delaluna
Raw Newbie
Hi folks,
I've been considering to buy a dehydrator but just wanted to ask around - how often do you use it? Is it essential? Do you find it really helpful in staying raw?
My diet is mostly fruits and veggies... I don't really eat any complicated raw gourmets. Couple years ago I did 80/10/10 for a year and ate tons of bananas. But after a year, the daily eating became so monotonous that I started eating cooked vegan again. Now I'm back to raw, trying to make eating more interesting and fun... should I buy a dehydrator? Or will I just sit in the kitchen collect dust? I also have a vitamix (use it often) and a food processor. The food processor is already collecting dust.
Thanks so much~~
Comments
I have one and I actually don't use it much, nor do I like a lot of the things I dehydrate. I know there is potential to make awesomeness w/ a D, but we're just not friends, my D and me :D
appifanie, what kind of things did you dehydrate that you didnt like?
thanks sv3! I finally got one~ Kale chips, yum~
What's the best dehydrator to get? I mean what should I be looking for? Any help would be appreciated.
Steve
it's great to have a dehydrator for transitioning when you're craving chips, burgers, crackers... It really helped me get thru the first few month. I lean towards craving savory, salty foods rather than sweet. If you lean towards sweet cravings, you'd probably do fine without.
Now I eat alot cleaner, juices and salads, so I mainly just use it for dehydrating nuts and warming food in the winter--oh, and the occasional pizza crust or coconut wrap.
I have a 9-tray excaliber. I for sure would have been fine with the 4 tray instead. I got one of the discounted "factory blemished" ones from excaliber on their ebay site, looks and works perfect.
retrying! i tried to post this a bunch of times but i kept getting a weird spam warning.
i've made breads and crackers and chips of kale, banana, zucchini. i didn't find any of them really worth the effort.
oh and i have a 6 tray good4u (aka the excalibur rip off). i got it from a company called evolution health, and they were very nice. my D didn't come with a timer, but now it has one! sad.
How do some folks warm up dishes like soups or liquid stuff in the dehydrator? Can I just take out the trays and use it microwave-safe bowl or plate?
From your experiences, if you dehydrate soaked nuts overnight... does the nuts have a mild aroma similar to roasted nuts? Or, does it still taste like raw dried nuts?
delaluna, the nuts do change flavor a bit yes. More roasted...I find it varies from nut to nut. They certainly change texture, I love the the crunchiness of sprouted almonds--those are soaked and then left to germinate for a day or so (rinsing 3 times a day). They have to be unpasturized nuts tho obviously.
I used to buy those roasted sesame tahini's, and it tasted so gooood~ but now the raw version is quite bland, especially when I try to make the black sesame tahini. I'm thinking if I sprout it, then dehydrate it, maybe it will give me a similar aroma? Will keep you posted :) My dehydrator is finaaaaly here today!
if you're not 100% you can cheat in a few drops of toasted sesame oil for that roasted flavor--that's what I do.
hey folks, i need your help!
i just got my dehydrator - i tried dehydrating bananas and cherry tomatoes - but they didn't turn out so well. I dehydrated them at 115 for 15hrs, but still not dry??? The cherry tomatoes (i cut in half) still had lots of water in it???
I sliced the bananas super thin... should i turn the temperature higher?
Hi, thinking of getting a dehydrator, but I am worried about bugs, as I live in Maui can be very warm, any thoughts?