The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) recommends eating a diet that emphasizes consumption of fruits and vegetables. While many people have a desire to eat a healthier diet, sometimes finding the time to prepare and consume fresh, healthy foods is difficult.
A great way to add more fruit into your diet is by eating fruit leather. Did you know you can make your own fruit leather at home? Making your own fruit leather at home is fun and easy. Also when you make your own fruit leather, you can control how much sugar is added to the food.
What equipment do you need to make your own fruit leather? It is a simple process that requires everyday kitchenware. You’ll need a blender, large trays (such as cookie sheets), and heavy plastic wrap or waxed paper. Some people like to use a food dehydrator to speed the drying process, but this is not necessary. You can dry the fruit in your oven, or even in sunlight!
To begin making your own fruit leather, first select a quantity of your favorite fruit. You will want to wash the fruit thoroughly, peel it and remove any seeds or stems. Next chop the fruit, place in a blender and puree until smooth. If the puree is thick and lumpy, add water until it is smoother. If you are using light colored fruit such as apples, you may want to add a small amount of lemon juice to prevent the leather from darkening.
Next, line your trays with the waxed paper or plastic wrap, being careful to smooth out any wrinkles. Pour the puree evenly at the thickness of about 1/8 of an inch. The fruit leather is now ready to go into your dehydrator, oven, or sit in the sun. When the fruit leather is finished setting, the center will be completely dry the the touch and peel easily from the sheet.
Making your own fruit leather is a simple process that requires very little preparation or labor. With basic ingredients and an easy method, everyone can enjoy the homemade goodness of a delicious dried fruit snack!
Images via various brennemans, tazmobile
