Of course, there are bound to be a couple of things you need and if you start incorporating raw food into your habits then decide that you want to switch to 100% like myself you will need to consider spending some money, but it is money well spent and money you will recoup back very quickly when you count up the $$$ you save by not buying take away dinners, that morning latte, lunch on the run etc. I love the fact I can withdraw $20 on a Monday and still see it there on a Thursday!
To keep my food attractive, interesting and enticing, I spend time on presentation. You don't have to as much as what I may do, but I find it adds to the love and intention and gives you pride when you stand back and go, "Shit, did I do that?!", when others tell you how scrumptious it was, and when the kids eat kale and other healthy foods with a smile on their face and without really knowing!
Make sure you have a clean work area and a bit of space, you don't need a lot, but clear out the mobile phone charger to somewhere else, put the vase of flowers on the table, dishes away, get your jar of utensils nearby, have the things you need within reach etc. Give yourself clear space and convenience to create the magic. Don't make it hard for yourself... again, a convenient excuse.
What's in my kitchen?
There is no need to buy the most expensive of anything. Where it matters on quality, I'll suggest it, but for the rest, get what you can from Red Dot, Spotlight, Big W, pound shops, eBay or wherever you can for cheap!- At least 2-3 good sized chopping boards
- Sharp knives for vegetables and fruit, at least one large and one small
- Vegetable peeler
- Hand held juice extractor
- Food processor
- Blender
- Mandoline, or vegetable slicer & vege noodle maker
- Bench top scraps bin
- Juicer (optional in the beginning)
- Dehydrator
What I use a lot is the food processor. Eating raw greens can sound off putting enough, but by chopping them finely and mixing up in recipes with other things, you would never even know! If you can afford a top of the range, then I'm jealous, but go for it! I purchased one on special for AUD $99 which is doing a great job. You need good sharp blades and decent grunt in the Kw, especially when you start to process things with dates which become very sticky like a dough.
The model I purchased from a local electrical store is a Phillips-HR7762-90 which came with a blender jug also and a variety of blades and accessories.
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| Phillips -HR7762-90 Food Processor |
This little juice extractor is amazing and it cost AUD $2! A lot of recipes will require juice of half a lemon or lime so it's quick, easy and only needs a quick rinse to clean!
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| Hand held juice extractor |
Two other wonderful tools I use a lot are the Veggie Twister and the Veggie Slicer. I use these to finely slice up beetroot or other vegetables for crisps, or to make noodles out of zucchini (which is a staple evening meal). If you can afford a mandoline that can do all of these functions with different blades and adjustments, then that's your best option. Prices vary but generally around AUD $80. I still find the Twister so easy to use and extremely easy to clean, and that cost me AUD $30. The small little manual slicer cost me AUD $15 which gives me the thinly sliced veg for crisps. Ask at your local home or kitchen store and they will know what you are looking for.
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| Vegetable Twister |
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| Mandoline |
Not having a dehydrator isn't an excuse not to try raw eating. You don't 'have' to have the breads, desserts, biscuits, and myriad of other things the dehydrator can do for you when you first start out. You can also choose to use your oven, on the lowest possible temperature and leave the door open an inch to keep the heat no greater than 50 degrees. I personally chose to buy one when I started, but I made the switch to 100% raw straight off the bat without any kind of slow introduction to it. That's not for everyone, that's just my style.
Remember it's not an all or nothing thing, and this is a life change so take your time and do what is right for you, both health wise, mentally and financially! It's the only way to make change truly stick. I honestly believe this is one change you will make that will bring something wonderful to your life. So... deviating off track there, back to dehydrators! Again, no need to buy the best out there. You may have heard of the Excalibur? I didn't get that. I went to eBay and purchased one a lot cheaper instead and I love it, it works well, it has ten trays and, touch wood, has never let me down so far!
What I will say is that the small round dehydrators are really not ideal if you're going to do breads and using it often. They require regular rotation of trays and just don't have the even heat distribution of the types where the fan is at the back of the stack of trays (compared to at the bottom blowing upwards).
Here's some options for you to ponder:
The Excalibur Excalibur Dehydrator at around AUD $450.
The Sunfood from Savannah Sue on eBay Sunfood Dehydrator for around AUD $180.
Juicing is important, however it's not vital in the beginning. Remember that juices bought in bottles are not the kind of juice you want - only fresh all the way. When you are ready to buy a juicer try to get a masticating juicer with rollers/blades rather than the centrifugal type (spinning mesh) which give you more foam than juice. They also can handle the vegetables and wheatgrass and vegetable juices are where the secret is at.
Remember it's not an all or nothing thing, and this is a life change so take your time and do what is right for you, both health wise, mentally and financially! It's the only way to make change truly stick. I honestly believe this is one change you will make that will bring something wonderful to your life. So... deviating off track there, back to dehydrators! Again, no need to buy the best out there. You may have heard of the Excalibur? I didn't get that. I went to eBay and purchased one a lot cheaper instead and I love it, it works well, it has ten trays and, touch wood, has never let me down so far!
What I will say is that the small round dehydrators are really not ideal if you're going to do breads and using it often. They require regular rotation of trays and just don't have the even heat distribution of the types where the fan is at the back of the stack of trays (compared to at the bottom blowing upwards).
Here's some options for you to ponder:
The Excalibur Excalibur Dehydrator at around AUD $450.
The Sunfood from Savannah Sue on eBay Sunfood Dehydrator for around AUD $180.
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| Excalibur dehydrator |
Juicing is important, however it's not vital in the beginning. Remember that juices bought in bottles are not the kind of juice you want - only fresh all the way. When you are ready to buy a juicer try to get a masticating juicer with rollers/blades rather than the centrifugal type (spinning mesh) which give you more foam than juice. They also can handle the vegetables and wheatgrass and vegetable juices are where the secret is at.
There are so many out there to choose from and again, it depends on budget, but you don't have to have one to start to eat raw. Juices simply give you a wonderful source of nutrition in a glass and add to the variety of your menu. I would highly recommend at least one juice a day, but budget for it from the savings you make cutting out fast food, and before you know it, you'll have one.
When you're ready, discuss your needs with the consultants and they can recommend what is best for you. There's a juicer guide below as well as links to some good sites when you're ready to juice it up!
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| Juicer guide |
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