Five kitchen tools that make life easier
There are certain things that just make life flow smoothly. In a previous life, for me these things may have included cab charges, three-minute rice meals, and access to our magazine’s beauty cupboard. These days, it’s certain items of kitchen equipment.
You know your priorities have changed when you spend breaks between work scouring online raw food stores and The Book Depository instead of Perez Hilton and TMZ. Even more so when you save your pennies for things like a Le Cruset pot set and a Vitamix blender instead of designer clothes and alcohol and drug-fuelled night’s out.
Here are five of the best purchases we’ve ever made …
1. The Spirooli
Aka, a vegetable spiraliser or spiralling tool. This is the awesome piece of equipment we use to turn the humble ol’ zucchini into beautiful spaghetti. It also makes spirally carrot, potato, and anything else you wish to feed through it. You can buy them here.
2. The salad spinner
Before I bought Mum a salad spinner she would wash our lettuce and then spend ages patting it dry with paper towelling. Not any more! This item cuts salad preparation time down by heaps. Ikea and most kitchen shops stock them, and you can also buy online here.
3. The Tribest Personal Blender
This was my boyfriend’s birthday present this year, but every one of us in our house uses this beauty on a daily basis. We make smoothies, creamed corn, hummus, dips, chocolate, and other delicious desserts. The best part about it is that there is hardly any cleaning up involved. You make and drink the smoothie out of the same cup! Buy here or here.
4. The Le Cruset pot
For vegetables to retain the most amount of nutrients, they have to be cooked on very low heat and preferably not with any water. We cook our veggies for lunch and dinner in this cast iron Le Cruset pot. We just add chopped up tomato and onion to the bottom of the pot, and cook on low until they’re done. The heavy lid and heavy base prevent steam from escaping and prevent the veggies from burning. We picked ours up from Myer.
5. The Norwalk cold-press juicer (main picture)
This machine is amazing. I know it’s pricey and weighs a tonne, but I still think this is the best purchase we’ve ever made. Ever. Well, apart from Edie, my adorable pug dog. This thing makes the best-tasting juice (all juice, absolutely no pulp), and is powerful enough to juice greens with ease. I recently went away for a couple of days and had to take our old juicer with me (it’s much more mobile), but the juice just didn’t taste the same and I hurt my neck trying to push kale through it. If you aren’t ready to make this much of an investment in juicing just yet, there are other more affordable options. The Angel and The Champion are both great. However, if you’re serious about juicing for health, The Norwalk is definitely worth saving up for. We like to think of the financial outlay as medical insurance.
Are there any pieces of kitchen equipment that you think I need to know about? Anything that makes your life easier?
Positive affirmation for the day: I pay close attention to the signs and symptoms my body is using to communicate with me.
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POSTED IN: blender, cooking, juicer, kitchen, Le Cruset, Nowalk Juicer, salad spinner, Spirooli, Tribest Personal Blender
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I would love to know what you make your smoothies with as dairy isn’t allowed on Gerson. Also, I didn’t know you we were allowed to juice Kale. I would love to add it, but it isn’t on the approved list. I must admit sometimes I stray a bit because I can’t find very many of the veggies in our area that are on the list!
Hi Susanelizabeth,
We use green leaves + fruit to make the smoothies. Stay tuned for tomorrow’s post – it will reveal everything you need to know to make the perfect green smoothie.
Kale isn’t on the list by Dr Ramos gave us the green light to use it in our juices as we can’t get a lot of the ingredients here in Oz.
That’s great as I can’t get very many of them either. Can you tell me if there are others that are approved that aren’t on the list? I can’t get escarole, endive and others. At times, I can’t get green or fuji apples, either. Will be looking forward to tomorrow’s post about the smoothies!
So you follow Dr. Ramos on stuff that Charlotte Gerson says not to do?
Hi Kristi,
Dr Ramos works for Charlotte. He is my Gerson doctor and I do follow his advice.
Yes, I know who he is. I’m currently at the clinic with my husband.
Oh great!
Well since I left the clinic Dr Ramos has been my doctor. We aren’t able to get anything for the green juices apart from cabbage, capsicum and Swiss chard. So Dr Ramos said those of us in Australia and NZ can substitute with kale and Cos lettuce. I am pretty sure Charlotte would have approved this.
I asked Charlotte Gerson about Kale and other things in the green juice during one of our private meetings with her. She picked our book up off the floor and said “Read what this says. These and no others. So what does that mean?” lol
A certain person was telling a couple at the clinic they could add celery to the green juice. Charlotte said the only time that is allowed is when someone’s sodium level is too low.
