Appliance query from a new raw foodist

[eachpeachpearplum]

I WAS JUST SENT A REQUEST FROM A NEW MEMBER WHO SAW PICTURES OF MY KITCHEN HERE AND WAS WORRIED SHE WOULD HAVE TO BUY EVERYTHING I HAD BUT DOES NOT HAVE UNLIMITED FUNDS. HERE IS MY REPLY AS I FELT IT MAY HELP OTHERS. :p

Hey There Fellow Raw Foodists!

Congratulations on undertaking this journey, it’s so fantastic!

FIRST PURCHASE ALISSA COHENS BOOK BEFORE ANYTHING ELSE!

SECONDLY, IT IS NOT NESSASARY TO BUY ANY APPLIANCES TO START EATING RAW!

I have had several queries about what to recommend and I now feel I can give informed advice. First I am NOT swimming in money. I had requested a dehydrator two xmas’s ago to make beef jerky –hahaha. Then I inherited my food processor from my gran when she went to a retirement home. And I had bought the mini processor for baby food.

OK. The three main things you may want to get are;

Excalibur dehydrator; mine is a 4 tray but I would love a 9 try and plan on getting one when I get some $$. The 9 tray will save you time when you really become adept at dehydrating more than one item at a time. I make a bunch a recipes over several days once a month or so. I have this brand however Rawkinlocs recommends one called American Harvest Snackmaster from Wallmart - see her note below.

Full size Food processor; mine is a TWENTY year old Cuisinart and works like new. There are many many other inexpensive brands on the market that work just as well.

VitaMix; this was my one BIG financial outlay. I had wanted one as my yuppie Waring blender just was not doing it. I happened upon a VitaMix demo at Costco for $365 and just went for it. Hands down I worship at its motor several times a day. If its a choice between a food processor and a VitaMix I’m not to sure. Alissa gives good advice in her book on this.

My number one suggestion is to try and by second hand if you really want the pricy options. I do know that VitaMix sell refurbished older models that would be well worth it, they last forever. Don’t be a slave to new. Go online and look in your local paper for used items, especially in this day and age of people wanting everything new new new you should have no trouble finding second hand. And thirdly look at EBay – great deals on the big three appliances above.

I also now have about 15 raw food cookbooks from Christmas and am happy to make recommendations if you like; Alissa Cohens being top of the list!
All the best!!

EPPP

[prana]

Which raw food books do you have? Could you recommend any and please describe why it is that you like them? I would like to expand my library.

I currently have Alissa's book, David Wolfe's Beauty book, Green For Life by Victoria Boutenko, and Rainbow Foods by Gabriel Cousens. I also have books by Arnold Ehret, Herbert Shelton, and Norman Walker.

Thanks

[Angelic Light]

Shazzie's books are great. www.detoxyourworld.com

[Rawkinlocs]

Eachpeachpearplum,

I think your friend, as well as other newbie need to know that she doesn't need to have an Excalibur or Vita-Mix BRAND, but can get an American Harvest Snackmaster (with temperature control) from Walmart.com or everythingkitchens.com and that she can use a standard blender and still be able to do very well in this lifestyle.

[Punky]

Eachpeachpearplum,

I think your friend, as well as other newbie need to know that she doesn't need to have an Excalibur or Vita-Mix BRAND, but can get an American Harvest Snackmaster (with temperature control) from Walmart.com or everythingkitchens.com and that she can use a standard blender and still be able to do very well in this lifestyle.

Good point Rawkinlocs; although I have an Excalibur and a Vita-Mix now,
those are things I didn't have at 1st and could not afford at the beginning.
I used my regular blender for many years with success. I just got a Vitamix
a couple of months ago. It's fabulous, but not necessary.
So don't be discouraged if you can not get these.

[RawTruth]

The only things needed to go all raw are a knife and a willing spirit. And, depending on where you live, a knife is optional!

However, as Alissa says, the appliances that will allow someone to make most of the recipes in her book are a food processor and a blender. They do NOT have to have a Vita-Mix, an expensive blender, or a dehydrator. And, if they want a dehydrator, there are plenty of people who succeed with the American Harvester round dehydrator that's under $50.

Those two things along with Alissa's book are all that's needed. Many, many people have successfully gone raw this way. But, I also know of others who became discouraged by thinking they needed fancy, expensive appliances or square glass storage jars, or to be a fanatical foodie, and so they delayed and/or went partially raw and now are back on cooked food.

I'm being emphatic and repetitive and hopefully not unduly harsh in my phrasing of this post because I don't want one single person to read the heading and only skim post #1 and decide not to go all raw because they can't get those appliances. If they were to read carefully, they'd see that the OP says there are other, less expensive ways, to use to be successful. But ... many people don't read carefully and will just look at the bolded words. Thus, this post from me.

