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. You only need to store dried fruits in a well-ventilated and not humid room, otherwise they quickly become moldy or food moths start up 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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To prepare for the winter the gifts of fields, gardens and forests is a sacred thing. There are many ways to keep them until the next harvest, and they all preserve the vitamins and minerals found in fresh fruits and vegetables in different ways. But in what form is it better to store winter blanks?
In the grip of the cold
Nutritionists say that the most effective way of home-made preparations is freezing, with the help of which the most useful substances remain. More precisely, vitamins and microelements are preserved at 100%. This is the perfect storage solution. Moreover, frozen fruits are much healthier than fresh ones, which are sold in winter. Indeed, in storage and during transportation, vegetables, fruits and berries lose many of their useful qualities. Ideally, you can keep eggplants, sweet peppers, carrots, berries, herbs, corn, green peas in the cold. They are washed, cleaned, dried, if necessary - crushed, packed in sealed bags and stored for storage. Better - in the freezer. The temperature is lower than in the freezer of the refrigerator, and the products are shock-frozen at a very low temperature. And they do not form water crystals, which better preserves the taste of fruits, the structure of their tissues and significantly increases the shelf life. At a temperature of -6°, frozen vegetables and fruits can be stored for 3 months, and at -18° and below - from 8 to 12 months.
What is the salt?
To prepare vitamins for the winter according to old recipes, you need to salt, ferment or soak them. In fact, this is the same way of harvesting using salt, and the difference in the name depends only on what exactly we are going to harvest, retaining 70-80% of useful substances in the products. And, for example, sauerkraut and soaked apples have even more vitamin C than fresh ones. Moreover, it is impossible to get poisoned with properly sauerkraut, since the lactic acid formed in it during fermentation kills all microorganisms. And in pickles, vitamins C, B1 and B12 are no less in winter than in summer.
Salt tomatoes and cucumbers, pouring from an aqueous solution of salt - 2 tbsp. tablespoons of salt per 1 liter of water. Cabbage is sour, chopped and thoroughly kneaded with salt - 0.5 teaspoon of salt is needed for 1 kg of cabbage. And they wet apples, pears, plums, watermelons, using 2-3 tbsp. spoons of salt., 1-2 tbsp. tablespoons of sugar per 1 liter of water for pouring. Store such blanks in a dark cool place. So they will have an edible appearance longer and will not stop crunching - the crunch disappears in the light.
Drying as an option
By drying, you can save 50-70% of the nutrients in vegetables and fruits. You can dry apples, pears, plums, currants, raspberries, blueberries, cranberries, apricots, peaches, grapes, mushrooms, herbs, peppers, eggplants, carrots for the winter. Large fruits are cut, and small ones are whole - laid out in one layer and dried in a well-heated (up to about 80 ° C) oven, oven, microwave or special dryer.
Dried fruits and other dried preparations are much higher in calories than fresh fruits and vegetables. After all, when drying, the amount of vitamin C decreases by 75% and by about 30% - vitamins B1 and B2. And vitamins A and E remain intact. The high calorie content of dried blanks is ensured by the fact that moisture is lost in them, which increases the concentration of sugar. Therefore, dried fruit compote is useful for those who need to replenish the body's supply of fiber and pectin and improve digestion.
Under the marinade
Pickled blanks are very tasty, but pickling is the most inefficient way to store food for the winter. It leaves only 30% of useful substances, since the products undergo heat treatment. In addition, vinegar, as a necessary component of the marinade, is harmful to the stomach. Pickling also greatly changes the taste of vegetables and fruits, although for many it is even better than fresh.
Pickled tomatoes, cucumbers, cabbage and mushrooms. For the marinade, you need about 1 liter of water, 2 tbsp. spoons of salt, 1 tbsp. a spoonful of sugar, 30 ml of vinegar, plus spices: greens, hot and allspice, cloves, garlic, bay leaf. More exact proportions - in specific recipes. The marinade is pasteurized and filled with jar-packed products. The number of fillings depends on the recipe - they can be from 1 to 3. As a result, acetic acid kills all microbes, marinade promotes digestion, and hermetically sealed jars can be stored even at room temperature. Convenient, tasty, it is a pity that there is little use.
