Q: Where do you put an Excalibur dehydrator?
A: In the basement.
I’ve been using both the Excalibur dehydrator and the Nutrimill grain mill for over a year now, and I realized that, as with most things, long term use can change the way you think about something.
I thought it would be a good time to update both the grain mills review and the Excalibur dehydrator review with my current thoughts. I’m sorry I don’t have enough experience to comment more on the Nutrimill vs. Wondermill grain mill comparison.
Is the Excalibur Dehydrator Worth the Cost?
When looking at dehydrators, I figure there are two questions people normally ask: will I use it enough and how much does it cost?
The Excalibur definitely has a price premium over some round ones like the Nesco Snackmaster, and when I first reviewed and compared them, I kind of came down in the middle, leaning toward the smaller one for price reasons.
Now that I used the Excalibur for a year and then was without it for 5 months while we were changing houses, I kind of feel differently.
I love my Excalibur. I missed it and had it running within a few days after I got it back – would have been a few hours if I didn’t have a house full of boxes, two kids and an infant!
I decided not to bring it with us to my in-laws’ even though it was prime harvest/preserving season for two reasons:
- It’s humongous
- I figured I could do anything I would do in the dehydrator in the oven, and it would take longer, but that’s the price we pay for a temporary living situation
I was wrong.
It IS humongous, but as long as you have space for a card table in the basement, or a scrap of counter big enough anywhere, or even on the floor in the corner, if you are serious about dehydrating, I highly recommend it.
I made applesauce fruit rolls once in the fall with our 400 pounds of apples, and it was so frustrating. I had to keep checking them in the oven, trying to turn them to dry out evenly, and it took about twice as long as I expected. The whole time, I was worried about leaving them too long, because I know that even slightly burnt applesauce is just gross.
I still maintain that it is possible to dehydrate things in the oven, but I’m just not patient enough anymore. It tied up the oven far too long, and only fitting two trays’ worth bummed me out. I love to fill all 9 trays of my Excalibur!
I also can’t say enough about the convenience of the wide, flat trays vs. anything with a hole in the center for making crispy nuts or sprouted grain for flour. It saves 10 minutes per batch, I’d bet, because you can just schwoop all your nuts into a bag or jar by making a funnel out of the Excalibur’s tray liner, rather than using a ladle to scoop cup by cup.
I’m waiting with baited breath for bananas to go on sale somewhere so I can make my husband more banana chips for work, and I tried apple chips for the first time in December, and they are fantastic! (yes, we still had some of those 400 pounds of apples – about one more box for me to take care of, as I mentioned in yesterday’s Monday Mission).
As far as some of the other negatives I listed in the original dehydrator review, I’ve figured out how to deal with most of them:
- No sides on shelves – too easy to knock nuts off when spreading This is totally not a big deal – the trays are so big, I don’t know why I even listed it as a deficit!
- The top shelf is almost too narrow vertically for a single layer of almonds
- Shelves seems flimsy; you really have to be careful when you carry them I carry 2-3 at a time down to the basement, and again, no big deal. I’ve never dropped anything (although I did drip strawberry puree all down the carpeted stairs after we sold our house but before we moved out. I wouldn’t make that up).
- SO BIG – it is mighty big, but it’s worth it! That’s one reason I always dehydrate in the basement. The other? It makes constant noise and would drive me nuts in the kitchen. I don’t like a lot of background noise and keep a very quiet house.
- Heavy, especially with all the food in it. Tough to carry downstairs! Just carry the trays individually as they’re loaded. Duh.
- Potentially having to wash two layers, the netting and the black plastic shelf This is true, but first, I appreciate the netting layer for drying small things like sunflower seeds and sprouted grains, and second, I just don’t wash it every time. Dry things, nuts, whatever – I’m just going to use it right away again anyway!
So I’m a huge fan. If you want to keep up on nuts and dry even just a few fruits in the summer/fall, and if there’s any chance you’d use it with trays removed to rise bread or incubate yogurt, the Excalibur will be worth it!
How is Grain Milling Going?
I have to say, I’m pretty excited to have my Nutrimill grain mill right in the kitchen nowadays to make flour whenever I want it.
Don’t let anyone tell you that grain milling won’t take any time. I’ve learned that although I do a LOT of kitchen tasks that just “take no time at all,” nothing actually takes zero minutes. Grinding grain might only add two minutes to your baking time, but it’s still another appliance to (periodically) clean, and you have to keep your wheat berries or other whole grains stocked and organized. Because I buy them in major bulk, that means it is a 5-minute task to refill smaller containers from the 25-pound bags.