Please don't flame me -- I'm speaking from what I know from my own experience, many other raw friends, and from those I've assisted in going raw.

Just get a food processor (the Hamilton Beach or Black & Decker $30 from Target one is fine -- strong motor but no snob appeal - LOL) and a $50 blender (NOT Hamilton Beach as I've not found one yet that has a strong enough motor for decent smoothies!) and Alissa's book.

As far as building a raw uncookbook library, it's really a matter of personal taste. I have a bunch of books that I use infrequently -- too many ingredients or too many steps or too many untasty dishes. Each good one offers something slightly different; I'm currently loving the beginning part of Brigitte Mars' Rawsome! And she has a great brownie recipe. HOWEVER -- Alissa's book can't be beat for simplicity, ease, and good solid information, including what appliances are necessary and how to set up a raw kitchen. And she has a great bibliography to point you to other sources.

I urge any newbie on here to not feel inadequate by descriptions and pictures of others' kitchens, recipes, appliances, devices, or anything else. This forum has grown so huge that there are actually sub-groups of raw (and, frankly, not raw) people here. The newbies are thrown in with more experienced people and also with people who have more time, leisure, money than they ... or who are simply in different situations. Do not compare yourself to anyone but yourself!!!

As long as I am ranting :p, I have to say that, when I drop in for a bit now and then nowadays, I'm just amazed at how many people join and start participating here without buying Alissa's book. Hello, people!! This is her forum and the least you can do is carve $30 out of your budget to get it -- some people here are still spending that on coffee every week!! It will not only help support her endeavors (including this FREE to us forum), but it has the most successful SIMPLE plan in it for going and staying raw that I have seen work with every single truly dedicated person I know. This is rather private, but I'll share that every single time I've been with Alissa in public, at least one person tells her what a huge difference her book has made to them -- that they've gone raw, stayed raw, and are now either totally healthy or well on their way to optimal health. And these are private outings, not public speaking engagements or classes. And, these are not people on this forum, they're not people who spend hours posting or fiddling with recipes!!! They're ordinary, everyday folk who've achieved great success by simple following her book. So, when I read people asking all sorts of basic, simple questions or trying raw and falling off the wagon and they haven't even bought the book, I just scratch my head.

Now, I want to be clear -- I am NOT trying to discourage newbies askimg questions here. After all, as I've said before, this forum was set up as a support group for raw vegans and those wanting to be raw vegans following Alissa's program (like she talks about in her book!). I AM trying to get them to do some basic research -- use the search function here becaue I have to say that every single question they're asking has already been answered and often discussed ad nauseum ;) here already, read the Need to know more about raw? section of this forum, and buy the book!!

If you've read this far, you'll be glad to know that I'm taking my crabby self off to a movie now!!

[eachpeachpearplum]

Thanks Raw Truth, Punky & Rawkinlocs for all the additional advice. I completely agree with everyone :D . The advice I gave was to someone who was definatly going to purchase these items.

I truly :o did not mean to imply you had to buy these things in order to eat raw.I shall quote Raw Truth; The only things needed to go all raw are a knife and a willing spirit. My dear your words are spot on!!

And yes as Rawkinlocs says please note the brands I mention are NOT the only brands out there by a long way. I was asked specifically about what I had.

I am going to add a few amenments to my initial post!

Cheers, Erin

[Angelina]

I still haven't purchased any appliances, just rely on my blender, my old juiceman juicer and food processor and for the occasional squash spaghettie a lemon zester (believe it or not!!)... but then again, I keep thing simple, salads, veggies fruits,the occasional nut burger (non dehydrated of course), some yummy desserts...I do plan to get a dehydrator soon but have a few $$ issues right now. :rolleyes:

[RawTruth]

Looks like the three of us were posting at the same time. Great minds . . . !!

