Hello all!

I couldn't find the best place to post this. I have just decided to go raw. I will be slowly getting into it so I don't end up backing out if I jump right in.
I will be doing some shopping this weekend. But I think I need to have a few appliances first. Could someone list for me the things I will be needing? Keeping in mind I am just starting on this. I'm also a part time student and work full time. So money is a factor. What suggestions do you have that I should get this weekend for starters? Oh and if there is anyone in the North Dallas, Texas area that has an appliance they'd like to sell that would help also.

Thanks soooo much!!
Stacy

you dont really need anything at all really but i know i started off wiht a

blender so i could make smoothies (try and get one that can at least pulse ice)

then a juicer for juicing , ideally a greenstar or something along that line but if all you can afford is a 40$ juicer then its good enough to get you started before investing in a $200-400 machine

then a dehydrator for making fancy stuff

maybe budget 1 small appliance per month

some good knives will be beneficial for sure ifyou dont have already

oh...

and a small army of tupperwear

try looking/posting on craigslist in your area under the freebie section or FREECYCLE in your area for freebies

ive gotten alot of things for free at both places

...Jodi, the banana eating buddhist

for me my 2 biggest "appliances" are my juicer which for the time being and the past 2 or 3 years has been a jack lalanne...not sure if i spelled that correctly power juicer which costed me 100 bucks at walmart. i also am utilizing my blender more for smoothies and raw soups and sauces and stuff like that....smoothies being the biggest. for some people green juices are not easy to swallow and kale blends very nicely with bananas and other fruits and tastes really yummy those are my can`t live withouts. welcome to the group. i am a newbie also.....about 6 weeks in and probably around 90% rw.
patty

My first month I only had a blender. I used it for smoothies and then ate fresh fruit and salads for the rest. I use my blender every day. The food processor is next for me...for making dressings, puddings, and raw desserts. I use my food processor about 2 times a week. The dehydrator is an extra. I've yet to make anything in it I couldn't live without. I use my juicer mostly for my husband, maybe 2x a week. So to conclude...the #1 item that is a must have for me is my blender...got it from Wal-mart, Black & Decker, about $35. and it does a great job with ice.

This is my first week as well. I have a blender and food processor!
I was wondering if the dehydrator is a must item. If so any recommendations...

In addition, I am looking for great recipe books or any resources that will aid here as well.

Does anyone have any feedback on Alissa Cohen's cookbook - I heard her on a local radio station... any recommendations?

Thanks kindly,
Jay

I have an excalibur dehydrator. I haven't had a whole lot of success with dehydrating foods other than flax seed crackers. I use it about 1x a week right now. I want to experiment more as I have the time and the funds. I hate throwing food out that is ruined or uneatable. I also have Alissa Cohen's book. She has a raw replacement for many comfort-type cooked foods. Again, I experiment as I have the time and money. Most of what I've made, I really like. My non-raw husband and best friend love her raw desserts. I try to make a new one every week and share it. The book is a little pricey but an overall good buy. I have bought several other books and I like hers the best so far. I also checked out all the raw cookbooks available through the public library system so I could get an idea of what I wanted to purchase.

I've yet to dehydrate anything. I've warmed things at 100 degrees in a pizza/toaster oven for a few hours, but only once or twice.

It was my good fortune to be given two juicers: one basket type that I wore out and then to my rescue came a well-used champion which I'm still using.

My blender is a just okay Black and Decker; nothing fancy and doesn't really do the job as well as I'd like, but for the time being I get alot of mileage out of it. In fact, most of the time I use it instead of my food processor, which is very small.

In other words, fancy or top of the line equipment isn't essential. Nice, but not essential. I prepare really nice food with what I have now, so no complaints. (tonight I did a raw pad thai that was incredible)

I couldn't live without my manual citrus juicer, mandoline or garlic press, but right now, on my budget, I concentrate on purchasing the best food that I can rather than investing in quality equipment. If money were no object I'd have it all, but ya know...

...it will come,

khale

I'm in agreement with islandgirl. If I had to choose two of the cheaper appliances that I use most often, it would be a good blender and food processor.

-Smile

Hi

The following I have listed in order of importance to have.

