Hi,
My name is Thomas and I am bran new to this site and to raw eating.I wanted to introduce myself,see how this message board works and ask a few questions.Also,since I so new,if there is something you think that would help me to know in general or about this site and the message board then please share.

I have a few questions:
My goal as of now is to consume 70 to 75 percent raw food daily.What are the basics you would tell someone bran new?
What tools do I need to buy? I do have a very high end champion juicer(made carrot juice w/ an orange 2day.) I also have a regular blender. I was thinking about buying a dehydrator but am unsure what kind to get? Is there annything else like a turbo mixer or something.I have between 300 to 500 dollars to spend.Is that enough money to get started?

Last,for right now: There r a couple of foods & I dont know if they are rawtevia(the sweetner)Rasians that you buy in a regular supermarket?
Thanks,
Thomas

How do you like your champion juicer? How long have you used it?

Hey kangen,

I like the champion.The clean up so is not so fun but overall,I am glad I bought it.
You have a juicer?

Thomas

Hi Thomas,

Welcome to the forum!

I can think of a number of tools to enhance your raw foods kitchen, but how you choose to spend your money will depend somewhat on the type and amount of "uncooking" you plan to do. In my case, I enjoy experimenting with gourmet recipes, which typically require a food processor, dehydrator, and/or a high-speed blender.

Food processors are easy to come by and often are on sale at local department stores. I have a basic Cuisinart model that has held up well for several years. I believe it cost around $100 on sale. Also, a small electric coffee grinder ($20-$40) comes in handy for grinding nuts, grains, seeds, and spices.

The item I could least live without is my Vita-Mix, especially for making green smoothies. It has performed perfectly under constant use for the past six years and is way more powerful and versatile than a standard blender. Since you already own a blender, use it for now, but my guess is that if you continue with a high-raw diet, you will eventually want to step up to a Vita-Mix or a comparable high-speed blender.

Currently, the most popular dehydrator among raw food eaters is the Excalibur. It has easy-to-handle square trays and comes in several sizes, with the smallest model costing just over $100. I've had the 5-tray model for over six years, and it has been problem-free. If you do get an Excalibur, I suggest you also order a package of Teflex sheets. These are reusable, non-stick sheets made specifically for the Excalibur dehydrator on which you can place wet and sticky foods during the initial dehydration process. They are indispensable for some recipes.

Other fun items you might consider buying later on:
spiral slicer - a hand-operated device that converts vegetables such as zucchini or Butternut squash into raw angel hair pasta
sprout/milk bag - a synthetic drawstring bag useful for sprouting seeds on the go and for making nut milks

By the way, the Marketplace section of this (Living and Raw Foods) website offers good deals on some of the previously mentioned items and great service!

Have fun!
Arlene

Thanks Arlene 4all great tips!

Very thero-complete!Will check out tool 4angelhairpasta!!

?
1-Can I buy a vit a mix instead of food processor or do they do separate things?

2 If I can use vit a mix-can you recommend a low end one that will still last and can u do more than make smoothies w/ them? Hearing alot of various opionions on them.

3-Ready 2 crack my 1st coconut.Mainstream says their more trouble than worth.Can u offer any ideas on cracking it w/ least troulble and tools needed if any?

Thanks
Thomas-KIS

Hi Thomas,

Regarding your questions....

1 - The Vita-Mix and a food processor can sometimes be used for similar functions, but the Vita-Mix is more for homogenizing and the food processor is more for grating, chopping, and coarsely blending foods. I use both just about every day.

2 - Vita-Mix is the only high-power blender I have tried, and I don't know of a low-end model. Do you live in a major metropolitan area? Often you can find them used on Craig's List or in the Classifieds section of this website. In addition to making smoothies, I use my Vita-Mix for making salad dressings, soups, sauces, puddings, icings, batter for various dehydrator recipes, and nut/seed milks and cheeses. Also, if you purchase the additional dry container, you can use the Vita-Mix as a grinder for dry nuts, seeds, and grains.

3 - As you mentioned, opening young coconuts is probably the biggest deterrent to eating them! By the way, young coconuts (the kind with the white husk with a point on top) are more delicious and reportedly more nutritious to eat than the mature, brown ones. If you are comfortable using a machete or a cleaver (I'm not), you can just make three or four cuts across the top (keeping your hands well out of the way and not touching the coconut!) and lift off the cut portion to pour out the liquid and scoop out the "meat."

I prefer two other methods for opening them. Both start by using a medium-sized sturdy knife with a pointy tip to trim off as much excess husk as will come off easily and quickly. Then:
Method 1 - Jab the point of the knife into the coconut horizontally, a little ways down from the top, and use a sawing motion to cut out a horizontal, circular "cap," which can then be lifted off.
Method 2 - Use a hammer and Phillips screwdriver to pound a small opening along each of the three suture lines on top of the coconut, about 1 inch from the outer edge. Then, insert the screwdriver into one of the holes and use it as a lever to pry off the top.

One other point about young coconuts--sometimes on opening them you will discover that the flesh and liquid have a pinkish-purple discoloration. I've heard various opinions about what this means and have concluded that it is NOT a good thing. My best guess is that the coconut is moldy or otherwise tainted, and I discard these.

Arlene