To tumble dry or not to tumble dry, that is the question. And if you dry, then how to do it right so that things do not deteriorate? What kind of things machine drying is generally contraindicated? Answers to these and other questions in our material about the rules of drying in dryers
Simple truths: the rules for drying clothes in dryers
“It's amazing how others do not understand their own benefit,” said a two-colored python to an unlucky baby elephant in Kipling's fairy tale. The same can be said about people who do not see the point in purchasing a dryer. Unfortunately, this device is not yet among the most popular items of household appliances. But in vain, because the dryer has a number of advantages compared to the "grandmother's" methods of drying clothes. From it you will get clothes dried to the optimum level: soft and pleasant to the touch, not overdried, not wrinkled. Some items won't even need to be ironed after tumble drying. However, all these benefits will be available only if a number of rules are observed, which should not be forgotten in order to achieve the optimal result of the dryer.
Machine drying: do's and don'ts
Let's start with those things that are strictly forbidden to dry in the car. These are, first of all, ultra-thin fabrics (tulle, batiste), things with embroidery and interspersed with metal decorations, as well as nylon, that is, those that are contraindicated in intense mechanical and thermal effects. Great care must be taken when drying multi-layered textiles that dry unevenly, such as down jackets, feather pillows. For these things, the so-called intensive or extra-drying mode is usually used, and at the end they can be dried using the “warm air” function. This combination of modes and functions is not available in all dryers, so you must strictly follow the manufacturer's instructions. So, in Miele machines, drying feather pillows and down jackets is usually allowed, but it is not recommended to dry such things in models of the Gorenie brand and some other manufacturers.
Careful drying also requires new knitted items (t-shirts, underwear), which often shrink when washed. Therefore, so that they do not reach very microscopic sizes, they cannot be overdried. The same, only to a greater extent, applies to wool: you can dry sweaters and jackets only using a special delicate drying program and, preferably, additional devices, which will be discussed below.
Synthetics and mixed fabrics can be tumble dried. Moreover, the dryer will work on things like an iron, and many of them will not need additional ironing. Some cotton items can also be put on right away or put away in the closet.
In order for consumers to know exactly which type of drying is best for a particular item, manufacturers put special symbols on the label:
| Symbol | Meaning |
| can be tumble dried | |
| machine drying is prohibited | |
| tumble dry at low temperature | |
| tumble dry at normal temperature | |
| tumble dry at high temperature | |
| gentle spin and dry | |
| gentle spin and dry | |
| drying without spin | |
| after spinning, vertical drying is allowed | |
| drying on a horizontal surface |
As a rule, 5 to 7 kilograms of laundry can be dried in a tumble dryer at a time (depending on the model). There are also compact dryers designed to dry 3-3.5 kilograms of laundry. It is necessary to make a reservation that the maximum load figures mean the weight of dry, not wet things. Please also note that these figures apply only to cotton and linen fabrics, for synthetics and mixed fabrics they need to be halved (that is, to 2-3.5 kilograms), and the mass of loaded wool should generally be no more than 1 kilogram. If the woolen thing weighs a little more, of course, it is not necessary to tear it apart, but you should not put other things in the car. The maximum load must not be exceeded, otherwise the drying result will deteriorate significantly, and the laundry will wrinkle and wear out faster. In general, the more laundry in the machine, the more likely it is to wrinkle. Therefore, for example, for drying shirts and blouses, a maximum load of one and a half kilograms is usually recommended, regardless of the type of fabric.
