Chia Seed Fruit Leather

As I said in one of my earlier posts I eat Chia Seeds and I know it makes everybody think of the Chia Pets sold at Christmas time, but they are after all, Chia Seeds are a super food.

The recipe for these treats comes from Food L'amor by Melissa.   chia-seed-fruit-leather-energy-snack     These treats are gluten free.

Chia Seed Fruit Leather

Ingredients:

• 3 cups pureed fruit (it should equal 3 cups after it’s been pureed)
• 3 tbsp. chia seeds
• 1  tbsp. honey (opt.)
• 2 tsp. lemon juice (if using fruit that may brown, such as apples & pears)

*Fruit combo ideas:

apple-blueberry……..2 cups applesauce to 1 cup blueberry

peach-mango…………1- 1/2 cups each

strawberry-banana…2 cups strawberry to 1 cup banana

pear-nectarine……….1 – 1/2 cups each

pineapple-guava…….2 cups pineapple to 1 cup guava

Preparation:

Wash, core, peel, seed, and whatever else is applicable to the fruit you use. For the strawberries I just cut off the green tops and rinsed them, but you could make it as simple as buying a jar of applesauce (with no added sugar) and just using that. Put the fruit in a food processor and puree along with honey or lemon juice if needed. Stir in the chia seeds.

• Dehydrator Method:

* This is the preferred method. Even if you have a small kitchen a dehydrator can be stored out of the way until in use. This method is the healthiest and most cost effective (having your oven on for hours during warm months will up your utility bill!)

Pour pureed fruit and chia seed mixture onto the plastic insert in your dehydrator. You may need two shelves, depending on the size of your dehydrator. Use a plastic spatula or spoon to spread the mixture out evenly. Set the dehydrator to 135 F (or follow directions for fruit leather for your particular model) and let it go for about 6 hours. Test to make sure it’s no longer sticky, but not so dry that it cracks.

When it’s done, gently peel it from the tray onto a piece of parchment paper. Cut the parchment paper and fruit leather together into strips and roll up. Store in an airtight container.

• Oven Method:

*Unless you have a confection oven with a fan this method will actually cook the fruit instead of drying it.

Set your oven temperature to as low as it will go. Some go as low as 150 others only down to 200 degrees. Just remember that the lower the temp the longer it will take, but the lower the temp the more nutrients you keep in tact. Here’s a general guild to go off, but overall it’s the feel that you’re looking for. Just touch the top of the fruit leather with your finger. If it’s sticky or indents when lightly pressed, it’s not done. It needs to be dry.

• 150 F/65 C      4-5 hours
• 175 F/80 C      3-4 hours
• 200 F/95 C     2 – 2  1/2  hours

Line an 18″ x 26″ baking sheet with parchment paper. Spread prepared mixture onto the parchment until it’s an even 1/4 inch thick, leaving a couple inches around the edge. Bake for the appropriate time, checking every couple hours. Again, it should not be sticky when done. Allow to cool, before cutting into strips and rolling up. Store in airtight container.