Cos lettuce is Romaine lettuce (by Wikipedia definition) and is approved by Dr. Max Gerson.
Even the handout Felix gives out at the clinic during the juicing demonstration says (NO OTHERS) in large print.
thank yo so much …. have been meaning to ask about the juicer for ages : ) Now can you tell me why pulp is bad ?
Hi Kris, pulp isn’t necessarily “bad”, but it slows down the absorption of the nutrients in the juice. This is the difference between juices and smoothies. When we drink juice in order to heal, we need constant rapid absorption of nutrients. x
Thanks Jess …. l do not need to use a special diet and am in awe of you and the others that manage to follow this routine everyday … my love and thoughts are with you all as you go on this journey … your post are an inspiration to me there is so much to learn
Hugs Kris and the Kids : )
My blendtec blender and my juicer plus my spooroli and lemon squeezer…LOVE!
I just got a salad spinner a few months ago. What a gem!
VitamiX
And Just purchased a vintage cast iron crockpot
Great list Jess! I think I need the pot for gentler Gerson cooking. So in between smoothies are ok on Gerson if with approved ingredients? I could get my raw intake up that way because I don’t feel like eating large salads all the time..
Yes, it’s totally fine to have smoothies in between juices if you can fit them in. x
hi Jess, wondering what do you do with all the (carrot) pulp?
Hi Andrea, we collect it in a bucket next to the juicer and then add it to our compost to go on our garden. No wastage!
Hi Jess,
Just a question, you mentioned the Vitamix blender. how does it compare to the Norfolk juicer. The Vitamix blender does juice as well. I am interested in a blender that can juice and do a heap of other things as well. Any advise would be great.
Many thanks
Hi Mary,
I wasn’t aware that the Vitamix made juice as well. How does it remove all of the pulp? It was my understanding that the Vitamix is just a blender, and therefore doesn’t extract pulp. The Norwalk removes ALL of the pulp and is incredibly gentle on the nutrients, which is what makes it so superior.
Hi Jesss, thanks heaps for your respone.
Appliances like the Theromix and the Vitamix claim that they juice fruit and vegies;
•If making juices in the Thermomix make sure the pulp of the fruit is left in as this provides fibre???
•Juices can also be watered down as to avoid excess kilojoules in the diet.
•The Vitamix machine makes short work of the whole fruit or vegetable-seeds, stems, stalks and all become creamy-smooth juice in under a minute.
here is the link: http://vitamix.com/household/health/juice.asp
I am a little confused so apologies for all the questions. I really want to invest in a thermomix or vitamix as i need a blender but in my reasearch discovered they claim that they juice as well which would be great, as having 1 appliances would be great in he kitchen that can do almost everything!
http://www.thermomix.com.au/01-nutrition-a07.html
What are your throughts? Can i get away with just a vitamix or theromix for smoothies and juice?
they claim that your getting all the nutrients as its blending the whole fruit/veg into a drink??? Not sure about the pulp etc but i assume you drink it all. Is that a healthy way to juice in comarison to the norfolk?
Can you clarify and advise please?
Many thanks, i love your blog and am getting right into it!
Mary
Hi Mary, both of these are still “smoothies” and not really “juices”. If the drink still has the pulp and fibre in it, it’s not a juice. Smoothies still contain all of their nutrients, and the fibre is beneficial, but you don’t receive the same benefits as juice. Juices and smoothies are both great, but they serve different purposes. Check out this post I wrote about them: http://www.thewellnesswarrior.com.au/2011/08/juicing-versus-blending/ If you are after a juicer, the NORWALK may not be the right way to go for you as it is a major investment, but there are other cold press juicers on the market like the Champion and the Angel. Hope this helps. It’s awesome you’re getting into this!
We recently purchased the Angel Juicer and have used it twice so far. I’ve never used a Norwalk, and therefore cannot make a comparison, but at this time I am satisfied with my choice.
I debated for a long while as to whether the Angel or the Norwalk would be best for me. While it is nearly impossible not to factor in the cost, I tried to weigh the pro’s and con’s of both without taking cost into consideration because while it’s nice to save $1500, I am very fortunate to be at a point in my life where I could have afforded the Norwalk. In the end I chose the Angel due to ease of use. I was worried that the Norwalk would become too cumbersome to use and I would not end up juicing as much (or stop entirely). The cumbersome parts for me were the pulp bags and the fear of exploding one. 