Laundry preparation
To achieve uniform high-quality drying, things must be straightened and sorted. If linen is usually sorted by type of fabric before washing, then it is recommended to disassemble it according to the degree of humidity and the desired degree of drying just before laying it in the dryer. You can also sort by size, but this is not necessary - the main thing is that small things (socks, underwear) do not get inside larger ones, for example, duvet covers. To avoid this, zip up all pillowcases and duvet covers or dry them separately.
Once again, make sure that there are no foreign objects among the laundry, especially those that, during high-temperature drying, can melt and ruin the laundry or damage the dryer. You need to be very careful with such a delicate part of the women's toilet as bras: many of their models have removable "bones" that, if dropped out, can tear clothes or ruin the dryer drum. So the “bones” will either have to be removed in advance, or, if you are afraid that the bra will lose its shape, sew on. All zippers, buttons and hooks on clothes should be fastened, the ends of fabric belts and straps from swimsuits and aprons should be tied together.
Program selection
The right drying program is a guarantee that in the end you will get not only dry, but also pleasing to the eye and to the touch laundry. Drying programs used in dryers can be roughly divided into drying by time and by residual moisture content of the fabric. The principle of drying by humidity has proven itself, therefore, in modern high-quality dryers, preference is given to it, and drying by time may be present as an additional option.
Moisture drying allows the tumble dryers to implement numerous automatic drying modes. The most widespread programs are “under the iron” and “in the closet”. In the latter case, the thing can be put on or removed immediately; iron dry leaves the laundry slightly damp and easy to iron.
Many models of dryers have an extra or super dry program. Please note that this mode is only suitable for very dense fabrics or multi-layered items (ordinary cotton items may shrink when using it, while linen items become rough and stiff). To avoid these troubles, it is better to use a gentle or delicate program for them.
Another common classification of programs: by type of fabric (cotton, linen, synthetics, wool) or by type of item (jeans, shirts, sportswear). In some devices, for example, Miele, both programs are presented, and then you need to study the instructions very carefully. As a rule, it explains with the help of a table which clothes fall under the “jurisdiction” of which regime.
Additional modes and devices
Of the additional programs, it is necessary to single out the ventilation or “cold air” mode, when the laundry is intensively blown with air at room temperature. This mode will help eliminate unpleasant odors from clothes that do not yet need to be washed. With it, you can also rid things of adhering animal hair.
In some machines (for example, Bosch-Siemens or Miele) the so-called “anti-crease” is provided, that is, after the end of the main drying cycle, the dryer drum will make rare revolutions for a certain period of time (from 1 to 3 hours). Thus, the fabric will be protected from caking and wrinkling. However, you should not count on this function too much: there is a risk that things, left in the car for a long time, will be overdried. Therefore, it is better to unload the dryer immediately after finishing work.
For things that can withstand drying with warm air, but do not tolerate intense mechanical stress, modern dryers from some manufacturers (Bosch-Siemens, Miele, Gorenie) are equipped with special baskets. They are fixed horizontally inside the drum of the machine, things are placed in the basket, and thus their movement and mechanical impact on them are excluded. In such baskets, it is good to dry woolen items, soft toys, fabric shoes.
At the end of work
After the drying cycle is completed, you need to take care of the machine itself so that it lasts as long as possible. If you have a condensing type unit (and this is the most popular, “advanced” and common type of dryer today), then after each drying, it is necessary to pour out the accumulated moisture from the condensate tank. However, if a drain hose is connected to drain the condensate, this operation is not required.
But cleaning fluff filters is a mandatory process for any type of dryer. These filters collect small particles of fabric that are blown out of things during the drying process. A clogged fluff filter can further reduce the efficiency of the machine and make drying too long and uneconomical. You can clean the filters with your hands or with a vacuum cleaner (very carefully!), and in case of severe contamination, it is recommended to rinse them with water. After washing, before use, the filters must be thoroughly dried.
