.
Braised fish: basil, lovage, dill.
Summer! Even the very word associated with warmth, sun and a huge variety of fruits, berries and vegetables. Hearing this word, we immediately imagine the rich colors of nature, flowers, the sea, a garden, a garden bed .... It is summer that charges our body with real vitamins and antioxidants "straight from the garden." For those who have a dacha or their own personal plot, the word "summer" is more associated with preparations for the winter, which makes it possible to enjoy the gifts of nature all year round.
Today in cookbooks and the Internet you can find a huge number of different recipes and tips on how to dry, freeze and preserve berries, fruits, mushrooms, herbs and vegetables. Which one to choose? It is quite difficult to give an unambiguous answer, all harvesting methods have their "pluses" and "minuses". But there is no doubt that one should choose not according to the taste of the workpiece, but according to its usefulness to health. Here is how various harvesting methods affect the content of nutrients:
1. canning. Canned vegetables, fruits, berries, herbs and mushrooms are convenient because they can be served immediately. Therefore, the method of preservation can be called the Russian "fast food", which means "fast food". The advantage of canning is a fairly long storage even at temperatures up to 15 degrees Celsius.
However, this method blanks requires mandatory heat treatment, which destroys the bulk of the valuable. Canned foods retain no more than 20% of vitamins and minerals. In addition, sugar, salt, vinegar and other additives are used in canning. If they are contained in the marinade in large quantities, then the canned product can even become unhealthy.
2. Freezing. After freezing, berries, fruits, vegetables, herbs and mushrooms retain almost all the beneficial properties that they have fresh. When exposed to negative temperatures, all microorganisms die, and useful vitamins and minerals are not destroyed. Frozen vegetables and fruits can be stored in refrigerators until the next harvest, and some even longer. However, having frozen once, it is often not necessary to defrost blanks.
Put fruits, vegetables and berries in the freezer, set the refrigerator mode to minus 18 degrees and defrost the desired portion only once before use. To fill the freezer with vegetables and fruits, they must first be cleaned, washed and dried. Then cut the vegetables into small pieces, put in portion bags and put in the freezer. Strawberries, raspberries, wild strawberries, blackberries and other soft berries should be dried, scattering them on a tray. When they freeze, they need to be poured into bags and sent back to the freezer. It is very useful to freeze dill and parsley for the winter. First you need to wash them, grind and sprinkle them into bags. So the greens retain all the useful substances and it is very convenient to use it at the right time.
3. Drying. After drying, the products retain up to 40% of vitamins and 100% of trace elements. You can dry fruits, berries, herbs and mushrooms. Dried vegetables are not popular, they can only be used for dressing. For example, dried carrots and beets. It is best to dry fruits and berries in the oven at a temperature not exceeding 70 degrees. Dried plums (prunes), apricots (dried apricots), grapes (raisins), apples, pears and pineapples are delicious treats for children and adults.
During drying up to 80% of moisture is removed from fruits and berries, so they can be stored for up to one year. It is only necessary to store dried fruits in a well-ventilated and not humid room, otherwise they quickly become moldy or food moth starts in them.
4. Candied. After interacting with sugar, fruits and vegetables retain only 60% of vitamins and all 100% of trace elements. But candied strawberries, currants, raspberries, wild strawberries and other sweet berries are a very convenient way to harvest. Candied berries should be stored at sub-zero temperatures, they retain the taste and aroma of freshly picked berries and fruits. Only here you need to add a lot of sugar to these blanks, approximately 2 kg per 1 kg of berries. If you add less sugar to berries and fruits, then they must be boiled. Then it turns out jelly, jam, jam or jam. All the vitamins in these blanks are digested, so there is no benefit from them, they are simply valued because of the aroma and taste.
5. fermentation. This is one of the harvesting methods, in which the natural juice of vegetables and fruits is used as a brine. Most often we ferment cabbage. In sauerkraut, up to 70% of vitamins are stored, but when harvesting cabbage in the form of a salad, 45% of folic acid and 30% of vitamin E disappear in the first five minutes of cooking, which are very useful for the human body. There are a lot of recipes for sauerkraut, especially useful among them are those where you need to add beets, carrots, garlic and herbs.
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By and large - any tubular, but ideal for drying and storage at home White mushrooms , boletus and boletus .
Forest mushroom harvest
How to cook mushrooms for drying
Do not wash the mushrooms: they absorb water like a sponge, this will lengthen the process and affect the quality. Carefully clean them with a knife from the earth, grass and moss, and then wipe with a slightly damp cloth or sponge. Divide into piles according to size, and then cut. Large mushrooms into several parts, and small ones can be dried whole.
For some drying methods and to reduce cooking time, it is better to cut the mushrooms into thin plates. Keep the beautiful caps of small mushrooms whole.
Preparing mushrooms for drying
How and where to dry mushrooms
Drying mushrooms outdoors
The most affordable way is to dry naturally outside or in a well-ventilated area in dry, hot weather, avoiding direct sunlight.
To do this, chopped mushrooms are strung on a thick thread, twine or fishing line so that the pieces do not touch. Or in one layer laid out on clean paper or cotton fabric. Under favorable conditions, it will take at least a week. If the weather suddenly turned bad, and there is a Russian stove in the country house, you can dry the mushrooms in it or in a conventional oven heated to 60 ° C and with the door ajar.
Mushrooms ready for drying
Drying mushrooms in the oven
Drying in an oven is the most convenient way to harvest in an urban environment.
Mushrooms are best dried on a wire rack or lined with baking paper. Throughout the process, the cabinet door must remain open to allow air to circulate. We start with a temperature of 45 °C. When the mushrooms are no longer sticky, increase to 60-70 ° C and dry until tender, turning over from time to time.
