Hehe, thanks greenbunny, you've certainly got my son sussed!
i'm very lucky as my partner has offered to do most of the cooking (especially while i am getting used to all these new techniques and recipes!) and they have both said they're keen to try the things i make too (my partner likes a "side salad" aswell!) so i'm feeling pretty well supported now.
i haven't got a dehydrator and will probably not be getting one (i imagine they're pretty costly??) but i did order a little hand operated thing that works like the food processor attachments you can get for grating and slicing etc. It makes "spaghetti" from courgettes etc! i might try that with a warm tomato sauce...
That's a good tip about making sure the veggies have been out of the fridge for a while too. Thanks a lot for all the suggestions
bekuchan