If you need to run the machine for another drying cycle, be sure to let the machine “rest” for 40 minutes. If the dryer is used frequently, the heat exchanger must be cleaned after every 100 drying cycles. Usually it is washed with water and dried thoroughly. A detailed story on how to carry out this operation should be in the instructions for the dryer. Even if you use your dryer relatively infrequently, you should clean the heat exchanger at least twice a year.
In this article, we outlined the basic principles for handling the dryer and preparing clothes for drying in it. If you follow our recommendations, as well as the advice of manufacturers (as a rule, they are in the instruction manual for the device), the dryer will provide you with additional free time, carefully dried clothes, and therefore a good mood for a long time.
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, Ph.D. - 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 for a few summer months to gorge on “usefulness” for the whole winter, 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 bowl. 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 bundles - 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.
In the summer there is always enough work in the gardens and gardens. And in the kitchen, diligent housewives try to stock up on vitamins for the winter, creating truly culinary masterpieces from seasonal vegetables, berries and fruits. However, in addition to the pleasure of delicious foods, I also want to give health benefits. Especially during the vitamin and mineral hungry winter months.
I suggest that today we discuss what is better: salting, freezing or drying foods so that they retain as many useful substances as possible. We will talk about how to do it right, and learn some useful recipes for delicious preparations.
Freezing food
Nutritionists unanimously argue that this method is the most preferable of all homemade options. It is argued that freezing preserves almost 100% vitamins and trace elements in products. Not only is the freezing method an ideal storage method, the fruits that you then use for food are much healthier than those sold on the shelves in winter. Indeed, during storage and transportation, berries, fruits and vegetables lose a significant amount of nutrients.
Best preserved at low temperatures:
- berries,
- cauliflower,
- black Eyed Peas,
- corn,
- greenery,
- green pea,
- Bell pepper,
- eggplant,
- cucumbers,
- mushrooms,
- broccoli,
- tomatoes,
- Brussels sprouts,
- zucchini.
Turnips, lettuce, green onions and radishes do not freeze!
Before freezing food, they are thoroughly washed and cleaned (for example, peppers need to be cleaned of seeds; if you freeze zucchini, you can also clean them of seeds if they are large and hard). Then they are dried on a towel, trying to get rid of excess water, in some cases they are cut into pieces or slices, packed in special sealed bags and sent to the freezer.
In the freezer, products are shock-frozen at low temperatures. This method contributes to the fact that liquid crystals do not form in the products, which means that their taste and structure are best preserved, and the shelf life is also extended.
The temperature in the freezer determines how long food can be stored in it:
- if you froze the fruits at -6 °, they can be in the freezer for three months;
- if the temperature in the freezer is maintained from -18 °, then the products can lie for 8-12 months.
There are foods that it is desirable to blanch before freezing (steam or place in boiling water for just a few minutes, then immediately send to cold water):
- zucchini,
- green pea,
- Brussels sprouts,
- eggplant,
- corn,
- black Eyed Peas.
But these products should not be blanched:
- tomatoes,
- mushrooms,
- greenery,
- cucumbers.
If you are going to freeze small tomatoes (cherries), it is not necessary to cut them into pieces, just pierce them in several places and freeze - this will prevent them from cracking from low temperatures.
The berries are more delicious not those that are frozen whole, but those that are ground with sugar - this is especially true. You can mash the berries with a small amount of sugar, arrange them in trays, freeze, and then put the frozen pieces in bags for further storage in the freezer.
In this video you can watch an interesting experience of freezing a wide variety of products:
Kvasim, salt and soak
In principle, these different names for preparing products for the winter come down to one thing - the need to use salt in the harvesting process. The only difference is in the products themselves.
You can ferment tomatoes, cucumbers, cabbage,. And there is a special advantage of this method: soaked apples and sauerkraut are much richer in vitamin C than fresh apples and cabbages.
The most interesting thing is that pickles, in terms of the content of vitamin C, as well as group B, are not inferior to their counterparts, plucked just from the garden in the summer.
