Recommend Dried pantry staples that you can grow.

[The Rubber Kitty]

Hi, I wasn't sure where this would fit.

I am curious to know if any one has any dried staples in their pantry that they grow. I have been looking things like chickpeas, soy beans etc, which would be good long term to store onces dried and cheap/easy to cook.

Plus any good cheap recipes.

I am currently going through a 'purge' of finances to reduce debt and my pantry as i realised that there are things in there that i don't really use and things that I could use more.

Any help, suggestions would be awesome

oh I also live in the Logan area, which is brown clay soil if that helps?

 

[Mandy Onderwater]

I am currently working on drying some of my herbs! I actually airdry them!
This can be done with basically any herb!

Do you have a freezedryer or dehydrator, or are you like me who will air-dry most things?

 

[KathrynJN]

Hi

I had a go at growing chickpeas but the grass took over so I didn't collect many. I am planning on trying again this year. I did try kidney beans without success, I'm not sure now why. But one thing I did succeed at was mung beans for sprouts. When picking them I did have to fight the ants, and I think the beans ended up a bit smaller than the original, but other than that they've been fine.

 

[DThille]

We’ve dried a lot of herbs. This year we will be trying dry beans for the first time so I can’t speak to how it will go. I recall a friend’s mother doing so back in the 1970s. Hot peppers (chilies) dry well and can be ground down to fit into a smaller space…we’ve primarily done those air drying for the ones that don’t get used fresh. I guess I’ve also freeze-dried some in the past.

We also do some freezing and canning, which we may need to ramp up this year.

 

[Alpenrose]

How do you dry your herbs? I can grow most of what I need and DH has dried a few, but we do not have enough dry indoor space to do that for very many. My countertop oven just died (11 years old) and we need to get a new one. The one I like has a dehydrator function and I am wondering if that would be a good way to go?

 

[HelenCate]

Pigeon peas/Cajanus cajan. Nuts. Fruits that are cut and dehydrated or made into fruit leather.

 

[DThille]

We’ve used a combination of simply air drying and using a dehydrator.…sometimes the herbs just dry before we get to them. That said, we may not have the excess you do.

 

[Alpenrose]

Right now (Tuesday) we are having a hard time buying any lettuce! I am eager for our own fresh grown herbs. DH does a great job with Thyme, Tarragon, Basil, etc.

 

[The Rubber Kitty]

I am currently working on drying some of my herbs! I actually airdry them!
This can be done with basically any herb!

Do you have a freezedryer or dehydrator, or are you like me who will air-dry most things?

I air dry atm...

 

[Mandy Onderwater]

I air dry atm...

Ahh same! You could always try making fruit/vegetable leather!

 

[DThille]

I came across a YouTube video yesterday that went a step beyond drying - once dried she then ground / blended to turn into a powder. The primary demonstration was with tomatoes…they can be reconstituted with water to make a paste, more water to make sauce, or just add the powder to soups or stews.

Here’s the video

 

[Alpenrose]

I came across a YouTube video yesterday that went a step beyond drying - once dried she then ground / blended to turn into a powder. The primary demonstration was with tomatoes…they can be reconstituted with water to make a paste, more water to make sauce, or just add the powder to soups or stews.

Here’s the video

Thanks for the link. I'll get back to it later this weekend. Looks like something I was not even aware could be done.