Guest guest Posted September 10, 2006 Report Share Posted September 10, 2006 Hello everyone, I'm a new member just beginning on a raw diet and I love it already. It really agrees with me and my body. I need to start purchasing those necessary seeming machines that make it all much easier. Here's what I'm thinking of purchasing: 1. A Greenstar juicer (because I want to be able to do wheatgrass as well as nut meats. I know it's expensive but it looks great! If you agree on this, then do you know which model? 2. Blender - do I need a Vitamix really? I have a small and lousy blender now. I want to be able to do hummus etc. Can't do it well in there. 3. Deyhdrator - seems essential to 'cook' some things. I want to be able to do the 'meat' loaves as well as have some food warm. So which one here? 4. Do I then need a Cuisinart? If I have a Vitamix is that enough? But I guess I need something to do larger shredding etc. Thanks so much for any and all input!! Here's to eating and living well. Annie in PA Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted September 11, 2006 Report Share Posted September 11, 2006 Hi Annie, Out of all the raw appliances I have I use my Blender, a Vitamix, and my food processor, a Kitchen Aide, the most. I do recommend getting a high powered blender over the typical store blender. I love my green smoothies and the typical blender doesn't do them well. I make marinara sauces and soups in my blender as well and those are tough on a blender when your using alot of sundried tomatoes or tough veggies like squash. So good though! The food processor is great for shreding, slicing, and mixing things that do not have to be completely smooth like nut pate's and such. They are also great for salsa's. The next one I use is my dehydrator though I don't do much in the way of recipies. I do more with dehydrating fruits and nuts and such. I love dehydrated mango. Then last is my juicer. I have an Omaga single screw juicer and it does well. I've never used the Greenstar so I cannot compare. Hope that helps! Taevia On Sep 10, 2006, at 3:40 PM, Annie Hart wrote: > Hello everyone, I'm a new member just beginning on a raw diet and I > love it already. It really agrees with me and my body. > > <snip> Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted September 11, 2006 Report Share Posted September 11, 2006 > Here's what I'm thinking of purchasing: > 1. A Greenstar juicer (because I want to be able to do wheatgrass as > well as nut meats. I know it's expensive but it looks great! > If you agree on this, then do you know which model? > > 2. Blender - do I need a Vitamix really? > I have a small and lousy blender now. I want to be able to do > hummus etc. Can't do it well in there. > > 3. Deyhdrator - seems essential to 'cook' some things. > I want to be able to do the 'meat' loaves as well as have some > food warm. So which one here? > > 4. Do I then need a Cuisinart? > If I have a Vitamix is that enough? But I guess I need > something to do larger shredding etc. > > Thanks so much for any and all input!! Here's to eating and living > well. > Annie in PA 1. I have an Omega, but only used it for several months. I really don't juice much anymore. Any of the juices I really like are too much sugar (like the carrot or beet juices). There are some uses for the pulp, but not enough in my opinion. I couldn't stand throwing away all that stuff anymore. I have a friend who makes her " green " juices/smoothies in a blender every morning (she's not raw), and it works great for her. 2. I have a $10 blender from Target. I thought it was small and lousy. Then I bought a $50 Cuisinart blender and that didn't work much better. So I thought it too was small an lousy. Then I bought a $150 Viking blender. THAT blender performs the LOUSIEST of 'em all!!! And is the least user-friendly. So I find myself using the Cuisinart first, the other one second, and the Viking last. I have never owned, seen, nor tried the vitamix. It would be MY opinion that you do not need a vitamix. 3. I bought a 5-tray ex-calibur dehydrator and use it a lot less than I thought I would. It's very time consuming to prepare recipes and use. So if I have an entire weekend free, I will make some crackers, chips, or gourmet meals, but I found really and truly the only thing I personally rely upon on a regular basis is one of my cheap blenders for frozen fruit smoothies and almond milk. 4. I do like the cuisinart food processor I've had for years. Before raw, I used it for any number of things. Now I use it to make a gourmet meal or treat, but in my opinion, not a high priority. But I would not have said these things back in January, when I so badly wanted all these things. It's during the transition where I think they are most helpful. Now if I eat breakfast at all, it's an apple or the rare frozen berry & banana smoothie (or the chocolate almond milk/milkshake), and then salad & fruits for lunch, and salad and fruits for dinner. Maybe some cashew/mac cheese. What I think we are all coming to realize is that everyone has a uniquely different raw food experience and you will just have to find what works best for you and your current lifestyle. