Raw Food Diet Kitchen Equipment

[stuckinwoods]

how many here have specific kitchen equipment they use to prepare their raw food diet? such as, a vitamix (or similar) blender, a mandoline slicer, spiral slicer, sprouter and food dehydrator? is there a comparable blender to vitamix which has the same power yet is a bit less expensive?
thanks.
linda

[FreshyABC]

Hi, Linda I have all of the above. I usually use my juicer and vitamix every day. I would say the Vitamix is worth the $ as I have been using it daily for around 10 years. I don't think there is an equivalent out there besides getting a Ktec?
Love, Alli

[stuckinwoods]

thanks alli.
i'm going to get a vitamix, soon i hope. the one that also grinds grains. i can also fix my cocker spaniel meals with it as well; grind flaxseed and eggshells, etc. i want to get all the other equipment as well because i want my experience to be as pleasant and as successful as possible, so i need all the help i can get. i wish i could go to a raw food spa some where to get started - stay about a month. ha!
linda

[rkbush]

I've got a Vitamix too. However, for a lot of things a plain blender, or a food processor, works just as well.

For single serving smoothies the "Magic Bullet" that you see on the infomercial is absolutely wonderful! I use that little thing just as much as anything else! Of course I've got the Excalibur dehydrator (get the large model, and the teflex sheets), spirallizer, mandolin. etc, etc. I use jars for sprouting. I've seen one of the auto sprouters. They tend to get clogged. When it comes to sprouters, the simpler the better. For juicers, I went with the Champion. Its a work horse.

I would really suggest a good knife. Don't buy some cheap thing as you'll wind up mashing the food, and cutting yourself. I've got my eye on a couple that run around $100 or more a knife. Oh, and a really good cutting board!

To be honest, I'm not sure if I'd buy the Vitamix again. Great machine, but I really don't use it that much.

Best of luck!
Bob

[stuckinwoods]

thanks Bob, for your response and help. i've seen that magic bullet and wondered how it worked. ;-) i need to buy a new cutting board and new knives -- it's time. i have a really nice kitchen aid knife -- it didn't cost 100 bucks though. how does one sprout and where do you get seeds? i know that's probably a dumb question but i've never done it before. thanks again for your info. linda

Originally Posted by rkbush

I've got a Vitamix too. However, for a lot of things a plain blender, or a food processor, works just as well.

For single serving smoothies the "Magic Bullet" that you see on the infomercial is absolutely wonderful! I use that little thing just as much as anything else! Of course I've got the Excalibur dehydrator (get the large model, and the teflex sheets), spirallizer, mandolin. etc, etc. I use jars for sprouting. I've seen one of the auto sprouters. They tend to get clogged. When it comes to sprouters, the simpler the better. For juicers, I went with the Champion. Its a work horse.

I would really suggest a good knife. Don't buy some cheap thing as you'll wind up mashing the food, and cutting yourself. I've got my eye on a couple that run around $100 or more a knife. Oh, and a really good cutting board!

To be honest, I'm not sure if I'd buy the Vitamix again. Great machine, but I really don't use it that much.

Best of luck!
Bob

[FreshyABC]

Hi, Linda-I don't think the magic bullet will suit for family sized smoothies though. A food processor would not do for smoothies and does not grind grains. My husband uses the Vitamix to grind coffee fresh and also we buy grains in bulk. He grinds the wheat and makes pancake batter in the blender. We put in frozen bananas or other fruit for our smoothies and I often make raw soups right in the Vitamix. I can see using a regular blender for all those things (except grinding), only I have heard they don't all handle ice very well. I wouldn't be surprised if a regular blender would work for a long while. A good knife is important. I use those Rada knives. I have lots of cutting boards so I can wash one and let it dry and get out another for the next thing. The Excalibur with Teflex sheets is probably more important. I soak my seeds and nuts in the largest bowls I have then rinse the next a.m. then dehydrate in the Excalibur and then put in large freezer bags and freeze. This makes them ready to use without pre-preparation that can really slow down your meals. You can also salvage your produce by drying it before it dies. You can make leftover sauces into crackers too. Your sauces will not keep for more than 24 hours? 48? max generally. Or if you are raising tomatoes, you can make your own "sun-dried" tomatoes. Maybe you already know Ann Wigmore put her dehydrator where the oven is supposed to go. I have my dehydrator installed in my pantry so I can shut the door and minimize the noise. I barely know it is on.
Love, Alli

[stuckinwoods]

Hi Alli,
I don't think I'd buy the Magic Bullet; although, I will only be preparing for myself, for now, unless I can sway Hubby to change as well. I do want to invest in a Vitamix -- something that I know will do all my blending/grinding and that will last, since once I'm totally raw, I'll be eating this way the rest of my life. I'm going to do a search for the Rada knives. I need some good ones -- and also, more cutting boards. Hubby is on vacation from the ship and returns in a couple days. That will be when I go to the grocerers and get all the NEW food I'll need. I wanted to wait til he was gone so I could completely focus and stay focused, without the temptations he brings home from the grocery store. By the time he returns, I should be well into the diet where I won't want all that crap;y food anymore. :-))))) I'm sure he'll get a kick out of using the Vitamix to grind his coffee beans though. LOL Thanks again for your tips. Linda

Originally Posted by FreshyABC

Hi, Linda-I don't think the magic bullet will suit for family sized smoothies though. A food processor would not do for smoothies and does not grind grains. My husband uses the Vitamix to grind coffee fresh and also we buy grains in bulk. He grinds the wheat and makes pancake batter in the blender. We put in frozen bananas or other fruit for our smoothies and I often make raw soups right in the Vitamix. I can see using a regular blender for all those things (except grinding), only I have heard they don't all handle ice very well. I wouldn't be surprised if a regular blender would work for a long while. A good knife is important. I use those Rada knives. I have lots of cutting boards so I can wash one and let it dry and get out another for the next thing. The Excalibur with Teflex sheets is probably more important. I soak my seeds and nuts in the largest bowls I have then rinse the next a.m. then dehydrate in the Excalibur and then put in large freezer bags and freeze. This makes them ready to use without pre-preparation that can really slow down your meals. You can also salvage your produce by drying it before it dies. You can make leftover sauces into crackers too. Your sauces will not keep for more than 24 hours? 48? max generally. Or if you are raising tomatoes, you can make your own "sun-dried" tomatoes. Maybe you already know Ann Wigmore put her dehydrator where the oven is supposed to go. I have my dehydrator installed in my pantry so I can shut the door and minimize the noise. I barely know it is on.
Love, Alli

[stuckinwoods]

well like i said in another post - i made it to the whole foods coop yesterday and bought some good stuff.
i've also won 4 boosk on ebay i'm excited to get: green for life, eating without heating, naked chocolate and the complete book of raw food. i also won a skin brush -- i've searched the value of brushing the skin prior to a shower -- i really want to give this a try. and totally unrelated i won a joss stone cd. so i guess i've begun my transition to raw. yippee!
linda