Let’s Eat Real

06/19/2026

🍅Tomatoes will be coming in strong very soon! What will you do with them all? Here’s an idea - turn them into TOMATO POWDER! 🍅

Tomato powder is one of my favorite pantry staples because it’s incredibly versatile, saves space, and adds amazing tomato flavor to so many dishes.

✨ Ways to use freeze-dried tomato powder:

🍝 Stir into pasta sauce for a richer tomato flavor
🍲 Add to soups, stews, and chili
🥣 Mix into homemade gravy or broth
🌮 Sprinkle into taco meat or sloppy joes
🍕 Add to pizza sauce or homemade dough
🧂 Blend into seasoning mixes and dry rubs
🥚 Mix into scrambled eggs or omelets
🍞 Add to bread, crackers, or sourdough recipes
🥔 Sprinkle on roasted potatoes or vegetables
🥤 Add a spoonful to smoothies for an extra nutrient boost
🍅 Reconstitute with water to make tomato paste or sauce

To make tomato powder, simply freeze-dry tomato slices, then blend them into a fine powder and store in an airtight container.

A little goes a long way, and it’s a fantastic way to preserve a bumper crop of tomatoes! ❤️

letseatreal

06/19/2026

🍅Tomatoes will be coming in strong very soon! What will you do with them all? Here’s an idea - turn them into TOMATO POWDER! 🍅

Tomato powder is one of my favorite pantry staples because it’s incredibly versatile, saves space, and adds amazing tomato flavor to so many dishes.

✨ Ways to use freeze-dried tomato powder:

🍝 Stir into pasta sauce for a richer tomato flavor
🍲 Add to soups, stews, and chili
🥣 Mix into homemade gravy or broth
🌮 Sprinkle into taco meat or sloppy joes
🍕 Add to pizza sauce or homemade dough
🧂 Blend into seasoning mixes and dry rubs
🥚 Mix into scrambled eggs or omelets
🍞 Add to bread, crackers, or sourdough recipes
🥔 Sprinkle on roasted potatoes or vegetables
🥤 Add a spoonful to smoothies for an extra nutrient boost
🍅 Reconstitute with water to make tomato paste or sauce

To make tomato powder, simply freeze-dry tomato slices, then blend them into a fine powder and store in an airtight container.

A little goes a long way, and it’s a fantastic way to preserve a bumper crop of tomatoes! ❤️

06/18/2026

Freeze dryer is fired up….. what snack pack am I working on? *hint - these are not the only ingredients… 😉 🍒 🍍 🍌 🥥

06/16/2026

Friends, if you have never canned potatoes, you need to!! Today’s brunch was air fried parsley, potatoes with ham & sharp cheddar scramble. Delicious!

*********************************************
Instructions for Pressure Canning White Potatoes:

Ingredients (per quart jar):

* White potatoes
* ½ teaspoon canning salt (optional, for flavor)
* Boiling water (*see note about cold packing)

Instructions:

1. Wash and peel the potatoes.
2. Cut potatoes into approximately 1-inch chunks.
3. Place the potato chunks in a bowl of cold water and soak for 30–60 minutes to remove some of the excess surface starch. This may help reduce cloudiness in the finished jars.
4. Drain and rinse the potatoes.
5. Wash quart jars, lids, and rings.
6. Pack the potato chunks into clean quart jars, leaving 1 inch of headspace.
7. Add ½ teaspoon canning salt to each quart jar.
8. Pour water over the potatoes, maintaining 1 inch of headspace.
9. Remove air bubbles with a bubble remover or plastic utensil and adjust headspace if needed.
10. Wipe jar rims clean, apply lids, and tighten bands fingertip-tight.
11. Place jars in the pressure canner according to the manufacturer’s instructions.
12. Vent the canner for 10 minutes before bringing it to pressure.
13. Process quart jars for 40 minutes at the pressure recommended for your canner and altitude.
14. When processing is complete, allow the canner to depressurize naturally.
15. Remove jars and place them on a towel-lined counter. Let cool undisturbed for 12–24 hours.
16. Check seals, remove rings, label, and store in a cool, dark place.

*Note: Potatoes may be packed into jars cold after soaking and rinsing, then covered with cold or room temperature water. The filled jars can be placed into a pressure canner containing room-temperature water. The gradual heat-up period of the pressure canning process brings the potatoes up to temperature during processing.

Storage: Properly sealed jars are best used within 12–18 months for best quality but will remain safe as long as the seal remains intact and the contents show no signs of spoilage.

**Also note: the current USDA guidelines recommend blanching potatoes for 2 minutes prior to placing in the jar. I raw packed mine, this is a personal choice, you do what makes you comfortable. 😊

06/11/2026

Sometimes I make a salad and I’m not sure if I’m feeding myself or a small army. 🙄🥗 I always seem to get a little carried away!

Today’s giant bowl:
🥬 Homegrown lettuce
🐓 Home-canned organic chicken
🍅 Cherry tomatoes
🧅 Red onion
🥑 ½ avocado
🌿 Fresh parsley
🫒 Olive oil
🍷 Red wine vinegar
🧂 Salt & pepper

Simple, fresh, and absolutely delicious.

What’s your favorite salad right now? I need new ideas 😋

06/08/2026

🔅 Fridge-Dump Protein Bowl (Full Video) 🔅

Fridge dump, leftovers, use-it-up ingredients - whatever you call them, one of my favorite breakfasts or lunches is a protein bowl made from foods I already have on hand in the refrigerator or pantry. It’s an easy way to reduce food waste, save money, and create a delicious, protein-packed meal in minutes!

06/08/2026

📌 My Favorite Real Food & Real Life Finds

Here’s a collection of some of my favorite tools, gadgets, books, ingredients, and supplies - plus a few items currently on my wish list! Everything is organized into categories to make browsing easy.

These are products I use, love, recommend, or have researched for my own real food, fermenting, sourdough, canning, gardening, homesteading and work from home adventures.

Take a look around, save what inspires you, and check back often as I’m always adding new finds!

❤️ Thanks for supporting Let’s Eat Real with Mary. Every purchase made through my storefront may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you, which helps me continue creating free content, classes, and resources. 🫶🏻

Happy browsing! 🌱🥖🫙🍅🍓

Shop recommended products from Mary’s Real-Life Favorites on www.amazon.com. Learn more about Mary’s Real-Life Favorites's favorite products.

06/06/2026

Canning 101 Class ready!

06/05/2026

06/04/2026

I’m fairly new to strawberries. I have a raised bed that’s in its third year and we’re finally going to get some strawberries!!! 🍓 In the past, I didn’t w**d off the runners and there was no energy left for the berries.  Yesterday I pulled off these runners that had little plantlets on them. In hindsight, I should have let them root and then moved them out. What do we think, are these going to make it? 🍓🍓🍓🍓🍓🍓 Time will tell.