Even five minutes here and there isn’t “nothing.”
Another aspect of grinding your own flour that you’ll want to keep in mind is storing the extras. I never manage to grind exactly what I need – perhaps I should get a conversion chart now that my grain mill is actually in the kitchen – but in the past, I always liked to have leftover flour on purpose. That made things like feeding a sourdough starter and adding a few Tbs. to soak oatmeal exponentially easier.
You just have to think about where to put it in your freezer. That’s not always the easiest place to store things, if your house is anything like mine. I either have to make room for a glass jar in the freezer (tricky) or pour into a plastic bag (messy). So I’m a whiner. What else is new? 
UPDATE 1/19/12: I forgot about sprouted flour! I have made my own sprouted flour, and the Nutrimill can handle it, but a word to the wise if you try it: you will think you are breaking your Nutrimill. I was grinding sprouted grains after not having done it for a long time, and I was sure my mill was dying. I was just about ready to email the company with a pity party story when I (thankfully) remembered that there is something about sprouted grains – even when 100% dehydrated – that bogs down the Nutrimill. It gets through them, but your heart rate might increase, too.
My official analysis of making your own flour in general, then, is that you have to believe it’s better. It might be slightly less expensive to make flour rather than buying it, but if you’re not willing to spend the time, and if frugality is your only reason for buying a grain mill, I wouldn’t recommend it.
If you truly believe freshly ground flour is healthier, or if you love the way food tastes with your own milled flour, then you should get a grain mill. If you only want to mill grains, the Nutrimill is an excellent option.
I remain disappointed, especially since we’ve had so many spells going gluten-free, that I can’t make my own almond flour or mill whole flax (the Nutrimill doesn’t do oily seeds). I still need to try making something like chickpea flour, after I double check the instructions to make sure I can.
I know my colleague James of Making the Best of Basics is going to email me after this post, reminding me that I should try a hand-crank Wondermill so I can handle oily seeds and such. And maybe, now that we’re in our own home, I just might.
Ultimately, the final word on a grain mill is that it’s a whole bunch easier to just go grain-free or gluten-free than it is to make your own flour and worry about soaking grains and all that jazz! That’s just me…and I’m a little over-busy right now, so perhaps I’ll feel differently later on.
Do you have a dehydrator or grain mill? Do share your thoughts! (Be sure to tell us what kind and brand.)
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I’m considering the purchase of a dehydrator. Did you buy stainless steel trays? Are the trays that an Excalibur dehydrator comes with plastic? If so, do you have concerns about the plastic? What are your thoughts on the number of trays to get?
Thank you very much for all of the information on your web site!
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Katie Reply:
January 19th, 2012 at 10:53 am
Lora,
Katie
My trays are plastic, number 5, so no BPA. I just have to let any concerns go since at least the heat is low…. I don’t know if stainless steel trays are available for this model. The 9-tray is about $50-100 more than the 5-tray, but I DO appreciate the space now!
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Have you tried breadbeckers.com? This is where I get all of my grains from. It’s the cheapest I have found for 45Lbs – 50 lbs of wheat! They also have great resources for grinding your own stuff on their website.
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Olefaithfull Reply:
January 18th, 2012 at 10:02 am
I like Breadbeckers for their mission statement, faith-based business model, and education. But honeyvillegrain.com has much better prices and selection and hands-down has the BEST shipping ($4.95 flat rate via UPS) of anyone.
When in Atlanta, I love browsing their store, however, and enjoy their selection of toys.
But I use honeyvillegrain.com for my grain purchases and am currently waiting for some hard white spring wheat (yummmmy!).
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Amanda Reply:
January 18th, 2012 at 5:28 pm
Thanks for the info. I will check out their website too. Breadbeckers is what got me started milling my own grains. There online video classes taught me a lot of shortcuts and how to get the most out of my mill. I also love the CD that Sue Becker has where she talks about all of the health benefits of milling your own grain. They give it away for free and I think you can order it off their website if anyone is interested.
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Katie Reply:
January 19th, 2012 at 10:57 am
Both excellent recommendations, ladies! Thank you! I can get grain somewhat locally w/ no shipping at Country Life (clnf.org) so I go with them for now…
Katie
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KarenL Reply:
January 19th, 2012 at 4:03 pm
see if there is an Azure Standard in your area. We get a ‘drop-shipment’ here with no shipping charges because we order over a certain poundage. I get my non-irradiated spices, grain, etc., from them.