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted September 12, 2006 Report Share Posted September 12, 2006 I have a juicer, food processor, dehydrator, coffee grinder, and blender. The one that I use every day (unless I'm fasting) is the blender. I know I sound like a broken record, but if you want to get a really good highspeed blender and don't want to break the bank, the L'equip is wonderful! I have two, one at home and one at work. Eventually, I want to get another one I can keep in its handy box- with-a-handle so I can grab it and go at a moment's notice. Tommie http://reallyrawfood.com rawfood , " melanieburtis " <melanieburtis wrote: > > > Here's what I'm thinking of purchasing: > > 1. A Greenstar juicer (because I want to be able to do wheatgrass as > > well as nut meats. I know it's expensive but it looks great! > > If you agree on this, then do you know which model? > > > > 2. Blender - do I need a Vitamix really? > > I have a small and lousy blender now. I want to be able to do > > hummus etc. Can't do it well in there. > > > > 3. Deyhdrator - seems essential to 'cook' some things. > > I want to be able to do the 'meat' loaves as well as have some > > food warm. So which one here? > > > > 4. Do I then need a Cuisinart? > > If I have a Vitamix is that enough? But I guess I need > > something to do larger shredding etc. > > > > Thanks so much for any and all input!! Here's to eating and living > > well. > > Annie in PA > > 1. I have an Omega, but only used it for several months. I really don't juice much anymore. > Any of the juices I really like are too much sugar (like the carrot or beet juices). There are > some uses for the pulp, but not enough in my opinion. I couldn't stand throwing away all > that stuff anymore. I have a friend who makes her " green " juices/ smoothies in a blender > every morning (she's not raw), and it works great for her. > > 2. I have a $10 blender from Target. I thought it was small and lousy. Then I bought a $50 > Cuisinart blender and that didn't work much better. So I thought it too was small an lousy. > Then I bought a $150 Viking blender. THAT blender performs the LOUSIEST of 'em all!!! > And is the least user-friendly. So I find myself using the Cuisinart first, the other one > second, and the Viking last. I have never owned, seen, nor tried the vitamix. It would be > MY opinion that you do not need a vitamix. > > 3. I bought a 5-tray ex-calibur dehydrator and use it a lot less than I thought I would. It's > very time consuming to prepare recipes and use. So if I have an entire weekend free, I will > make some crackers, chips, or gourmet meals, but I found really and truly the only thing I > personally rely upon on a regular basis is one of my cheap blenders for frozen fruit > smoothies and almond milk. > > 4. I do like the cuisinart food processor I've had for years. Before raw, I used it for any > number of things. Now I use it to make a gourmet meal or treat, but in my opinion, not a > high priority. > > But I would not have said these things back in January, when I so badly wanted all these > things. It's during the transition where I think they are most helpful. Now if I eat breakfast > at all, it's an apple or the rare frozen berry & banana smoothie (or the chocolate almond > milk/milkshake), and then salad & fruits for lunch, and salad and fruits for dinner. Maybe > some cashew/mac cheese. > > What I think we are all coming to realize is that everyone has a uniquely different raw food > experience and you will just have to find what works best for you and your current > lifestyle. > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted September 17, 2006 Report Share Posted September 17, 2006 If you want to see what people on the list have said about the machines they know and use or have used, you might check out the list files rawfoodFOOD%20MANAGEMENT%20%26%20NUTRITION/\ EQUIPMENT%20INFO/ where comments on machines of several different sorts have been collected. There is also a list database on machines, listed by type rawfood/database It would be quite worth anyone's while to explore the collection of information at the list website... Most likely, many people here grow tired quickly of my constant mention of the list website's goodies, however it seems that, at least once a week, someone comes through asking about something that has already been discussed *and catalogued* to allow the most intrepid, as well as anyone else, to indulge in a heady discovery sessions. Margaret Annie wrote: > Hello everyone, I'm a new member just beginning on a raw diet and I > love it already. It really agrees with me and my body. > > I need to start purchasing those necessary seeming machines that make > it all much easier. > > Here's what I'm thinking of purchasing: > 1. A Greenstar juicer (because I want to be able to do wheatgrass as > well as nut meats. I know it's expensive but it looks great! > If you agree on this, then do you know which model? > > 2. Blender - do I need a Vitamix really? > I