Mega-Leather

From CRSWiki

By Dean Pomerleau

Ingredients & Amounts

7 Servings (60 g each)

• 1000 g Kefir (from Skim Milk). Homemade Kefir Technique

• 125 g Vinegar

• 40 g Olive Oil

• 1 tsp (5 g) Flax Seed Oil

• 30 g Whey Protein Powder

• 30 g Brewer's Yeast (GNC Brand)

• 40 g Almond Nuts (dried, unblanched). May substitute Hazelnuts (also try half Hazel, half Almond).

• 1/4 tsp (0.2g) Sucralose

• 225 g Spinach

• 225 g Kale

• 8 oz (225 g) Mushrooms

• 300 g Unsweetened Strawberries. May substitute Cheeries (225 g) with some water (2.6 fl oz, 75 g)

• 175 g Sweetpotato

• 50 g Psyllium Husks

• 1 Tbsp (13 g) Peppermint Extract.

Other flavoring choices include:

• 1.5 Tbsp Chocolate Extract

• 1 Tbsp Licorice (anise) Extract

• 3 Tbsp Coffee (instant granules)

• 1 Tbsp Cherry Extract

• 1 Tbsp Strawberry Extract

• 1 Tbsp Coconut Extract

• Jerky flavor (1 tsp each of Garlic Powder, Onion Powder, Black Pepper, Cayenne Pepper)

Instructions & Comments

1. Chop sweet potatoes into 1" chunks, put in covered bowl with a little water and microwave for 2 to 3 minutes to soften.

2. Thaw strawberries for 2 to 3 minutes in microwave to soften.

3. Wash and cut stocks/stems from Spinach and Kale - weigh to make sure you have the right amount after removing the stalks/stems.

4. Chop nuts in food processor using an S-blade until bits are very small - almost a powder.

5. Add the first 8 ingredients (Kefir through Sucralose) to food processor and blend until well mixed.

6. Pour liquid into large mixing bowl temporarily.

Next steps may require breaking up into several batches, depending on the capacity of your food processor.

7. Place spinach and Kale in your food processor with S-blade. Add some liquid from large mixing bowl to food processor. Run food processor until pureed, adding more liquid if necessary.

8. Puree the Mushrooms, Strawberries and Sweetpotatoes with some blender liquid in the food processor using the same procedure.

9. Combine all pureed ingredients with any remaining blender liquid in the large mixing bowl.

10. Mix with large wooden spoon or spatula to make sure mixture is uniform and all chunks have been broken up. Optional: Refrigerate for up to a day until ready to dehydrate.

11. Add psyllium - don't do this too early, as it will tend to thicken the mixture.

12. Add flavoring - the Peppermint or as chosen, including unflavored.

13. Stir complete mixture until psyllium and flavoring are fully incorporated.

14. Distribute mixture evenly to the thin film inserts of 7 food dehydrator trays. Each tray should receive about 345 g of the wet mixture.

15. Spread the mixture evenly on each the film as thinly as possible without creating holes, in order to speed dehydration and improve uniformity. An angled cake decorating spatula works well for spreading.

16. Dehydrate for about 6 hours at 115 F in food dehydrator. Use less time if using higher heat (not recommended unless necessary).

17. Slice into approximately 4" square pieces while still on the thin film. My dehydrator actually makes large doughnut-shaped rings of mega-leather, which I cut into 8 pie-slice-shaped pieces.

18. Slide the spatula under the pieces, and peal them off the thin film. Flip them and place them back on the dehydrator tray without the film. This will speed dehydrating, and make the leather more uniform.

19. Remove from the dehydrator. Cut into bite size chunks and store in Ziploc bags or Tupperware in the refrigerator. Can be stored at room temperature for several weeks, or if necessary, it can be stored in the freezer, although this will likely kill some of the probiotic microorganisms.

Nutrition Facts

Per Serving (60 g)
Calories (kcal)	250
Carbohydrates	33.2 g
Protein	14.5
Fat	10.2 g
Saturated Fat	1.4 g
Monounsaturated Fat	6.3 g
Vitamin A	10200 IU
Vitamin C	72.8 mg
Vitamin E	3.2 mg
Calcium	297 mg
Magnesium	106 mg
Fiber	10 g