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I purchase my grains from Bread Beckers, and bought a Gamma lid to go over the bucket so I don’t have to freeze anything.
I have the Nutrimill as well. The only thing I’m really bummed about is that it says not to grind sprouted grains (I think).
I’m dying to get an Excalibur dehydrator, once I find a place to put it.
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Bob Reply:
January 19th, 2012 at 10:55 am
I have dehydrated wheat several times and milled in the Nutrimill and it does a wonderful job. I has a malted, sweet flavor. The mill handles it just fine.
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Bob Reply:
January 19th, 2012 at 10:59 am
PS …if it is dry. You cannot grind wet grains. We dehydrate it until you can chew it and it is hard like it was before the soaking.
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Katie Reply:
January 19th, 2012 at 11:02 am
Becca,
Ah, that’s what I meant to include! I forgot about sprouted grains! Updating the post now…
Thanks, Katie
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First, “schwoop” is a hilarious word.
I have my Excalibur, I think it’s been over two years now. I have done yogurt in it several times, used it to rise bread when my oven wasn’t free (I keep my house cold in the winter so I need a warm place), drying nuts and grains, making jerky, etc. I use it quite a lot. I think I am going to try some fruit leathers here really soon…. Oh, and you can dehydrate nuts or bean purees to make grain-free crackers. It’s just so useful for so many things.
I don’t have a grain mill. Not worth it. The Vitamix does that, AND it can be used for nut flours and anything else a blender or food processor can do. It saves space on the counter to have just the one appliance. I’m not totally sure it saves money, lol, because it’s so expensive. But it will last forever. I use mine nearly daily.
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Stephanie M Reply:
January 17th, 2012 at 4:31 pm
Do you have the dry blade for the Vitamix, or do you use the original one? I hesitate to use mine like a food processor because it’s so hard to clean. I have always wanted to make Katie’s Lara bars, but I’m afraid I would loose too many ingredients in the process.
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Kate @ Modern Alternative Mama Reply:
January 17th, 2012 at 4:37 pm
I have both. The scraping tools that came with it are very helpful so you can get food out.
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Stephanie M Reply:
January 17th, 2012 at 4:40 pm
Thanks!
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Leah Johnson Reply:
January 18th, 2012 at 1:30 am
I second the Vitamix as a grain mill comment – I thought for sure I needed a grain mill until I got the Vitamix and tried grinding flour in it. It works amazing, and I can do 2 or 3 cups at a time. It adds seconds to any baking I am doing, and it’s super easy to clean. For the record – I only have the wet blade, and it grinds just fine.
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Heather Ledeboer Reply:
January 17th, 2012 at 11:53 pm
I also use my VitaMix for grinding my grain and it has worked great for my needs. It is easy to just do a little bit. The main disadvantage is if I need to do a lot (it takes more time as I can only do a few cups at a time). My dry blade container had a problem so I returned it to Costco. In the meantime I have been using my wet container for it and really it is working great so I don’t know that I will re-purchase a dry blade.
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Olefaithfull Reply:
January 18th, 2012 at 10:09 am
I prefer my NutriMill for grinding grains vs the Vitamix as the VM heats it too much. Plus the Nutrimill will hold the entire grain amount instead of several batches.
My first experience with the Vitamix was grinding sprouted wheat…..thought (wrongly) I could skip drying it. Almost tore the thing up within 30 seconds! But eventually, I was able to make the bread without drying the sprouted wheat. But the heat produced by the blades probably cancelled out the nutrient value of sprouting.
Love the NutriMill and value it so much I keep it with my gun safe!
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Heather Ledeboer Reply:
January 18th, 2012 at 10:51 am
I had never considered that the nutrient quality might be affected when it gets warm as it blends in my VitaMix, is this an issue? Do other grinders not heat up the grains?
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Olefaithfull Reply:
January 20th, 2012 at 1:40 pm
The heat factor is a purchase consideration. Check out tutorials at BreadBeckers.com.
I think there may be a blurb about it at The FreshLoaf.com (great site!).
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Heather Ledeboer Reply:
January 20th, 2012 at 6:12 pm
Thanks for the link. After reading info on the forum of TheFreshLoaf.com, I believe that the heat created when I blend my grains in my VitaMix isn’t a problem because I only grid it right before I use it and then it goes into an oven that is a much higher temperature then it is when ground. If I was wishing to grind a bunch of grain ahead of time this would be something to consider and then I might try a suggestion I found on that site and that was to freeze the grain before grinding it.
