Raw Kitchen Appliances
There are many essential appliances in
any kitchen, yet when preparing raw, living foods many have been replaced. Instead of a stove, toaster, microwave oven,
popcorn popper, electric grill, crockpot, etc, you’ll find a blender,
dehydrator, spiralizer, food processor, slicer, and a good set of knives. The questions start to arise as to which
ones, how expensive…just as it applied to conventional appliances. Are your
other appliances high end or inexpensive ones?
When I ate cooked food, I had the cheapest microwave, the standard
stove/oven, and the cheapest appliances I could find. I never made food from scratch and the foods
I was eating out of a box/can/freezer didn’t need fine tuning. It was quite the
shock to move to high end appliances, but I’m so glad I did. I spend lots of time in my kitchen now,
although much less than my cooked-from-scratch friends. While I make everything from scratch…there is
little to no wait time.
Blender
Brand I use
& Why: The Vitamix makes juice,
blends beautifully, grinds nuts for nut butter, chops vegetables, makes frozen
fruit desserts and can even warm food to just the right temperature. The
powerful motor combined with stainless steel blades and a specially designed
container enables this appliance to perform dozens of difficult kitchen tasks
in a matter of minutes--with no need for any attachments. The Vitamix machine
ruptures the cell walls of raw foods to make the enzymes more bioavailable.
Valuable life-giving nutrients locked inside the pulp, peels and seeds of
fruits and vegetables cannot be absorbed as easily when these foods are simply
chewed. When fresh, whole foods are taken down to the cellular level by the
Vitamix, the nutrients become readily available to nourish your body. Breaking
the food into microscopic particles also releases more flavor, so your raw food
meals are not only more nutritious, but also very delicious when made in the
Vitamix. A Factory Reconditioned Vitamix 5200 sells for $379, and $600 for a
new Vitamix
Other options: While I enjoy the Vitamix, it is expensive. Don’t be intimidated, any blender will do, you will simply need to find shortcuts when it doesn’t process/blend/crush the way you were expecting. See my tips & shortcuts page for more information. Also, check eBay, craigslist, and garage sales for used Vitamixes, if you are worried about the cost. Other blenders to check out: Blendtec, HealthMaster, Ninja, and the Champion.
Other options: While I enjoy the Vitamix, it is expensive. Don’t be intimidated, any blender will do, you will simply need to find shortcuts when it doesn’t process/blend/crush the way you were expecting. See my tips & shortcuts page for more information. Also, check eBay, craigslist, and garage sales for used Vitamixes, if you are worried about the cost. Other blenders to check out: Blendtec, HealthMaster, Ninja, and the Champion.
Food Processor
Brand I use
& Why: The Cuisinart food
processor has a wonderfully extra-large feed tube that holds whole fruits and
vegetables, which is perfect for slicing and shredding. It’s easy to use and
clean, and it comes with three different blades that can chop, slice, and
shred. This food processor has no
problems grinding nuts, and can tackle everything I put into it. The nine cup Cuisinart I bought went for $100
in stores, but I got mine off craigslist, new in box, for half that price.
Other options: ANY food processor will do, and this is an appliance you can save on. As long as your food processor has an S blade that can chop fine, you are in business. You might have to do smaller batches in order to have everything processed fine and you may need to take a few shortcuts as well.
Other options: ANY food processor will do, and this is an appliance you can save on. As long as your food processor has an S blade that can chop fine, you are in business. You might have to do smaller batches in order to have everything processed fine and you may need to take a few shortcuts as well.
Dehydrator
Brand I use & Why: My dehydrator is basically my oven where I make
chips, crackers, breads, cookies, and lots of travel foods. Except instead of
using extreme heat to process the food, my dehydrator blows warm air over food
in a contained environment, drawing water out of food, thereby preserving it
and concentrating its flavor. I LOVE my Excalibur dehydrator for three reasons.
First, its square, which makes crackers/breads/fruit leather much easier to dry
than in a round dehydrator. Second, it
has a temperature setting, so I can keep my drying temperature at an even 105
degrees, preserving all the nutrients and enzymes. Lastly, my Excalibur was
designed wonderfully with a fan in the back, which evenly dries all the rows,
and completely black so as to protect the nutrients from oxidation. I have the
four tray dehydrator (actually, I have two four-trays), and would recommend the
9 tray from now on. The 4 tray usually runs around $100.
