Category Archives: Modern Maidservants

Father’s Day is coming! If your dad is like most, I’m guessing he may not like to do a lot of chopping in the kitchen. But blending, that’s a whole ‘nother story. Throw it in, hit the button, and it comes out smooth.

What does your father like to blend?

• His morning Smoothie or Post-workout Shake?
• Salsa or Guac for chips?
• Sauces for the BBQ?

Get him the best High Performance Blender, to get the smoothest, quickest blends–without having to do a lot of chop-chop first! Check out this great way to get the best price!

#6 – Steamer

Our top recommendations – Instant Pot or Miracle Stainless Steel Rice Cooker (and vegetable steamer) or VitaClay Smart Organic Multi-Cooker (for stovetop Stainless Steel or Silicone or Bamboo Stovetop steamer)

So many options. Yes, I’ve given many recommendations above, and below I’ll give you my thoughts, so you can choose the best for you. The Instant Pot is my newest fave, as it’s a very versatile pot that can do just about anything you need, not just steam veggies and cook grains.

Some vegetables as well as grains increase their digestibility when cooked. To lose as few nutrients as possible, steam the grains and vegetables you cook, the vegetables only until tender-crisp. A Stainless Steel electric steamer or multi-cooker is super to have. A Stainless Steel pan insert is good too, though I prefer the timer and preset ease of use on the electric ones.

You can get stovetop steamers of many kinds. Stainless steel steamers come in various sizes to fit the pans you use, (some even come with them. See the Fagor Pressure pans I love. More info on our Cook and Bakeware page,)  or even an inexpensive collapsable model that will fit any pan. (Those aren’t the easiest ones to use, but they are cheap.) Silicone steaming baskets are also available.  Bamboo steamers are also considered a good choice, but I’ve never used them. Be sure to buy the right size of bamboo steamer to fit in your pan. The pan should be about 2″ larger than the steamer.

Steaming your food is usually not a major lifestyle change and you can begin with a stainless steel collapsible insert for vegetables for just a few dollars if you are unable to afford anything else right now. The electric steamers also are great for so much more, including reheating leftovers. See, you really don’t need a microwave! We also like to do grains, as well as soups and casseroles in our Crock Pot.

So … on to the electric steamers.

When we began steaming foods, we used a Black & Decker HS2776 Double-Decker Flavor-Scenter Steamer Deluxe Food Steamer, plastic vegetable steamer/rice cooker, because I won’t use pans with non-stick coatings, and this one was big enough for our family. This inexpensive plastic steamer/rice cooker held up and performed well. We used it every day for years. It works great for steaming vegetables, cooking rice and other grains, and reheating leftovers. But I’d prefer to do without that plastic, so these aren’t really recommendations. [Oster has a newer model that is digital and has more feaures, but a little smaller size, if you’re really wanting to go this route. Oster 5712 Electronic 2-Tier 6.1-Quart Food Steamer.]

So … I was still on the lookout for a stainless steel rice cooker/steamer, and hoping to find one that would also hold a larger quantity. (We got to where we really needed a bigger rice bowl.) We found the Miracle ME-81. Finally, there was an electric rice cooker that has a pure stainless steel rice bowl. The Stainless Steel Rice Cooker Model ME81 is the only electric grain cooker/steamer that we found (at that time) that does not have a non-stick coating on the rice bowl, and we love it for grain cooking. We cook brown rice, quinoa, oats, and steam vegetables but I never realized its complete versatility until I started searching online for recipes. Wow! But it’s steamer insert is not large enough for everything for us, so we still had to use a stainless steel pan insert steamer on the stove or that electric (plastic) steamer for steaming vegetables.

 Next, we found an electronic rice cooker/slow cooker that comes with a unglazed clay bowl, (now called) the VitaClay Smart Organic MultiCooker. Nice! No chemical glaze such as on other slow cookers. It also has many other handy features, such as fully programable and fast pre-heat. This multi-cooker can also steam veggies, (by adding your own steamer basket,) and make yogurt. I’m probably most excited about this because I know and love the features of cooking with clay (as you’ll see in my stoneware notes on the cookware page.) VitaClay cooks up to 8 cups (dry) rice, or can be used as a 4.2 qt. slow cooker. (Smaller size also available.) However, I didn’t buy this cooker, as I hadn’t satisfied my research into its quality of performance over time. It was a bit sketchy and new, and availability over time uncertain, at the time I originally wrote this article. [Update: Time has shown the VitaClay to have favorable reviews with updated models, but …]

[Update:] In the meantime, we have now added another multi-purpose cooker for steaming and grain cooking that I LOVE! It is even more versatile than our Miracle Stainless Steel Rice Cooker, larger than the VitaClay, and has more features than either. It is the Instant Pot DUO60. This 6 qt. 7-in-1 Multi-functional Cooker with stainless steel pan is not only a steamer and rice cooker, but also a slow cooker, pressure cooker, yogurt maker, browner, and warmer. My Miracle Rice Cooker may be about ready for retirement. And (for now anyhow) the larger size and addition of the pressure cooking feature will probably keep me choosing this over the VitaClay.

