Pampering Time!
This summer I made up a concoction of brewed green tea and aronia juice. As strange as it may sound it felt good being sprayed on my arms and neck after a day in the field or just being out in the heat. Now that temperatures are cooling I’m still using it only this time on my face. Since the aronia could stain fabrics it would be best to dapple it on with a cotton ball. Allow it to dry before having contact with fabric. For my mixture I used two cups of strong steeped green tea...
Read MoreHow to Dehydrate without a Dehydrator
The oven can be used if that is the only alternative. The lowest setting for most ovens is around 170 degrees F. While exposure to this high a temperature for any lengthy time may decrease some of the antioxidant qualities it can be used if it is your only option. Just turn on the oven and set to this temperature. Whole berries will not dehydrate well in the oven so the berries should be chopped first in the food processor. Spread the berry mixture on a parchment paper lined cookie...
Read MoreGazpacho Aronia Style
Nothing celebrates the end to a garden season as much as gazpacho! The blend of sun-ripened vegetables with additional seasonings is pure Nirvana. The base for gazpacho is the tomato. Most recipes call for 3 to 4 cups of tomato juice and about 6 tomatoes, cored and chopped. Heirloom tomatoes provide a rich flavor to this chilled soup. Sometimes I used Brandywine and at other times I use San Marzano which is a paste tomato. Your recipe may ask for the tomatoes to be peeled. Skip this step if...
Read MoreAronia in the Bath? Why Not?
Okay – it’s a little unusual but the same aronia benefits for the inside of our body should be available to the outside as well. There are several bath salt recipes online and the best part is you can customize the recipe to meet your fragrance preferences. We had a great harvest of lavender flowers this summer so I added lavender flowers and oil to my basic bath salt mixture. This is one situation where I use the dehydrated Autumn Magic cultivar to keep my Viking cultivar for...
Read MoreAronia Granola
Dehydrated aronia berries don’t last long in our house. First on the list to make is granola. LOVE granola! It can top yoghurt, ice cream, go into cookies, cakes or quick breads (just add about 1/2 cup to your batter). The best part of making your own granola is that the dried aronia berries and other fruits are added AFTER the oats/honey/oil mixture is toasted in the oven. That means the berry power stays intact without high heat. Today’s granola has some coconut, chopped...
Read MoreDehydrating Aronia Berries
This is my favorite form for using the berries! I toss them on yoghurt or mix them into oatmeal (the breakfast of champions), use them in baking so the product isn’t purple, and on and on… Also, depending on the cultivar you will have a more concentrated form which means you use a lesser amount to receive the same benefit. When I dehydrate the ‘Viking’ cultivar I usually have the initial weight reduced 50%. Autumn Magic has less juice to begin with so the...
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