Drying mushrooms in the microwave
You can even dry mushrooms in the microwave. For this method, it is desirable to cut them into petals, spread them out in one layer on a wire rack and leave for 20 minutes at a power of at least 150-180 watts. Then drain the liquid released from the mushrooms and cool them. The procedure must be repeated until the mushrooms are dry. This method is troublesome, but the result is so-so. Mushrooms turn out not so fragrant and, most likely, lose many of their beneficial properties.
Drying mushrooms in a dehydrator
If you're a fan of stockpiling dried mushrooms or fruits, then a dehydrator is just what you need. In this specially equipped cabinet, the air is heated and distributed evenly. Raw materials gradually lose moisture, completely retaining their valuable properties.
Drying mushrooms in a dehydrator
Where and for how long can dry mushrooms be stored
Mushrooms are stored in suitable conditions no more than 2-3 from the moment of preparation. You can store them in paper, and preferably canvas bags, in cardboard boxes and loosely closed glass jars in a dry place. In the old days, even pillowcases were used for storage.
Mushrooms can be ground into a powder and added to dishes to taste. Or in flour for making dumplings, pies with meat, fish and mushrooms.
Mushroom homemade powder is a great spice
Dry your hair after shampooing. You can do this very quickly with a hair dryer, but unfortunately the hair dryer damages your hair. That is why experts advise to dry them naturally when possible.
If a woman is not in a hurry and she has the opportunity to slowly dry her head and do her hair, then she should do just that. From frequent use of a hair dryer, the hair becomes brittle, begins to fall out. Of course, it is very convenient to use, but do not forget how harmful its frequent use is.
When drying your hair naturally, you must first pat it very gently with a towel. Wet hair is very susceptible to various kinds of influences. In order not to harm them, the hair must first be slightly dried, and only then combed. For combing slightly damp hair, you can use a comb with rare teeth.
Hair dryer effect
Despite the fact that the use of a hair dryer harms the hair, many women simply cannot refuse it. Experts believe that it is possible to use a hair dryer, but this should not be included in the system. in this way it is possible only when it needs to be done very quickly, as well as before important events, going out, when you want to look very impressive.
To minimize the harm from a hair dryer, you should use the most suitable model. For domestic use, a high power hair dryer is not required. It is quite expensive, consumes a lot of electricity and has a very negative effect on the hair. It is better to choose hair dryers with medium or low power.
Dry your hair with cold or slightly warm air. It is better to refuse fast drying with a hot air stream, as it injures the hair very much. It is advisable to spend a little more time styling, but do not harm your own hair.
Before heading with a warm air stream, you can apply a special foam or gel to your hair, which protects them from exposure to elevated temperatures.
When drying with a hair dryer, you should hold it so that the air flow is directed from the roots of the hair to their tips. This allows you to close the scales of the hair, as a result of which their structure is preserved, and the hairstyle looks smooth and well-groomed.
The hair dryer should be kept at least 20 centimeters away from the head. The closer contact of the hair with the air stream harms them, making them brittle. Compliance with all of the above rules allows you to minimize the risk of using a hair dryer.
Secrets of the right home preparations
Every autumn, mother and grandmother occupy the kitchen to wind up cucumber-tomatoes for the winter. I hate this time. Ranks of different-sized cans get in the way underfoot, some of them explode. And for some reason, always at night. But how nice it is to open a jar of homemade cucumbers on New Year's Eve!
Most often, vegetables, fruits, berries and greens are harvested for future use. That is, precisely those products that are not available in winter, or those that quickly deteriorate. Unfortunately, there is no universal way of harvesting, in order to preserve the taste and not lose vitamins. And the most popular are drying, freezing and canning. They allow you to save from 30 to 100% of nutrients and vitamins.
Most vitamins remain during natural drying (in the sun). It allows you to save more fiber and pectin in fruits. Pectin, by the way, removes toxins, fat and other harmful substances from the intestines.
What can not be said about canning. Here you can not do without vinegar, long heat treatment. Therefore, vitamins in pickled and jarred salads, tomatoes, cucumbers, cabbage are many times less. Vitamin C, for example, decomposes during heat treatment in the first minutes. As a result, vegetable and fruit preparations cooked by boiling lose up to 70% of this vitamin. B vitamins and fat-soluble vitamin E are preserved during heat treatment, but their amount decreases during storage (up to 90% per year).
“Sugar, which is added to berries to make jam, causes a brutal appetite,” explains Elena Malysheva, host of the Live Healthy! program. - A small amount of time passes, and you again want to eat - it turns out a vicious circle. As a result, you get better."
Salting is also very harmful. Salt retains water in the body, which leads to weight gain, hypertension, edema and heart disease. From a medical point of view, the best options for harvesting vegetables and fruits for the winter are freezing and drying.
On a note
The shorter the heat treatment, the more vitamins will remain in vegetables and fruits.
Freeze
What to freeze
Raspberries, currants, cherries, gooseberries, asparagus beans, bell peppers, sorrel, tomatoes, eggplant, carrots, cauliflower, pears, peaches, apricots, plums.
How to freeze
Rinse, dry, arrange in trays and place in the freezer. It is necessary to freeze at a temperature of -20 ° C for an average of two hours. When the fruits are frozen, they can be poured into plastic bags and placed back in the freezer.
How much to store
Up to 8-10 months.
Let's dry
What to dry
Apples, pears, plums, apricots, cherries, grapes, mushrooms.
How to dry
The easiest way is to dry fruits, berries and mushrooms in the oven. If you want the product to retain its natural color, you need to place the cut pieces in a container with pineapple or citrus juice, let the juice drain and place the fruits and berries on a wire rack. Then place in the oven for 10-12 hours, maintaining a constant temperature of 60-70°C.
How much to store