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Katie Reply:
January 19th, 2012 at 11:07 am
Kate,
My mom even emailed me a deal on one after reading this post. I can’t wait to compare them!
One of those is SO on my list.
And now dehydrating grain-free crackers is going on my list! Got a good recipe?
Katie
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Well, now the Excalibur is next on my list of kitchen equipment…it would be helpful for incubating yogurt and also make our own dried fruit.
We are also grain free (parents) and gluten free(kids) and now the nutrimill is sitting lonely by itself…along with my Bosch. I have ground a few gluten free grains-brown rice, millet, oat groats and quinoa- but I have yet to try my hand at gluten free bread and so I just don’t use them. I’d love to know if the nutrimill can grind sprouted grains as I’d love to eventually do that once are GF experiment is done. And I too wish I could grind almonds in the nutrimill, but I can use my vitamix.
And I totally agree that it’s easier to go grain free or gluten free than have to worry about grinding and soaking.
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Bethany W Reply:
January 18th, 2012 at 6:06 am
I hear you about the grain mill and Bosch sitting empty. We’re grain-free, too. We have the blender and food processor attachments that I use regularly. But if you have a Vitamix, that may be a mute point. :-/ You could use the big bowl to whip up mega batches of coconut flour muffins?
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Katie Reply:
January 19th, 2012 at 11:13 am
Sam,
Yes, sprouted grain manage alright in the Nutrimill – added that to the post. Thanks! Katie
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Lisa Grace Reply:
February 6th, 2012 at 1:56 pm
I LOVE my WonderMill … I use it at least 3x a week. It not only makes our bread and muffins and pancakes taste better, but it does add to our healthy as a family.
Someday I want to own a Bosch … or even better an Electrolux. For now, I’m using my Sunbeam and loving it (believe it or not, I gave away my KitchenAid because it did not handle the whole grains as well as my Walmart purchased Sunbeam mixer that’s 5 yrs old!).
As for a dehydrator, I’d LOVE one, but I have to find a spot for it. It’s right under a pasta maker on my wish list. I’m all for simplicity and lack of clutter, but certain kitchen gadgets do make healthy living much easier!
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I really like my Excalibur as well. I have to say that I don’t mind the noise. It just sounds like there is a fan running….because there is.
I have a “pro” to add to the things that the dehydrator is great at and that is humidifying the home in the winter. I can tell a significant difference of the moisture in the air when it is running.
As to the grain mill, that is on my wishlist. I would like a handcrank one so that I won’t be in trouble should I not have electricity, not to mention I could really use the workout. Thanks for the tip about the handcrank being able to handle oily seeds.
Thanks for your post.
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Hey, Katie1 I have a brand spankin’ new (used maybe 3x’s) hand cranking wondermill junior deluxe that I think I want to sell. I bought it this fall, thinking it would be easy to use, but with the arthritis in my hands it is not easy! I so wish I would have gone with the electric one:(
I live in the Grand Rapids area, so contact me if you are interested. Right now it is in our storage unit, as we just lost our home to foreclosure, so it might be a few weeks before I can get at it.
Cindy
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Katie Reply:
January 19th, 2012 at 11:22 am
Oh, Cindy, I’m so sorry about your home…
Email me when you’re back on your feet, okay?
Katie
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Hi Katie!
I have ground chickpeas in my Wondermill, it worked great.
Did your Excalibur come with netting, or did you just purchase some from the fabric department or something? That sounds like a wonderful answer to my wheat falling through the mesh. I keep a sheet of parchment on the bottom to catch whatever falls through, but it would definitely be better to avoid that in the first place.
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Katie Reply:
January 19th, 2012 at 11:26 am
Naomi,
Katie
I guess when I say netting, I just mean the mesh sheets. I haven’t purchased anything…although you’re right, tulle or something would be great for teeny tiny things!
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I have a coffee grinder that I use for grinding small quantities of grain. It’s perfect for flax because I don’t use too much of it at one time.
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One other gadget you might consider is a mandolin-type slicer. I know it is not essential for dehydrating, but we use our slicer every time we dry apples or pears. The slices are the same width and I can slice a whole apple in about 30 seconds. Then I separate out the slices that have the core in them and cut out the tough spots 1-2 slices at a time. It really speeds up the process. It also makes the dehydrating process much quicker, since the fruit is thinner and all the fruit is done at the same time.