Anyway, I do worry about the quality of the stainless steel on the Angel (not the auger’s, but the strainer) and will have to make sure to dry it very well to ensure no rusting. Also, the Angel customer support is quite elusive and I just pray I never have to deal with it! Our manual says to contact customer service at ______________ . (left blank). Not very helpful!
Another thing to note about the Angel is that the juice needs to be strained after it goes through the juicer as there is still quite a bit of pulp that gets through the mesh screen and into the juice. So far we have juiced carrots, apples, pears, oranges, kiwi, pomegranate, and pineapple. Juicing the pineapple was a very painful process as it creates a foamy mess that comes back up the chute and you must go very slowly to get it through. It juiced the other stuff just fine and I can’t wait to try it on green leafy vegetables!
Anyway, thought I’d throw my two cents in here and hope it helps anyone else who is in the midst of this very difficult decision.
God bless and thank you for sharing your journey through the Gerson Therapy, Jess!
Hi Jess
My Thermomix is an amazing kitchen appliance, in fact many in one! It is in storage at present and I miss it!! I believe (and I am remembering from my demonstration) that soup and meals made in the Thermomix cook at a very low controlled temperature, so wondering if this would constitute being “raw” and is raw this under 115 degrees please?
I would like a juicer that “cold presses” and I have been researching a Coways. Norwalk is out because of the cost. Have you heard or researched the Coways one…..the exit for the juice part is high so you can place a glass underneath to catch the juice but that’s not the only factor of course. They manufacture other health products such as water purifiers.
Love your posts!! Thank you.
Love and Light to you and your family and hope your Mum is going well now.
Catherine
Oh I’ve recently ordered a Thermomix and should hopefully have it this weekend! I cannot wait! To be able to make healthy dishes from scratch with ease will be the best thing that’s ever happened in my kitchen!!!
Hi Catherine, you may be interested in my post above regarding the Angel Juicer. $1500 less than the Norwalk.
Hi Jess, Just wondering where would you get the Norwalk juicer in Australia? Many thanks
Hi Zara, unfortunately we cannot buy the Norwalk here in Australia. It can only be ordered through their website from California. x
Hi Jess, if you were cooking a dry vegetable like potato or pumpkin, would you do it in the le crueset, and if so would you add any liquid to stop is drying out?
Hey Ange, we usually bake our potato and pumpkin in the oven (dry) but you can also use the Le Crueset. We would just add chopped tomato and onion (or soup) to the bottom of the pot to stop drying out and burning. xx
Great read; ordered myself a Tribest Blender!!
Jess,
I’ve been waiting for this post !
so inspiring to hear about how YOU and your household do things in the kitchen !
I actually have 4 of your 5 items…( except my enamel pot is a less expensive brand- and I got it on amazon.com)
2 questions-
I used to use my enamel pot all the time, in the oven, before I went on the gerson therapy. I wasn’t sure it would hold up on the stove-top…but I will try it.
How long do you cook your vegies…..
Do you think it is OK to use it in the oven, on med temperature??
I would love to have some recipe suggestions – using the little smoothie blender !
maybe that could be a post !
thanks for the continued inspiration and information !
this is such good hands-on info for so many people starting out….
sandra
Sandra, I so agree with your final comment! What Jess has going here is the only such site I could find that is Gerson influenced and provides support to other users in a lighthearted and real way. Many compliments to Jess!
So well said !
Thanks so much Sandra! I will start working on a blender recipes post for you. I have some great ones!
We do some times cook our veggies in the oven on medium heat for about an hour, but mostly we cook them in the Le Cruset pot. We always cook our potatoes in the oven though.
x
Thanks, Jess, looking forward to the blender recipes ! It is especially good for me- since I am not usually making large quantities…
and thanks for the cooking tips. sometimes I get in a cooking rut.
and need to see how others are doing things.
I think, your household is becoming my fantasy life/ living arrangement…because you share in the shopping and food prep and make and enjoy beautiful Gerson meals ! your family is like a satelite Gerson clinic…! how about add on to the house or just get a great sleeper sofa …and allow for one or 2 gerson patients to come and stay for a week and do their share of the chores – for a fraction of what the clinic would cost….well, it sounds like a fun idea to me. ..
Hi Jess,
I really want to start juicing on a regular basis but am temporarily living overseas. Since I don’t want to invest in something I won’t be able to carry around with me, do you know of any cheaper alternatives to the three you mention that still do a reasonable job? I don’t want to buy something useless if it’s more beneficial to make a trip to my local juiceman every few days instead!
Thanks (as always) for this post and your great advice!