have a small and lousy blender now. I want to be able to do > hummus etc. Can't do it well in there. > > 3. Deyhdrator - seems essential to 'cook' some things. > I want to be able to do the 'meat' loaves as well as have some > food warm. So which one here? > > 4. Do I then need a Cuisinart? > If I have a Vitamix is that enough? But I guess I need > something to do larger shredding etc. > > Thanks so much for any and all input!! Here's to eating and living > well. > Annie in PA > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted September 18, 2006 Report Share Posted September 18, 2006 I don't own a dehydrator, when I want to dehydrate a recipe (which is rare), I either put the food outside in the sun, or in the airing cupboard, or in the oven either at a minimal temp (most ovens will work at temperatures as low as dehydrators) or just with the fan on and no heat at all. You could try doing this, and then if you find yourself really enjoying dehydrated foods, splash out on a proper dehydrator. I have a greenstar, which I seem to use more for nut butters now, though I do like a nice juice as a treat now and then. It works well, though it is a bit of a pain to clean. All the models are pretty similar, just make sure you get the nut butter blank (which is included with some models as standard). It juices greens very well. I have a fairly powerful blender (not a vitamix), it does all I need it to (soups, green smoothies, etc.). I made sure I asked for a blender that can easily crush ice, that meant it had a powerful motor. I also have a Magimix food processor, which is probably what I use most - especially for chopping veggies and making pates. Some food processors come with blender and juicer attachments, maybe that would be a cheap way to try everything out? But you really could get away with just a chopping board and a sharp knife! --- melanieburtis <melanieburtis wrote: > > Here's what I'm thinking of purchasing: > > 1. A Greenstar juicer (because I want to be able > to do wheatgrass as > > well as nut meats. I know it's expensive but it > looks great! > > If you agree on this, then do you know which > model? > > > > 2. Blender - do I need a Vitamix really? > > I have a small and lousy blender now. I want > to be able to do > > hummus etc. Can't do it well in there. > > > > 3. Deyhdrator - seems essential to 'cook' some > things. > > I want to be able to do the 'meat' loaves as > well as have some > > food warm. So which one here? > > > > 4. Do I then need a Cuisinart? > > If I have a Vitamix is that enough? But I > guess I need > > something to do larger shredding etc. > > > > Thanks so much for any and all input!! Here's to > eating and living > > well. > > Annie in PA > > 1. I have an Omega, but only used it for several > months. I really don't juice much anymore. > Any of the juices I really like are too much sugar > (like the carrot or beet juices). There are > some uses for the pulp, but not enough in my > opinion. I couldn't stand throwing away all > that stuff anymore. I have a friend who makes her > " green " juices/smoothies in a blender > every morning (she's not raw), and it works great > for her. > > 2. I have a $10 blender from Target. I thought it > was small and lousy. Then I bought a $50 > Cuisinart blender and that didn't work much better. > So I thought it too was small an lousy. > Then I bought a $150 Viking blender. THAT blender > performs the LOUSIEST of 'em all!!! > And is the least user-friendly. So I find myself > using the Cuisinart first, the other one > second, and the Viking last. I have never owned, > seen, nor tried the vitamix. It would be > MY opinion that you do not need a vitamix. > > 3. I bought a 5-tray ex-calibur dehydrator and use > it a lot less than I thought I would. It's > very time consuming to prepare recipes and use. So > if I have an entire weekend free, I will > make some crackers, chips, or gourmet meals, but I > found really and truly the only thing I > personally rely upon on a regular basis is one of my > cheap blenders for frozen fruit > smoothies and almond milk. > > 4. I do like the cuisinart food processor I've had > for years. Before raw, I used it for any > number of things. Now I use it to make a gourmet > meal or treat, but in my opinion, not a > high priority. > > But I would not have said these things back in > January, when I so badly wanted all these > things. It's during the transition where I think > they are most helpful. Now if I eat breakfast > at all, it's an apple or the rare frozen berry & > banana smoothie (or the chocolate almond > milk/milkshake), and then salad & fruits for lunch, > and salad and fruits for dinner. Maybe > some cashew/mac cheese. > > What I think we are all coming to realize is that > everyone has a uniquely different raw food > experience and you will just have to find what works > best for you and your current > lifestyle. > > > > __ Photos is now offering a quality print service from just 7p a photo. http://uk.photos. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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