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Kitchen Equipment Alternatives!?

I’ve noticed that many people, especially those who are new to raw, do not have all the equipment needed to make some of the lovely raw recipes listed on this site (and elsewhere). I know money can play major factor here… there are also some students (and others) who don’t have the space for all the basic equipment. So I felt it would be beneficial for us to unite and create a post dedicated to alternative options for kitchen equipment: things people can use in place of basic equipment.

Here are some examples:

I saw this idea on youtube. I own a spiral slicer but found this to be very interesting. His pasta came out great…

If you don’t own a spiral slicer used to make raw pasta noodles, INSTEAD, you can use a vegetable peeler

I also saw this idea on youtube. This guy made a good sized glass of wheatgrass juice simply by using a blender and cheesecloth…

If you don’t own a wheatgrass juicer, INSTEAD, blend the wheatgrass in a high quality blender, transfer to cheesecloth and squeeze the juice out

Earlier I made a smoothie with an assortment of lovely vegetables. I don’t own a Vitamix so I had to be creative here. I do own a juicer and a blender. I had to use both of those to unite the pulp/fiber and juice itself together, as well as the ice and other ingredients added. I should really invest in a Vitamix, it’s one of the only things I don’t have for raw preparation. Anyhow, the smoothie came out great and the dishes were well worth it.

I’d love to see you all add some of your alternative-kitchen-equipment-secrets. We can really help each other out as a community by coming together and sharing tips and techniques, don’t you think?

Blessings And Raw Bellies That Smile! Pink TuTu Twirls, Johnny

Ps. Not sure if this topic has already been discussed but it’s worth another shot if it has!

Comments

  • evergreenevergreen Raw Master

    great topic! i’m sure we will all learn a few things:)

    you can easily peel fresh ginger by using the “bowl ” of a teaspoon:)

    try these if you can’t find a nut milk bag.

    learn about solar dehydrating

    here is a link for a home made dehydrator :)

  • Evergreen, I’m your soup stalker! I seriously have your fall soup picture saved on my desktop blush It’s so beautiful though. I just love the art in your food/recipes!!! I am going to buy some of the spice ingredients needed to make that soup. I can’t wait to try it.

    Ginger grater by spoon, how wonderful!

  • evergreenevergreen Raw Master

    hi!,...now you are making me blush…thanks for the compliment, like you I do enjoy “the celebration” of good food :) and btw, you can make that soup using whatever spice you have:)

  • RawDance, this is a great topic. I don’t particularily like dehydrating food, so I don’t own a dehydrator. I live in Toronto, Canada and most of the time the weather here isn’t sufficient for drying naturally. I also live in an apartment building and I don’t have a balcony for drying. I miss eating bread and crackers, it would be so great to find an alternative to make either other than dehydrating. I posted a thread about it a while ago but it wasn’t very successful.

  • best way of pitting olives – squish n’ pit

    squish with the heel of your hand, then peel away the olive from pit.

  • Another alternative to nut milk bags: Cut about 8” off the bottom of a pair of pantyhose. Boil it to get rid of nasty bacteria and chemicals. Put it in the glass, pitcher, or jar with the top stretched around the mouth of the glass, pitcher, or jar. It works wonderfully! I actually just did this about half an hour ago.

  • Branwyn32Branwyn32 Raw Newbie

    Wonderful topic! And very helpful since all I have is an average blender and a tiny tiny food processor. If anyone has ideas for ways to dehydrate, I will be eternally grateful! I’m wondering if I can use the oven…the lowest labelled temp is 250, but the dial goes well beyond that before you get to “off.”

  • Branwyn-I sometimes use my oven. I left my dehydrator back home when I moved because all my material possessions had to fit in the back seat of a tiny two door car! Silly me! I wasn’t planning on becoming raw at that time or I would have made room for it! :( I might actually have my former roommate send it to me!!

    Ok, back on topic…I have used my oven a couple times. The lowest setting is 150* so I usually turn it up to that, then when it gets warm, I turn it down as much as I can where I can still feel heat coming from it. Then I put the food in. It is a pain and takes a long time and it probably isn’t 100% raw, but better than full cooking I guess. Oh, and I leave the oven door partially open. Hope that helps!

  • springleafspringleaf Raw Newbie

    I just read this post on the vacume sealers thread, it was by bluedolohin but I dont know how to quote.

    I know some people are petrified to use a mandoline, but they do work for cutting corn off the cob. :)

    I think this is a really good tip cus whenever I try it it goes everywhere!!

  • That’s a great idea for corn

    and Quiora: pantyhose, this made me chuckle SO hard – I LOVE IT, what a great idea!!!

  • springleafspringleaf Raw Newbie

    Also

    http://therawchefblog.com/the-most-important-pi…

    This link is for Russell James (who made the latest batch of recipies that have just been added) As he rightly points out, lets not get carried away here, what we really need is a good kitchem knife!

  • springleafspringleaf Raw Newbie

    http://therawchefblog.com/the-most-important

    -piece-of-kitchen-equipment-youll-ever-own/

    Dont understand why this won’t post in one bit?! I will try two bits…

  • ok, fastest and easiest way to make yummy salsa:

    1. gather ALL of your ingredients together, washed and place in a large bowl (biggest one you can find)

    2. find a helicopter ready for take off

    3. toss everything up into the air, allowing the ‘copter blades to do all of your chopping!

    4. catch your yummy salsa in the bowl as gravity takes it’s place, and season with salt/pepper

    LOL!!!! Trust me…. if you have access to a helicopter…. you gotta try this.

  • thecavsmanthecavsman Raw Newbie

    Problem is, there are probably chemicals on the helicopter blades

  • greenghostgreenghost Raw Newbie

    I don’t have a mandoline or a spiralizer either. I just use a flat cheese grater. It works great (especially for making Zucchini noodles)... and I believe I got it at the dollar store.

  • stacey i love you and your hellicoper. your raw chocolates are even better though.

  • i use a hand zester for zucchini noodles. it gives them a perfect spaghetti shape but unfortunately wastes a little bit.

    for dehydrating, i bought an oven thermometer to see how warm my oven is when it’s not even on. many ovens are warm, especially older ovens, without even being turned on – mine’s like 100 degrees! so i usually “dehydrate” in there, although it takes a little longer than suggested.

    my blender just busted, so if anyone has any subs for that… that would be great. using the food processor just leaks food-colored water everywhere if i try to make anything damp with it!

  • WinonaWinona Raw Newbie

    bronwyn – I read that you miss eating crackers. I order DELISH ones from http://www.livinspoonful.com/shop.html

    If you don’t have a dehydrator, I think you should make your burgers and eat them straight. Many of them are very yummy as pates, no need to dry them.

  • If you are between a blender and a food processor, you can use a Blendtec blender for just about anything that a food processor can do. You have to experiment a bit, but it works. Plus, it doesn’t leak liquid all over the place like my nice KitchenAid FP does!

    Before I got my Blendtec, I made a lot of green smoothies in an ordinary Oster. I did a LOT more chopping – and sometimes peeling – than I do now, but it worked pretty well.

    Vitamineral Green is a good sub. for blended greens if you don’t have a powerful blender. You could do fruit and this stuff for quite a while with a $20 blender. You could also manually juice oranges with your fist and then all you’d need for equipment would be a glass and a spoon!

    If you have a friend w/ a dehydrator and high-powered blender, you could try drying and then powdering foods at their place so you can stir them up by hand at your place. This works well for travel, too. I’ve done berries, tomatoes and dates all as powder. You could also do Kale, Broccoli and most leafy herbs this way.

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