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Katie Reply:
January 19th, 2012 at 11:27 am
Vanessa,
Katie
I’ll have to try that – I borrowed an apple peeler/corer/slicer that should have done it all for me, but my apples were too soft and they exploded instead. Sigh.
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I have a question about the NutriMill:
Does it put flour dust out in the air?
We are borrowing an older model grain mill from some friends and I’m frustrated with the level of dust (really its flour) in other rooms of the house. We’ve just moved, and since I’m on a gluten free diet, I’ve left the mill in the garage to avoid cross-contamination. We are considering the NutriMill, but I really want to hear from you’all about the amount of dust/flour it puts into the air. Thanks!
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Olefaithfull Reply:
January 18th, 2012 at 11:36 am
No clouds… as long as I seat the receiving bowl well.
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Amanda Reply:
January 18th, 2012 at 5:33 pm
Yes and also make sure you keep the filter area clean and you should not have any issues. Trust me, you will know if you’ve waited too long to clean the filter.
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Katie Reply:
January 19th, 2012 at 11:29 am
Kathleen,
I have some videos of the process here: http://www.kitchenstewardship.com/2011/02/14/nutrimill-vs-wondermill-grain-mill-the-head-to-head-challenge-vlog/
If I cover the one little spot with a towel, no dust, really. But there’s always flour dust when you take out the bowl, so I’d never use it in a house w/ a true celiac.
Katie
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Bob Reply:
January 19th, 2012 at 11:36 am
The latest model of the Nutrimill (Dec 2011) has several improvements. 1) It is MUCH quieter. We set the new one side by side with the older unit and the difference was amazing! 2) The hopper extension ring now locks into place via three taps, no bumping it off accidentally. The flour dust is less an issue with this mill than any other brand. I have sold and repaired grain mills since 1979 and this mill is the most dust free because of the ventilation in the rear of mill housing and each side of the receiving flour pan. It is important to clean the cyclo cup and filter regularly. KITCHEN STEWARDSHIP, you may want to contact me to get a free upgrade. I’ll bet I could pull some strings.
Bob bkcsandy@gmail.com
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I am looking at a 10 tray dehydrator at Cabela’s going on sale Thursday this week for $150. I am curious too, about the plastic trays being BPA free. Other than the stainless steele ones I have not seen this mentioned on any of the differing products information. anyone know the answer to this? How can the excalibur compare to this one I am looking at? Same lo/high temp controls and a fan in the back..love some feedback in this arena please! TY!
As for grinding grain I L-O-V-E my vita mix! A gal asked above and YES you do need the dry blade to handle the task. I grind hard corn (cornmeal) wheat (as I need it, plus a little extra to have on hand) rice (rice flour) and I am gearing up to let it rip up some beans (for bean thinkening flour) I leave my vita mix on the counter. Outside of my juicer, it is the only appliance that gets this priveledge and honor. I use it THAT much! It is an expense that you will pat yourself on the back for spending day after day! I make kefir smoothies with chard and spinach in it often and feed it to my picky 10 yr old who WILL NOT eat vegetables…but she will DRINK them (wink wink, the wonders of the flavors a few bananas will mask). Soups, dressings, cake batters…you name it. Cleans itself too if you half fill with water and soap and run it on high. I hope it does last me forever, I would never want to be without it to help me out. The best little kitchen helper I ever did have!
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Katie Reply:
January 19th, 2012 at 11:34 am
Jo,
Did you look at the original review of the Excalibur? http://www.kitchenstewardship.com/2010/06/17/what-can-an-excalibur-dehydrator-do/
and
http://www.kitchenstewardship.com/2010/06/18/excalibur-dehydrator-review-head-to-head-vs-nesco-american-harvest-dehydrator/
Trays are BPA free, and the temp control go from 90-150 or so. No timer, but they might have one now.
Good luck!
Katie
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Yes, the Excalibur is so worth it! Even if you don’t have a good place to store it. I keep mine in our bedroom.
If I’m running it at night I’ll bring it out to the kitchen because it’s too loud to sleep with, but I can’t keep it out there all the time because I can’t give up that counter space! Despite the moving around and storing in odd places I’m so glad to have it.
