Alternative to dehydrator sheets?

[raweater]

I'm out of dehydrator sheets and am tight on cash so I've put off buying more and I'd like to know if there's any alternative I could find at a local store that would work?

Thanks

[snoops]

Haven't tried it but people use parchment paper.

[raweater]

Thanks, I'll try to find some at the grocery store. I just ordered 4 reusable paraflexx sheets, I do have a 9 tray dehydrator but didn't want to spend too much and I doubt I'd ever need more than 4 at once, and I can always buy more later.

[snoops]

I have 3 sheets for my 9 tray and its usually enough. Probably 4 would be perfect. Not all grocery stores have parchment. Its with the wax paper etc. if they do.

[supersonic_528]

Raweater, buddy, how are you doing? I just saw your post and wanted to ask something. Sorry it's not about dehydrator. Please answer if you can..

I started raw in April and was about 70 - 80% raw for about a month. I was feeling great, but I lost a lot of weight (10lbs). I'm a guy 5'11 tall and was about 156lbs before I started raw, which itself isn't too much. I wanted to gain weight or at least keep it the same. So because of losing weight I have started eating some of the mainstream foods again (although I still drink 1 smoothie and have my raw cereal in the morning everyday). I had ordered your book. It has some good recipes but I was actually looking for those that have more calories, protein etc for people who exercize or build body. Please give me some suggestions on what I can eat to not lose weight. If possible, tell me what you eat everyday. That might help. Thanks..

[ferral-cat]

I was at a raw food gathering and a lady told me she uses parchment paper from the local supermarket all the time.

She actually prefers it to the non-stick sheets she said because she can use it and then discard the parchment paper.

She swears by it, I on the other hand have never tried it because my dehydrator came with the sheets (I have the Good4U 6 tray dehydrator)

Even meat-eaters can't stop eating the flax chips I make (with red pepper, sun dried tomatoes and chili powder).

[ferral-cat]

Raweater, buddy, how are you doing? I just saw your post and wanted to ask something. Sorry it's not about dehydrator. Please answer if you can..

I started raw in April and was about 70 - 80% raw for about a month. I was feeling great, but I lost a lot of weight (10lbs). I'm a guy 5'11 tall and was about 156lbs before I started raw, which itself isn't too much. I wanted to gain weight or at least keep it the same. So because of losing weight I have started eating some of the mainstream foods again (although I still drink 1 smoothie and have my raw cereal in the morning everyday). I had ordered your book. It has some good recipes but I was actually looking for those that have more calories, protein etc for people who exercise or build body. Please give me some suggestions on what I can eat to not lose weight. If possible, tell me what you eat everyday. That might help. Thanks..

I asked almost the exact same question today in this post and got many replies:

http://www.rawfoodtalk.com/showthread.php?t=51105

Wow, what a spooky coincidence. The gist of it is to eat more dense foods like raw nuts, avocados, homemade almond milk, etc

Also the green smoothies can really pack a wallop - you could make a Green Monster Shake as follows:

Flaxseeds soaked 8 hours (retain the soak water) and then mixed with:

A large quantity of sprouted beans (such as mung, lentil etc)

A Dark Leafy green like Kale, Chard, Collard, Brussel Sprouts etc

Enough fruit to make it palatable (Apple, banana or whatever else is on sale)

Now this may violate food combining principles perhaps but I gurantee it will stop the weight loss in its tracks.

Lets keep in touch since we have the same goal of bulking up. PM me any time.

[supersonic_528]

Thanks ferral-cat. Yeah it will be a good idea to keep in touch and exchange ideas. I'll also reply to your other post.

[raweater]

Raweater, buddy, how are you doing? I just saw your post and wanted to ask something. Sorry it's not about dehydrator. Please answer if you can..

I started raw in April and was about 70 - 80% raw for about a month. I was feeling great, but I lost a lot of weight (10lbs). I'm a guy 5'11 tall and was about 156lbs before I started raw, which itself isn't too much. I wanted to gain weight or at least keep it the same. So because of losing weight I have started eating some of the mainstream foods again (although I still drink 1 smoothie and have my raw cereal in the morning everyday). I had ordered your book. It has some good recipes but I was actually looking for those that have more calories, protein etc for people who exercize or build body. Please give me some suggestions on what I can eat to not lose weight. If possible, tell me what you eat everyday. That might help. Thanks..

Well about the parchment paper I did find some next to the wax paper at my grocery store si I can continue dehydrating while I wait for my reusable ones, thanks, I didn't think they would have had it.

About gaining/keeping weight, I think the most important key is to do weight lifting, I was eating very dense foods and even so I lost 40 lbs which I didn't want to loose (I had been working out before raw and had gained a lot of muscle but had stopped working out before going raw).

Almost all of the recipes in my book have plenty of calories and protein to gain weight, there are almost no exceptions.