[wikdkittie]

I was the one that asked her about her kitchen bc I am coming into a little money and I am able to stock up on GOOD raw food appliances which personally I would rather do, bc as I have read, you get what you pay for. I would rather spend money now and still have working appliances 10yrs from now then having to keep replacing them.
With that said, I was simply asking her for her opinion bc I am new and with spending soooo much money on appliances I want to make sure I am purchasing the right ones by asking for her opinion and how they have worked for her.
She also said in one of her emails, if I am going to make those kind of purchases to shop around and to not be afraid of looking on Ebay for used ones or in my local paper or refurbished VM. Basically not buy new for the sake of having new and save more money.
She has been a delight and helped me tremendously!! I am sure if someone else posted pics of their kitchen I would have been bugging you too... :D

[Rawkinlocs]

I was the one that asked her about her kitchen bc I am coming into a little money and I am able to stock up on GOOD raw food appliances which personally I would rather do, bc as I have read, you get what you pay for. I would rather spend money now and still have working appliances 10yrs from now then having to keep replacing them.
With that said, I was simply asking her for her opinion bc I am new and with spending soooo much money on appliances I want to make sure I am purchasing the right ones by asking for her opinion and how they have worked for her.
She also said in one of her emails, if I am going to make those kind of purchases to shop around and to not be afraid of looking on Ebay for used ones or in my local paper or refurbished VM. Basically not buy new for the sake of having new and save more money.
She has been a delight and helped me tremendously!! I am sure if someone else posted pics of their kitchen I would have been bugging you too... :D

Hi Wikdkitty,

That's fine...I hope that eachpeach didn't think we were jumping down on her or anything like that. But it was the statement that.."AND WAS WORRIED SHE WOULD HAVE TO BUY EVERYTHING I HAD" that stood out to me and also that other newbies would read the post that caused me to mention that while those are great suggestions for someone like yourself who wanted those particular brands of appliances...that if a person couldn't even afford the refurbished or ebay prices for such brands...that it's not pertinant to being raw to have any particular brand of product and that for those individuals reading this thread who might be on a much tighter budget, there were other very feasible options that work just as well.

But congrats to you on coming into some funds to allow you to get what you really want! I know you'll have fun trying out all sorts of stuff once you get them! :D

[maraw]

I couldn't live without my food processor and spiral slicer. I use it all the time. I also tried two different brands of dehydrator before ending up with an Excalibur. I recommend it highly.

Aside from Alissa's book, which is by far my absolute favorite raw book, The Complete Book of Raw Food, by Lori Baird and Julie Rodwell is also very nice. Alissa's is very user friendly and simple - and I have yet to make anything in her book that didn't turn out perfect. However, it is nice to have variety from time to time, and I really like the other book too. Juliano's book, Raw - The Uncook Book, is nice too, but some of the ingredients are a little hard to come by from time to time. He does have a few nice ice cream recipes though, and some very interesting photographs :rolleyes:

[RawTruth]

Prana --

My personal recommendations for books in order are:

Alissa Cohen - Living on Live Food
Brigitte Mars - Rawsome!
Renee Underkoffler - Living Cuisine
Rhio - Hooked on Raw
Elysa Markowitz - Warming Up to Living Foods

After that, these are for specialized inspiration as well as some raw recipes:

Tonya Zavasta - Beautiful on Raw
Victoria Boutenko - any of her books - 12 Steps to Raw is especially great
Paul Nisan - his compilation of interviews with lots of long-time raw people (can't think of the name of it and don't have it at hand)

[oceanluv]

Hi, the name of Paul Nissons book is "living raw". I found it interesting, and has helped me to realise that there are many varied ways of being raw. :)

[kayla]

I got a cuisinart dual blender/food processor at bed bath and beyond. They are $79.99, but I used a 20% off coupon that they mail to me quite frequently. I'm sure it's not nearly as wonderful as a vitamix, but I really think that $60 (after the coupon) is definately not a bad price to get both a good blender and food processor from a good company.

My favorite thing to do with the blender thus far is to crush frozen blueberries, frozen strawberries and just plain ice into it to make something of snow cone consistency, since the blender doesn't need any liquid to crush ice. I put it in a big bowl and eat it like cereal in the morning. yum :)

[RawTruth]

No - the Paul Nison book I meant was Raw Knowledge -- it's interviews with people who have been raw for over 10 years or so

[RawTruth]

My favorite thing to do with the blender thus far is to crush frozen blueberries, frozen strawberries and just plain ice into it to make something of snow cone consistency, since the blender doesn't need any liquid to crush ice. I put it in a big bowl and eat it like cereal in the morning. yum :)Kayla, how does the food processor part handle Alissa's Date Nut Torte? I find that to be the test of a decent food processor. Also, how big is the bowl? Twelve cup?

[kayla]

Kayla, how does the food processor part handle Alissa's Date Nut Torte? I find that to be the test of a decent food processor. Also, how big is the bowl? Twelve cup?


I haven't received Alissa's book yet, so I haven't been able to test drive it yet. The bowl is pretty tiny, but it's perfect for me since I live alone. ;)

All I've really used the food processor for is for the slicer/grater so I can easily grate some carrots quickly or slice thin pieces of celery. I thought it was perfect for me...definately not the best idea for a big family. Just an idea for people starting out.