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Katie, don’t you use your excaliber for yogurt? In your post ystdy you said you had it in the cooler, but so far I’ve probably used mine more for yogurt than anything else (got in in late fall–really looking forward to using it a lot in the coming summer/fall!!). It makes yogurt soo much easier than it already is!!
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Bethany W Reply:
January 18th, 2012 at 6:10 am
We use ours for yogurt — love that I can make 2.25 gallons at a time (9 quarts).
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Katie Reply:
January 19th, 2012 at 11:29 am
Angie,
Katie
I have for homemade yogurt, but I can’t justify the energy costs when it’s so easy in my picnic cooler!
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Katie Reply:
January 19th, 2012 at 11:30 am
Oops, I mean RAW homemade yogurt.
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I am currently gluten free. But I have been making my own GF flour, so a grain mill would still be helpful for me.
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I have the world’s oldest version of the Excalibur. I don’t use it very often, but when I do, I sure appreciate it. My Nutrimill is so dang messy that I have to use it outside, which means it is inconvenient in 26 degree, snowy weather that we have lately. I do sprout my wheat and dry it in my dehydrator – then grind it in my Nutrimill (even though you’re not supposed to). It’s really the only reason I got the Nutrimill in the first place, not realizing it says not to grind sprouted grains in the instruction manual. Ah, well, it’s been okay for the past year! Anyways, that’s my 2 cents!
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Both the dehydrator and a grain mill are on my wishlist. The hand crank mill looks nice. Thanks for all the great info!
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We invested in the 24 tray excalibur and have more than paid for it in nourishing foods! With a large garden and orchard I keep it humming for months. I also make jerkey, yogurt, crispy nuts, dehydrated fruits, leathers, sprouted grains, and rise sourdough bread to name just a few. Can’t say enough good about it and you cannot have one “too big” if you have a garden. I fill it up again and again.
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I just got the Nesco dehydrator as a surprise Christmas present. We have been using it 1-2 times a week, primarily for making dried fruit snacks and fruit leather. I have a three year old and a nearly one year old and both love the snacks. I’ve been very happy with the Nesco option, as I learn more about what I can dehydrate I may upgrade to the Excalibur. It’s like I own the Honda of dehydrators now, and eventually I can upgrade to the BMW of dehydrators.
I would love to hear more about how to reuse dehydrated veggies. As I shop more in season produce, I would love to better understand how to use it best after dehydrating it.
Huge thanks for sharing that you put the dehydrator in the basement. The sound does bug me and I just never thought to move it out of the kitchen.
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Melissa Blair Reply:
January 17th, 2012 at 10:26 pm
I use my dehydrated veggies to make soup mixes and for making my own onion and garlic powders! My husband isn’t the handiest in the kitchen, so they come in very handy when I’m not home early enough to make dinner. I have the Nesco as well, and hope to upgrade as soon as we have the money ^_^ I also add them to ramen noodles (yum!) Here is the recipe search from Nesco’s website: http://www.nesco.com/recipes/
Hope this helps!
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These are 2 appliances that my husband and I have been talking about maybe getting. Thank you so much for all your information. Maybe one day.
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Don’t know if you know this, but you can easily make almond flour in the blender, and I’ve made flax meal in the coffee mill. It works fine.
I’ve done both. FWIW, kitty
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I have the Nesco dehydrator and the only thing I really hate about it is the circular shape. It is so hard to pour things like nuts off without having them fall all over everywhere! Oh well. I should have done more research. I do have a Blendtec and that’s great for my gluten free grains (although we are currently grain free). Unfortunately I bought a wheat grinder just a month or so before we found out my son is allergic to gluten (and I have since discovered that I am definitely intolerant). Since I’ve ground wheat in it, I can’t do gluten free grains because of cross contamination
So, I vote for a nice blender because they do grind the grains nicely.
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Katie, I’ve tried chickpeas in my Nutrimill. It works, however I cringed the whole time listening to it work so hard to grind the tough chickpeas. I’m not sure I’ll do that again. The flour is nice though. I’ve only made hummus out of it, it is a quick(er) way than soaking your dried chickpeas. You still have to cook it and it does nothing for the phytates, but if you’re in a hurry and have a hankering for hummus, it’s nice to have on hand. Still not as good as the real deal though!
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Regarding Honeyville Food Products, it is amazing that they can ship for such a great rate!