Hi Tracey, most cold press juicers are around the higher price point unfortunately. There are cheaper ones on the market, like the Breville, and they do an okay job. I know plenty of people who get by and are happy with these, but I think they struggle a bit on the greens. Happy juicing!
Brilliant! Thanks!
I also can’t afford a Norwalk but have a Green Star Elite that has a three step process, 1. Crushing(it has twin gears) 2)Mixing and Rubbing 3)Squeezing stage. My dream(and prayer) is to one day own the Norwalk though as it’s the cream of the crop for sure.
I LOVE our Norwalk Juicer! You are absolutely right there is NO comparison to any other juicer on the market. I swear I get an energy boost immediately after drinking fresh vegetable juice from the Norwalk. Its no wonder the man who invented it lived to be 117 years old!
I had a similar mini blender like that but I wore it out after a few years. 
Now we have a big blender instead which is better for some things but I liked the mini one – making smoothies directly in the cup you’re going to drink from thus saving on the washing up is my melody.
Hi Jess, I’m in need of a new juicer. (My $80 Aldi branded one has pretty much had it) I would love to get the Norwalk but its way out of my price range at the moment. So I was wondering, apart from the price, what is the difference between The Angel and the Oscar Vital Max 900? More in terms of efficency and cleaning?
Evie » Hi Evie, the Angel juicer seems to produce dryer pulp which indicated that it extracts more juice. They are both great juicers though! I would go with whichever suits your current needs and budget. x
Hi Jess!
I have a pot similar to The Le Cruset. But after 3 hours the meal isn’t cooked enough. Is this normal?
I take the lowest temperature.
Thx in advance!
Silvia
Silvia » I’m not too sure about this, sorry! We only cook ours for 45 minutes on low heat and the veggies are done. x
where do you buy a norwalk from in australia , you talk about saving up ! how much are these machines
my wife has advanced stage 4 and we dont want to waste anymore time waiting for it to arrive from the states if we can avoid thanks greg
Greg » Hi Greg, we bought ours from the US the first time. And then we found one on Gumtree.com.au for quite cheap so we snapped it up. I don’t know of anywhere in Australia to buy them new though, but it might be worth searching online. Hope this helps!
Greg,
Norwalk new runs $2400 USD (about the same AUD). Shipping is quite expensive because it is so heavy and ships from the US ($800 to send to Sidney).
If cost is of concern, check out the Angel Juicer, which is a decent alternative – but does not have the same level of customer service that you would get with a Norwalk. I bought my Angel ($1,000 USD + Free Shipping Worldwide) at this website and am happy with the purchase: http://usjuicers.com/default.asp?c=261750
Since your wife has a cancer diagnosis, I do recommend the Norwalk as you’ll get more juice out of it and no pulp (less manual straining). So if you can find a used one locally that is in good working order go that route first!
thanks for replies jess and alex will hunt around thanks Greg
Hi Jess,
I travel a lot for work (away 3-4 nights a week staying at hotels). Can you recommend any juicers/blenders that are portable enough to take away with me?
Andrea » Hi Andrea, sure! A great travel blender is the Tribest Personal Blender. I am not too sure of a portable juicer though. I carry a separate suitcase for mine when I travel ha ha. x
Hi Jess,
Do you know anything about the Lexsun Mk2 standard cold press juicer? I read in the info brochure from the Gerson Institute that people fail because they have the wrong juicer. I don’t want to fail! :/
*Sorry that should read “Lexen”
Leisa » Hi Leisa, I have heard of this juicer but I’ve not used it so I can’t comment on how good it is. However, the best juicer if you are on Gerson Therapy is the Norwalk. It’s expensive, but so worth it. My second pick is The Angel, but the Norwalk is far superior. x
Hi
I know this Isn’t a selling site but I couldn’t think of a place with access to such a huge database of people who could benefit from this so I hope you don’t kind Jess, but I’m regretably selling my Norwalk Juicer.
Located in melbourne you would need to pickup or arrange courier, it’s less than 4 months old and works perfectly. Please email me if interested ?
[email protected]
Annabel, wish I was in Melbourne and could get that from you!
Hi Jess,
I’ve been wanting to buy the Norwalk Juicer for the last two years but i’m afraid what if it gets damaged during shipping?? Does the company change it for you ?? or what if it’s faulty do you have to ship it back to them??? i dont want to spend so much money only to find out that it was damage during the shipping process and then the company not to want to change the machine?? How long did your Norwalk Juicer take to get to Australia?
Thanks.
Dora » Hi Dora, these would be questions that you would have to ask the company. I think it took a couple of weeks to arrive to us in Australia – we have never regretted buying it though. It’s amazing! x