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How to Make Nutritional Powders from Plants

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Jonathon Engels, a long-time vegetarian turned vegan, is currently on a trip from Guatemala to... Read More

Plants, we know, are packed with valuable nutrition. Legumes are good for a wallop of protein, roots can be great for fiber and carbs, and certain plants—say avocado, coconut, tree nuts, squash seeds—even provide quality fats.

But, food from plants is more renowned for all of the other nutrients it provides. Plants have lots of vitamins and minerals. They have antioxidants and medicinal characteristics. They are the titans of micronutrients. All of this stuff is what keeps us healthy, inside and out.

However, it can be difficult to eat huge amounts of fruits and vegetables all the time. Sometimes we are looking for a simple way to include extra vegetables (and fruits) in our diet without having to stuff ourselves. Nutritional and/or plant-based protein powders can be a great way to do this. They can be added to soups, smoothies, sauces, and so on for extra oomph.

Of course, these powders can be pretty expensive at health food stores. Luckily, it’s not so hard to make them at home with plants grown in your garden or bought on special at farmer’s markets or greengrocers.

What Plants to Use for Nutritional Powders

More or less, the idea would be to choose those which provide the foods that are the densest in nutrients. Foods like cucumber and zucchini are particularly rich in nutrients, but most vegetables are very good for making powders.

Greens are a great place to start. They are one of the most recommended foods for dosing up on vitamins and minerals. Kale, spinach, collards, chard, and many more are fairly easy to cultivate and can be grown in abundance to use as nutritional powders.

Roots are the next turn. Carrots, beets, sweet potatoes, and garlic are full of valuable health boosters that build up the immune system and keep us feeling well, not just looking fit. A few of these roots go a long way in powder form.

Otherwise, there is a mix of vegetables than can be dried and tossed into nutritional powders. Green peas, peppers (hot or sweet), leeks, and winter squashes all offer up good stuff to include in a powder mix. All of these vegetables are easy to grow in abundance.

What to Do With Your Veggies

Once harvested or purchased, the vegetables have to be dehydrated. This can be done with an electric dehydrator, or it is possible to build a solar dehydrator as well. Whatever the case, we need to dry our vegetables until they are crispy.

Each vegetable can be treated a little differently to help with this process. For greens, it can be tearing the leaves into smaller pieces, maybe one- or two-inch squares. For roots or veggies like winter squash, they’ll need to be cut into thin pieces. Peppers can be dried whole or cut into strips to speed up the process.

Generally, enthusiasts will spring for an electric food dehydrator, but it’s also possible to dry any of the veggies in a low-heat oven with the door cracked open to allow the moisture to escape. A solar dehydrator can be fun for those who like building stuff.

Source: RoseRed Homestead — That “Woman with a Gadget”/Youtube

How to Make Powder From Dried Veggies

Some people like to store the different vegetables separately, concocting tailored powders as they go. However, it’s just fine to combine all the (dehydrated) veggies you’ve got, much the same as one might do when making vegetable stock.

Again, there are several tools to use for making powder from dried vegetables. High-speed specialty blenders are probably the fastest choice, but a standard blender or food processor can get the job done as well. For that matter, an old-school mortar and pestle can work, too.

What to Do With Vegetable Powders

Of course, we are already quite familiar with vegetable powders in the form of food seasonings. Cayenne, garlic powder, onion powder, and so on are all commonly used in everyday cooking. They can also be added to salt for seasoned salt blends that can be sprinkled into food while cooking or onto meals afterward.

We can also combine a wide variety of powders to make dried stock to spoon into soups and sauces for a richer flavor and nutritional profile. Otherwise, powders can funk up homemade pasta and bread. It can be added to smoothies and juices.

The most important thing is to use this advantageous method of adding high-quality nutrients to your arsenal of healthful practices.

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