Let me tell you where I get my wheat. If organic is not important to you, you can purchase 25 pounds of hard white wheat berries for $10 at a Latter Day Saints cannery. Look for one in your area. This is not organic, and I would LOVE to buy organic, but it is not possible with my budget, so I am thrilled to have found this source. When I first started buying it there 2 or 3 years ago, it was $5.68! They only recently increased the price to $10. The canneries also offer other food products as well. I’m not sure, but they may carry red wheat also; I don’t use that kind.
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Olefaithfull Reply:
January 18th, 2012 at 11:48 am
They offer both red and white hard wheat prepacked in cases of six #10 cans. Go to providentliving.org for current prices and locations of the canneries. See their other prepackaged items and their policies. Good source of rice, beans, and (I think) sugar.
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Angie Reply:
January 18th, 2012 at 2:59 pm
Do you have to live near a cannery to pick up items? I went to the website, and didn’t see anything as far as shipping…the closest one to me 3 hours away, so that’s really not an option. Just wanted to make sure they don’t ship before I buy somewhere else–that’s a great price!
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Naomi Reply:
January 18th, 2012 at 3:43 pm
Angie, I am fairly sure they don’t ship. These are places where people can come and can their own goods (or purchase it already canned). You’d maybe purchase a 25 pound bag of wheat and you can seal it up in a can or mylar bag with the equipment they have there. On the designated days when they are open everyone who wants can come and do their own food. It is designed to be for the LDS church, but they are generously open to non-members. They teach much about emergency preparedness. I just go and buy what I want and bring it home to store in my own containers. Maybe you could find some friends to go in together and share the expense of driving the three hours. It’s the same thing I used to do to get raw milk in another state. I’d pick it up for everyone and they all chipped in to help with the gas. That works for some, not all.
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Olefaithfull Reply:
January 20th, 2012 at 12:11 am
Watch this:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sPEY6AOHesE
a video re: mail order.
Here’s the ordering link:
http://store.lds.org/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/Category3_715839595_10557_21158_-1_N_image_0
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Angie Reply:
January 20th, 2012 at 10:19 am
Thank you so much for the info!! Getting ready to place my order–I really appreciate it!!
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My family has both. I love the dehydrator and it lives in our utility room. It is no louder that the washing machine or dryer so it doesn’t seem to bother me, and I run it at night when electricity is used less.
The nutrimill has been a pain though. We use it alot because we want freshly ground flour for the nutrients. However, a while back the rubber stopper in the back is messed up. That means when you try to push it back all the way so flour doesn’t shoot at you from the front I have to try a million times to get it secure…maybe. I really need to call the company about it but haven’t yet.
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I’ve had a L’Equip dehydrator for a few years and love it. It came with custom yogurt cups that I use regularly. I dry bulk fruits, veges. Since it’s just me, when I see things looking a little tired in my crisper, I just dry them and extend their life. I got such a good deal on spinach last year that I dried some to add to smoothies (after rehydrating). I use them as usual: soups, snacks, spices, etc.
When on the HCG diet, I made my own Melba toast.
I have used it to dry sprouted wheat and didn’t have much spillage.
I am not using it for meat as I want to keep that separate.
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I follow Bee Wilder’s “Healing Naturally” (for candida), so all grains are out for me. Also, dehydrating foods compacts their molecules too closely together, making them difficult to digest, so I do not dehydrate (nor consume) dehydrated foods. However, I still bake two loaves of bread for my family each week and I grind our own flour using a VitaMix (which I bought to make green smoothies for my family; a concept I no longer believe in, lol!). We got a guide with the VM telling us how much wheat berries equals so much flour, but I’m with you: I like to have extra. It’s never ‘too much’ “extra”, so I just put it in a bag (tho it prob should go in a jar…).
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Naomi Reply:
January 18th, 2012 at 4:51 pm
KarenL,
I never heard that info about molecules in dehydrated food, although it kind of makes sense. However, wouldn’t the re-hydrating of the food repair that problem? Of course, I know that many dehyd. foods are eaten while dry. Man, what are we gonna do? Every time I turn around I hear about something else not being good for me to eat.
)? (meaning that’s funny but not really . . .)
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Heather Ledeboer Reply:
January 18th, 2012 at 7:02 pm
May I ask why you no longer believe in green smoothies? I am intrigued:)!
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KarenL Reply:
January 18th, 2012 at 10:59 pm
(a) I read Weston A Price’s book “Nutrition and Physical Degeneration” and learned that there were plenty of people not eating fruits/veggies (as much as the USDA wants us to eat fruits and veggies) and were healthy.