Raw things I eat regularly are:
-Smoothies (with walnuts to add calories and protein like the recipe in my book)
-Milkshakes made with walnuts, there are 4 flavors listed in my book
-Pies, cakes (again there are many in the book)

I also eat about 25% "healthy" cooked food like lentil soup or chickpea curry but I'd like to reduce that and I don't need it to maintain my weight.

[raweater]

I asked almost the exact same question today in this post and got many replies:

http://www.rawfoodtalk.com/showthread.php?t=51105

Wow, what a spooky coincidence. The gist of it is to eat more dense foods like raw nuts, avocados, homemade almond milk, etc

Also the green smoothies can really pack a wallop - you could make a Green Monster Shake as follows:

Flaxseeds soaked 8 hours (retain the soak water) and then mixed with:

A large quantity of sprouted beans (such as mung, lentil etc)

A Dark Leafy green like Kale, Chard, Collard, Brussel Sprouts etc

Enough fruit to make it palatable (Apple, banana or whatever else is on sale)

Now this may violate food combining principles perhaps but I gurantee it will stop the weight loss in its tracks.

Lets keep in touch since we have the same goal of bulking up. PM me any time.

For those that want to read more about gaining weight I gave a detailed reply in the thread linked to above.

Some tips: You don't need to soak flax seeds, you can use them as is, it;s simpler that way. For an easier solution than sprouted beans, simply use walnuts, they don't add an unpleasant taste and require no soaking/sprouting and contain more calories and protein as well as healthy fats. Some also say beans aren't very healthy or contain natural toxins but these may go away when sprouting, I still much prefer to simply through in walnuts in my smoothies.

[raweater]

Well I got my "para-whatever they're called" reusable non silicone sheets and they are great, the raw pancake recipe I'm doing peeled right off even when it was still very soft. They then cleaned in seconds in warm water. They are miles better than the silicone ones which where a complete waste of money, almost everything welds itself permanently to them and must be dissolved off with hot water.

[sprouts2go]

Just a note on parchment paper. Buy the brown non bleached. Healktthier choice.

[TaupeRawMan]

Although I don't dehydrate, I have seen nori sheets work nicely....

[RawKnitster]

The Paraflexx sheets you bought may be more expensive initially, but will save a lot of money in the long run. I started with 2, then bought 5 more. Probably didn't need that many, especially if you dehydrate different things in stages. Something is always flipped onto the mesh anyway.

[raweater]

Although I don't dehydrate, I have seen nori sheets work nicely....

They may be ok for things where you don't mind having seaweed stuck to, but for things like pancakes I wouldn't want seaweed stuck on my pancakes! lol

[TP]

I just tried about 4 sheets of flax crackers in my dehyrdrator with wax paper since i don't have the sheets.. Now I have some really nice wax crackers... Off to the store for the parchment paper... :D

[coco]

Does anyone know what the paraflex sheets are made out of and if it is safe to use? I know it may be claimed to be safe but you know how those things go... hello BPA.

Thanks!

[revdrcyn]

I use unbleached parchment paper which is inexpensive and recyclable. I buy it at World Market (aka Cost Plus). A 65.6-inch roll is only $4.99.

It is 13 inches wide, so a bit narrower than the 14-inch shelves in my Excalibur, but that has not been a problem so far, and I have been using the dehydrator 3 to 5 times a week for about 9 months.

[raweater]

Im not sure but I think the paraflex sheets use teflon, but since it's at low temperatures I don't think it causes a problem.

[coco]

Thank for the info, I won't be getting any if they are made of teflex. That stuff is totally carcinogenic, it doesn't have to get that hot. 108 is hot enough sad to say.

[raweater]

Where did you read 108 is enough? I've heard that as long as it's not heated to cooking temps there's no problem. I make my raw pies in a teflon coated spring form pan (the bottom part is glass though).

[Care4raw]

I use unbleached parchment paper which is inexpensive and recyclable. I buy it at World Market (aka Cost Plus). A 65.6-inch roll is only $4.99.

It is 13 inches wide, so a bit narrower than the 14-inch shelves in my Excalibur, but that has not been a problem so far, and I have been using the dehydrator 3 to 5 times a week for about 9 months.

Do you ever have a problem getting things to come off?Is it non sticking? It just seems like it would not be easy to get off...

[raweater]

Things come right off parchment paper, it works just like the disposable sheets from excalibur. It is made to be non stick even when cooking food on it up to 400 degrees.

[Care4raw]

Things come right off parchment paper, it works just like the disposable sheets from excalibur. It is made to be non stick even when cooking food on it up to 400 degrees.

Ooooow, nice!Hate the idea of throw away...but i think i may give it a try .
Thanks!!

[mommyliz]

i reuse the parchment sheets until they tear.