Other options: You can purchase round dehydrators at many department stores and store like Wal-Mart and Target for under $50. You might want to take a look around at camping stores, like Cabellas, that sell jerky dryers, which are basically the same thing at a fraction of the cost. Don’t want to invest into a dehydrator? See how low your oven heats…put it on warm and put in a thermometer. Nutrients and enzymes start to degrade around 108 degrees and the enzymes are destroyed by 118 degrees.
Other options: You can purchase round dehydrators at many department stores and store like Wal-Mart and Target for under $50. You might want to take a look around at camping stores, like Cabellas, that sell jerky dryers, which are basically the same thing at a fraction of the cost. Don’t want to invest into a dehydrator? See how low your oven heats…put it on warm and put in a thermometer. Nutrients and enzymes start to degrade around 108 degrees and the enzymes are destroyed by 118 degrees.
Spiralizer
Brand I use
& Why: A spiralizer is used to
shred vegetables and hard fruits in noodle form. Unlike a regular grater, a spiralizer has
different blades that help process foods into symmetrical shapes and sizes. I
have had two spiralizers, the first spiralizes into angel hair
and slices and cost $15. The second I
purchased has three settings and can tackle a little more at $35
Other options: When I want fettuccini noodles, I make slices in my vegetable (usually zucchini) and then get a vegetable peeler and peel it. This way the ‘noodles’ are fairly uniform and nice and thin. You can make more slices and have spaghetti noodles in the same manner.
Other options: When I want fettuccini noodles, I make slices in my vegetable (usually zucchini) and then get a vegetable peeler and peel it. This way the ‘noodles’ are fairly uniform and nice and thin. You can make more slices and have spaghetti noodles in the same manner.
Mandoline Slicer
Brand I use
& Why: Mandoline slicers are
basically just a wonderful shortcut to make those perfect little slices that
are difficult to do by hand. I own the OXO mandolin, which I got at Target for
$40. It has a very versatile V–Blade
that slices fruits and vegetables much easier than any straight edge I’ve used.
Four blades and a simple height adjuster make straight slices, crinkle cuts,
French fries and julienne strips in a variety of thicknesses. The blades store
on board and are easily removable for cleaning. A textured surface keeps food
from sticking to the Mandoline and the food holder securely holds food and
protects fingers. The handle and turning knob are soft for comfort and non–slip
feet keep the Mandoline secure on the work surface. It’s wonderfully
inexpensive, yet I’ve used it to make pretty carrot and cucumber crudités, thin
zucchini lasagna noodles, apple slices, and the list goes on.
Other options: I got my first mandoline slicer at Wal-Mart for around $5 and the blades simply weren’t very sharp. It worked well for very hard items, like carrots and potatoes, but I soon realized I needed something more impressive. Of course, most of what I use my mandoline for, you can simply use your knife to accomplish, but mandolines provide symmetrical slices with much less effort, with very little cleanup.
Other options: I got my first mandoline slicer at Wal-Mart for around $5 and the blades simply weren’t very sharp. It worked well for very hard items, like carrots and potatoes, but I soon realized I needed something more impressive. Of course, most of what I use my mandoline for, you can simply use your knife to accomplish, but mandolines provide symmetrical slices with much less effort, with very little cleanup.
Knives
Brand I use & why: There are
TONS of knives out there to experiment with.
I sold Cutco knives in college and a friend bought me a Forever Sharp
knife and I haven’t needed anything else.
My Forever Sharp knife literally is the sharpest thing I have ever used
and I take it with me everywhere I will be prepping food. My Cutco knives are more precious to me
(probably because I spent a lot of money on them at a time when I didn’t have
any), are much more expensive so I use them less often. I would advise everyone to invest in a knife
that is both ridiculously sharp (so you don’t have to continue sharpening it)
and comfortable to use. People are
usually hesitant to buy a knife known for its sharpness because it sounds more
dangerous, when it’s the dull knives that are much more prone to slipping and
slicing something they weren’t originated to, like your fingers.
Other options: There are LOTS of knife options out there. Feel free to check out Forever Sharp knives, Cutco Knives, and Henkles; the three brands I’ve used and trust.
Other options: There are LOTS of knife options out there. Feel free to check out Forever Sharp knives, Cutco Knives, and Henkles; the three brands I’ve used and trust.
