Many people forget that just storing food is not all it takes to be prepared for an emergency. Having your food taste good is also important. Many of the foods that you have stored will have to be cooked from scratch.  Spices have a limited shelf life, but there are other ways to improve the taste of your foods.  So start thinking about using crushed and powdered dehydrated vegetables to improve their taste.
Vegetables flakes can be made by crushing dehydrated vegetables in a blender, (If you’re using a blender watch your speed, to fast and you will have powder instead of just bits and pieces) If the power is out you can use a rolling pin (just put  vegetables in a plastic bag and crush them.  You can even rub the dehydrated vegetables between the palms of your hands as our pioneers did. The crushed vegetables are good for seasoning; in particular, I like the peppers. Many of the powders are great for thickening soups and stews as well as adding flavor.
Powders are pulverized dried vegetables. Â Using a blenders or mill will give you the best texture. Onions, celery, and tomatoes are the most popular powders and are very nutritious seasonings.
Here is a short list of vegetables you can powder or pulverize.
- Asparagus           Put slices or spears in blender                      Use in soups
- Beans              Green Blend until powered               Soups & sauces
- Broccoli             Place pieces in blender                 Soups & sauces
- Celery              Powder in blender                     Seasoning
- Cucumber           Blend until powdered                   Seasoning & dips
- Onions              Blend onion until finely powdered         Seasoning
- Peas               Power in Blender                     Soups or broths
- Peppers Blend        Slices until powdered                   Seasoning & soups
- Parsley Fresh         Blend with other seasonings
- Spinach             Puree in blender                      Soups
- Tomatoes           Make sure tomatoes are dry              Catsup, juice and soups
Properly packaged in airtight containers, stored in the dark and kept cool, they will have a long shelf life of many years. Here is some additional information on Dehydrate Vegetables for Your Storage this Summer
I hope that this will help you get started. There are so many blends that you can make by just dehydrating your leftover vegetables and you will be surprised at how much better they taste than store bought spices. Have fun and experiment with new ideas and store for later.
Preparedness Mom