For pickling cucumbers and tomatoes, you will need a brine: 2 tablespoons per liter of water. salt.
For sourdough cabbage, you need to chop it and knead it well with salt: for 1 kg of cabbage 0.5 tsp. salt.
Not only traditionally apples are soaked, but also pears and even plums: you will need 2-3 tablespoons per liter of water. salt and 1-2 tbsp. Sahara.
To keep your pickles fresh and crunchy for longer, store them in a cool, dark place.
An excellent recipe for assorted pickled vegetables, see this video:
Marinating products
Pickling fruits is one of the worst ways to prepare food for the winter. The thing is that during pickling vegetables are subjected to heat treatment, which leads to the loss of up to 70% of nutrients. In addition, vinegar (the main component of the marinade) can harm the stomach. True, lovers of pickled blanks believe that many pickled vegetables and fruits are tastier than their fresh counterparts.
Marinade is usually prepared for cucumbers, tomatoes, mushrooms and cabbage. Classic recipe: per liter of water you will need 2 tbsp for the marinade. salt, 30 ml vinegar, 1 tbsp. sugar and spices (bay leaf, hot pepper, various herbs, cloves, garlic, allspice). Depending on the recipe, the amount and composition of the ingredients vary.
Usually, the marinade is heated to a temperature below boiling (up to 100 °) and vegetables prepared and laid out in jars are poured into it. How many times it will be necessary to fill in the products depends on the specific recipe.
The advantage of vinegar in the marinade is that it helps to destroy microbes, which allows you to keep hermetically sealed jars even at room temperature. It turns out, of course, very tasty, but it’s a pity that it’s not very useful ...
For those who like to eat pickled mushrooms in winter (like me), I recommend this simple and quick recipe:
Sweet blanks
Most of us are very fond of all sorts of jams, jams, jams. Unfortunately, this method of harvesting for the winter is the least profitable in terms of preserving useful substances in them. Only 10-30% of vitamins and microelements remain in fruits. The whole problem is the need for heat treatment, and the longer the berries and fruits are cooked, the less useful they are later.
The simplest classic recipe for jam with maximum benefit will be this: the sorted fruits are covered with sugar in a ratio of 1x1 and boiled, stirring constantly. The readiness of such jam is determined simply: put a drop of jam on a plate, if the drop does not spread, the jam is ready. A nice bonus is that such blanks can be stored at room temperature.
Jam can be made from the most unusual products, and you can see this by watching this video:
Dry food for the winter
Drying is another great option. It allows you to save 50-70% of nutrients. The choice of products that can be dried is quite large:
- berries (currants, strawberries, blueberries, blueberries, cranberries, wild strawberries, raspberries, grapes, mountain ash, wild rose),
- vegetables (carrots, peppers, eggplants, onions, tomatoes, garlic, green peas),
- fruits (apples, peaches, plums, apricots, pears),
- mushrooms,
- greenery.
Special dryers are good for these purposes, you can use an oven (temperature 80 °) and even a microwave. For greens, the preferred drying temperature is not more than 50 °. If you are going to dry food in the fresh air, get ready that it will take you several days to do this and you will need to turn the fruits over from time to time for better drying and drying. If you dry parsley in this way, try not to let the direct rays of the sun fall on it.
Small fruits can not be cut into slices, but simply laid out in one layer and sent to dry. Large fruits will need to be cut first.
It should be remembered that dried fruits have a higher calorie content than fresh ones, since they lose moisture during the drying process, but sugar remains, and its concentration is high in the dried fruit.
Unfortunately, during the drying process, significant losses of vitamin C occur - only a quarter of the original amount remains in the fruits. Also, the content of B vitamins decreases by a third. But the amount of vitamins E and A remains unchanged.
You can watch a video on how to dry vegetables and fruits in a dryer, as well as an interesting recipe on how to make marshmallow:
Good luck with your preparations and stay healthy!