(b) I learned that I have candida (yeast overgrowth; many of “your” symptoms are candida-based but is being called many different names: allergies, IBS, Crohn’s Disease, celiac, etc.) and that in order for my candida to ‘settle’ back down, I need to radically reduce my carb intage (I now consume 20 g carbs/day).
(c) I learned that we get more nutrients out of veggies if they are well-cooked; I watched a Mercola video showing how even a VitaMix does not break down the cell walls (cellulose) of veggies and if the cell walls are not broken down, our gut turns in to a fermentation pot trying to break them down (gas, anyone?)
(d) I used to consume at least 25 grams of fiber/day thinking that is what I needed to be ‘healthy’ (read: “regular”). I now have about 5g fiber/day and I have absolutely zero digestion/bowel issues (80% of my calories come from Saturated fat).
(e) there might be more, but that’s enough for now, eh?
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Heather Ledeboer Reply:
January 19th, 2012 at 10:40 am
Thank you for all that info, very fascinating. I find it hard to sort through the conflicting nutrition information (i.e. eating raw food is best vs. you need to cook your veggies more to get more benefit from them)!
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Katie Reply:
January 19th, 2012 at 11:56 am
Heather/Karen,
Some foods are best consumed cooked, greens and cruciferous vegs among them. BUT I cook them and use in smoothies; see here: http://www.kitchenstewardship.com/2009/05/07/recipe-connection-green-smoothies-with-kale/
Hope that helps! (and I’m still eating dehydrated food – how else could folks store produce way back when? I don’t think God would have wanted us to starve…)
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KarenL Reply:
January 19th, 2012 at 4:01 pm
I shared this link on your ‘cooked green smoothie’ recipe page, too:
http://www.healingnaturallybybee.com/articles/veg3.php
It talks about the importance of -cooking- them as opposed to ‘lightly steaming’. Read it and see if you agree…
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Heather Ledeboer Reply:
January 19th, 2012 at 7:36 pm
Thanks for sharing Karen and Katie, I am learning something new everyday! I have the link you shared saved for this evening when the kids go to bed;).
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KarenL Reply:
January 19th, 2012 at 4:05 pm
For me, I joined Bee Wilder’s forum (yahoo group) and met person after person who has obtained improved health by following her protocol (including eating well-cooked veggies). The good news for me is that I make tons of veggies ‘the night before’, reheat them the next day and blend them in my egg drink (no longer a green smoothie, lol).
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hi katie how much did your electricity bill go up after starting dehydrating regularly??
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Katie Reply:
January 19th, 2012 at 11:58 am
Eliz,
Katie
I have no idea…but it’s still not all that regular…you can see the energy cost in a nice little chart here: http://www.kitchenstewardship.com/2010/06/18/excalibur-dehydrator-review-head-to-head-vs-nesco-american-harvest-dehydrator/
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I have a Nutrimill and it will do legumes, too. I grind chickpeas often for homemade falafel mix to keep on hand. (by the way…yum!)
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Katie, I’m glad you posted this. I am finally going to break down and get an Excalibur. My round drier I bought at Goodwill for $5 finally died
I’ve been LOST without it! I don’t like to spend the time and electricity doing things in the oven. Boy, do I miss my crispy nuts 
Selena
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I am LOL at your comment on how stuff that “doesn’t take any time” really does take time. Even something that only takes a second or two can be too much time when you have 2 toddlers and a baby. I remember those days!
I really want to get a grain mill soon, but we have to save the money first. I don’t have an Excalibur, but I do love having a dehydrator ($5 at a garage sale!).
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I love my Excalibur and use it all the time. I’m always learning of new things to use it for. This is a wonderful website, how do you find time to do all this? I’m very impressed! Here’s a link to a blog post that I have done about the excalibur and the day it arrived in my homehttp://myawesomeoliveshoots.blogspot.com/2011/03/dehydrating-days-away.html
Btw, I’m going to create a link for your site on my blog, you are a wealth of information!
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Katie Reply:
January 21st, 2012 at 10:20 pm
Thanks, Cindy!
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I’ve read somewhere that the tray liners were coated with teflon? Is this true. I’m so very confused about this. I understand my food doesn’t touch BPA – but, what about Teflon? Is this just some crazy rumor circulating around the internet?
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I have a coffee bean grinder that I picked up at Tuesday Morning for $12. It’s very compact and grinds about 1/2 cup grain at a time – I use it for my flax and other oily things that my mill does not do.
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