1. Chef’s Knife
The thing you’ll be doing the most when prepping Raw food is….chopping. So, get a fantastic chef’s knife for yourself. I can’t emphasize this enough. The brand I prefer and use at home is MAC. A great place to start is a knife that is 6-8 inches in length. Along with this, get an inexpensive knife sharpener.

2. Blender
When you're starting out, you can use any blender. As you start making more Raw foods with nuts and seeds, it's very helpful to have a high-powered blender. My first choice is the brand Blendtec and my second choice is Vitamix. I have both of these and I always use my Blendtec first. It’s easier to clean, has a digital display and panel, and it’s fantastic.

3. Food Processor
12 or 14-cup is the best choice, because you’ll end up using it. I also highly recommend getting the extra discs (1mm, 2mm, fine, shredding). I like both Cuisinart and Kitchen Aid.

4. Juicer
If you’re going to juice a lot, which I highly recommend if you’re looking the highest health possible, then get an excellent juicer. The only brand I recommend is the Green Star. It juices wheatgrass so you don’t need to buy a separate wheat grass jucer. The twin gears used to extract the juice maintain the integrity of the juice so it doesn't oxidize immediately. This way, you can make a juice and store it in the refrigerator for the day if you want (even 2-3 days studies show). If you use the centrifugal type juicer, you have to drink it immediately or it oxidizes.

5. Dehydrator
Excalibur is by far the best company. I highly recommend buying the 9-tray model instead of the 5-tray because you’ll end up using all 9-trays. Trust me. There are so many things you can make with a dehydrator. Make sure you also get the teflex non-stick sheets for each tray.

6. Spiralizer or the Benriner Turning Slicer
You’ll use this to make vegetable pasta. The Spiralizer is a wonderful and inexpensive tool that is a “must have” for your Raw food kitchen. The spiralizer is much less expensive than the Benriner Turning Slicer. However, the Benriner Turning Slicer offers you different blades to make a few different size noodles. It’s of higher quality, too. I like them both, and prefer the Benriner Turning Slicer because there is more you can do with it. However, I have both and the Spiralizer works great.

These represent the main tools to have in your kitchen. You'll also want some things like:
offset spatula
nut milk bags
garlic press
microplane
mason jars for sprouting and storing

Hope this helps!
Cheers!

Kristen Suzanne
--
www.KristensRaw.com
www.KristensRaw.blogspot.com

Does everybody get all fancy with recipes and dehydrating and all that? Or do some of you just plain eat fruit and raw veggies and make salads?

Most meals I eat plain fruits and veggies, or make salads. At my current stage (about 1 month raw), I am enjoying doing some of the fancy stuff some of the time. I've always done a lot of cooking, and occasionally spending several hours in the kitchen making things is one of the ways I center myself, and I enjoy making dishes I can share with my family who would not consider anything completely unprocessed to be dinner.

Since I started raw I've bought a dehydrator and a mandoline slicer. Neither is strictly necessary, but I enjoy them both. I already had a food processor, spice grinder, cheap blender, and cheap juicer, which are also not strictly necessary but have also been useful for my processed raw dishes. The appliance I use least is currently the juicer, but I'm hoping to get more into juicing, and am starting to grow some wheat grass.

plain ole food...sauces and soups are pretty much the only time i get "fancy" it can be as easy or as hard as you make it
patty

it's nice to have options...the plain whole foods are easy, accessib;e and require no preparation...but if you have the time & energy to get fancy, you can...which I do once or twice a week

I definitely do a mixture of both. Sometimes just because I'm short on time, I eat plain fruit and veggies. When I have a little more time, I'll make fabulous meals. Or, depends on the season. In the summer because it's hotter, I tend to eat more fruit and food that's lower fat.

Kristen Suzanne
--
www.KristensRaw.com
www.KristensRaw.blogspot.com

ladypeace82
A sharp knife and sharpener would be top of my list.

I started with a cheap juicer and blender (capable of crushing ice)

The first expensive item that i bought was a nine tray Excalibur which i rarely use now as my body does not react well to dehydrated/ raw gourmet style foods.

Enjoy