Juice Pulp Artistry

This month I was presented with the best gift ever, as an offering for my birthday/23rd Veganniversary/”get well soon” (how long does it take to fully recover from a broken knee,  anyway?)/Lorax Communuity project & book helper – a Sedona RAW FOOD dehydrator from Tribest!

I had previously owned 3 Excaliburs (two of my own, one Lorax Community’s in NYC) which were very helpful to me, but this one really blows them out of the water – especially from a raw vegan perspective.
How so?
The Sedona was specifically designed by Tribest with raw, plant-based foods in mind. Unlike all of the Excalibur models, the temperature on the Sedona never exceeds the setting chosen (maximum setting on this device is 155ºF). That having been said, it would likely NOT be a very good instrument to use for drying flesh. It is incredibly energy efficient, with dual fans and settings which allow the user to choose how many fans are needed for any given job. Only dehydrating 2 or 3 trays? Simply section off the interior and choose to run one fan for quick dehydration using only half the power necessary to circulate air through the entire machine.

This machine is simply amazing, free of BPA/pthalates, and I would highly recommend it to anyone who is serious about maintaining the nutritional integrity and healing properties of their food. I had been hoping to get one since having begun using the Omega juicer made available to me where I’m presently located, as it seems to create a lot of pulp & I’ve been hesitant to compost the lot (& haven’t really been into blended drinks of late – otherwise I would have tossed a bunch of it into the blender).
In any case, I’m quite happy to have it and despite my aversion to eating large amounts of dehydrated foods (stressful to the kidneys!), I know it will be exactly what’s necessary for handling the vast majority of fruit & herbs coming in from the garden & local farm market en masse as we continue to grow & expand. =)

My first projects were were mainly focused around becoming better acquainted with the new gadget, as well as feeling out some new ideas in preparation for “Juicy June”. I can honestly say at this point that the Sedona is absolutely everything I had hoped for, & thus far seems perfect for assisting me in finding purpose (other than compost) for all of the pulp created by the Omega juicer. At this point I have successfully created citrus fruit rolls & orange chipotle flax tortillas by blending juice pulp from organic Valencia oranges and a few additional ingredients together in the Vitamix. I shall be juicing throughout the month of June, sharing some of my experiments with you along the way, and also posting a very special giveaway for my subscribers here and via various social media (see details below recipe instructions). And now, a basic outline of my first two experiments:

Valencia Orange Juice Pulp Fruit Rolls

Ingredients used:

• Juice pulp from 3-4 organic Valencia oranges
• 5 organic Barhi dates (pits removed)
• 1 Tbsp raw coconut butter
• 1/8 tsp ground clove
• pinch of Celtic sea salt

Necessary Equipment:

1. Vitamix (or similar high-speed blender)
2. Dehydrator
3. Dehydrator sheets (preferably silicone)
4. Measuring spoons

Preparation Instructions:

1. Place ingredients in Vitamix
2. Blend mixture until very smooth
3. Spread evenly over silicone sheet*
4. Dry at 108º Fahrenheit for 8-10 hours
5. Turn partially dried fruit sheet over after initial drying period
6. Allow to finish drying for another 2-3 hours
7. Remove, roll up, peel, & enjoy!

*After having blended everything together, whilst in the process of spreading over a sheet I experienced a moment of doubt: What if the end result is not as I had hoped? As such, I decided to reserve part of the mixture for use in something I was certain would come out in a solid, substantial form:

Orange Chipotle Flax Tortillas 

Ingredients used: 

• Small portion of that which has been outlined in the recipe above (Vitamix blades were clearly visible when I opted to change course in recipes)
• 1/4 cup golden flaxseed meal
• 1 teaspoon ground chipotle pepper
• Pure water (add to consistency)

Preparation Instructions:

1. Add flax meal, chipotle, and a small amount of water to orange blend in Vitamix
2. Blend and gradually add water  (consistency should remain somewhat thick, similar to that of wallpaper paste – though slightly “springy” & stretchy)
3. Spread evenly onto silicone dehydrator sheets, shaping into circular forms
4. Dry at 108º Fahrenheit for 8-10 hours
5. Flip forms over to mesh sheets
6. Allow to continue dehydrating for another 2-3 hours
7. Roll up with some fresh organic raw goodies & enjoy! ^_^

Please stay tuned to this blog (via WordPress toolbar, Networked Blogs, or Bloglovin) for details on an upcoming giveaway to celebrate the imminent month of juicing and related projects. Also join me via Twitter, Tumblr, Facebook, Pinterest, and (my new favourite hangout)  Bleat – to participate in the upcoming activities & recipe shares happening throughout the month of June.  ♡Ⓥ★