Raw Vegan Kitchen Essentials

The Well-Stocked Kitchen

The well-stocked kitchen makes for convenient and hassle-free food preparation. Take time to experiment with new and unfamiliar ingredients; it is fun to learn about new foods and herbs and they can greatly enhance your culinary experience. If they aren’t available at your local farmers’ market, co-op or health food store (most are now), try the internet where you will most certainly find everything! Organic and local foods are ideal choices; growing your own is even better.

Juicer

A juicer that does more than just juicing is ideal, not only because it is more versatile but also because the gears on these juicers turn more slowly, generating less heat and resulting in a fresher and more nutritious product. We recommend a twin-gear or single-auger juicer. With either of these juicers, you can make patés, nut butters, cookie batter and ice cream, as well as juice.

Blender

Unlike a juicer, a blender processes at a much higher speed and does not separate the fiber from the juice of the food product. A blender is used to make items such as dressings, soups, sauces, puddings and smoothies. A high quality blender such as the K-Tec Champ HP3 or Vita-Mix will make raw life much easier! You can even grind spices and nuts in such blenders, and any blended mixture will be smoother and more evenly combined.

Food Processor

A food processor is piece of equipment is generally used for chopping or for combining thick mixtures such as salsas, spreads and sauces. Some very thick sauces or mixtures, where a chunky consistency is desired, are perfect for a food processor. Many food processors have attachments for slicing and shredding. Most will be adequate for raw food preparation; however, two things to look for and keep in mind are the sharpness of the blade and the capacity of the food processor bowl. We recommend an 11-cup capacity for average household use.

Food Dehydrator

A food dehydrator is very helpful in assisting you to remain on raw food. It will add to the enjoyment of your living foods program by adding creative differences in texture, appearance and flavor. A dehydrator simply removes water. The changes you can expect when dehydrating food include shrinkage, concentration of flavor, crunchy or chewy textures, longer shelf life, and darker color. Dehydration can add a “cooked” appeal without actually cooking food. It is important that you remember to dehydrate foods at or below 115 degrees Fahrenheit or 40.5 degrees Celsius. At this temperature the enzymes are not being lost due to heat, so the food is technically still raw.

Spice Grinder

A spice grinder (a.k.a. coffee grinder) is useful for grinding whole spices, small quantities of nuts, and flax seeds. You can even grind your own our from dried sprouted grains or nuts. While either of the strong blenders mentioned will grind, we’ve found that the spice grinder uses less electricity and generates less heat. Simply use smaller quantities in the spice grinder. is tool can be found at most stores that sell home goods.

Spiralizer

If you ever liked pasta and noodles, you will want a spiralizer. Use any root vegetable or squash to turn out pasta in a minute! With certain models, you can also choose different sizes for your noodles and make beautiful ribbons as well. Prices range from $30 – $100.

Utensils

Sharp knives with which you are comfortable contribute to a far more enjoyable experience in the kitchen. We prefer ceramic knives because they have cleaner edges, are lighter, cause less oxidation of the food, and have prolonged edge retention. For most people a chef ’s knife, paring knife and serrated knife (slicer) are adequate.

Other Recommended Gadgets:

salad spinner strainer

colanders

large mixing bowls

funnel

peeler

measuring cups and spoons

large cutting board

spatulas (rubber and o set)

glass jars with lids

garlic press

kitchen shears

sprout bag (a mesh bag that is also called a nut-milk bag)

mandolin