#4 – Dehydrator

Our top recommendations – American Harvest 1000watt
or Excalibur 3900/3926T

After raw, the next best foods for nutrition, convenience, and storage, both weight and space, are dehydrated foods. Dehydrators vary greatly! Look for opaque (not see through) machines for nutrient retention, with temperature control from 90° or 100° F. (or below) to 145° or 155° F. (or above) to enable you to do everything from herbs and yogurt to jerky (if you wish). Horizontal airflow, over each tray that provides even drying and no mixing of flavors when you have different foods on different trays is also important. I don’t recommend anything less than 500 watts, and highly recommend 1000 watts. In other words, I truly believe you’d be wasting your money (probably on more than just the dehydrator itself) by buying a transparent dehydrator with only a heating element in the bottom, and no adjustable temperature settings or fan, and low wattage.

Pressurized airflow (up the sides then over each tray) will give you even drying with no tray rotation. The next best, in my opinion, is the fan in the back of the machine blowing evenly over all trays (but many times with these you still have to turn/rotate the trays around). The ability to expand is a great benefit also.

American Harvest has been making a dehydrator that meets all our recommendations and has done a superior job every time for the many years we’ve used it–sold as the Nesco Garden Master (and previously, Air Preserve II.) It has the above features with the patented pressurized airflow; is stackable to 30 trays (and reducible to 1), is 1000 watts for faster drying; comes with 8 round trays, 8 fruit leather sheets, 8 mesh screens, and a video from the #1 book on dehydrating foods. It is their best package deal! This is model FD1018. Accessories for the Garden Master are also available.

This dehydrator is now also available in a redesigned and updated model–the FD1040. The electronics, fan and heating element, are all in the lid and the thermostat is digital. This model can be stacked 20 trays high. This new model automatically runs only when needed to maintain proper temperature, saving electricity.

The EXCALIBUR dehydrator has been “the” dehydrator in the raw food community and Culinary Institutes for 35 years. It is a great dehydrator also. It is Made in America. It has the fan in the back (for the air to evenly cover each tray–but trays may need to be turned to evenly dry the food for some things), nearly square slide-in trays (with no center holes, and convenient loading/ unloading), and temp settings from 95°/105 – 155°/165 F.

One advantage of the Excalibur is you can put larger things in it – such as taller jars for making raw yogurt or such, or baking pans for dehydrating bars or raising bread (by removing trays). These things won’t go on an American Harvest with the air flow hole in the middle and shallow stacking trays.

Screens come with the dehydrator. Solid sheets (for fruit leathers and other non-solid foods) are available as Premium (non-stick) or Ultra (silicone). I highly recommend the silicone “Ultra” ones as a safer/healthier option, but they are a bit more expensive. (Purchase separately).

We have and recommend the 3900 series (pictured), which has a 600 watt motor and 9 trays for 15 square feet of drying space. This is the dehydrator that always stays on our kitchen counter, and is running nearly every day with almond pulp (from almond milk, and for use as almond flour,) or granola, or fruits or veggies, or yummy raw recipes. (Our Garden Master is brought out when we are doing large loads of produce at harvest or case sale times.) The Excalibur 3926T adds a 26 hour timer, to automatically shut the dehydrator off at your set time. I personally don’t feel the 3926T is worth the extra money, as this dehydrator cannot be ran without the timer. Food preparation is an art, not a science, a skill not a formula. Foods vary in water content and humidity differs from day to day as well as location to location, and size/thickness of the pieces of food vary by who is preparing it. Therefore it will take varying amounts of time to dehydrate, from batch to batch. If the dehydrator shuts off during the night and sits for hours until you get up and store the food, it will begin to absorb more moisture back from the air. So my recommendation is to start foods at a time that they will be finished during waking/at home hours, based on estimated time for dehyrating. If you want a timer that shuts your dehydrator off, I recommend getting an appliance timer and plugging your dehydrator into it, so it will shut it off at the time you set. That way you can use the timer when you need to, and not use it all the time. The Excalibur 3900 is available in Black or White.

The newest Excalibur D900CDSHD has stainless steel trays. I really like this option over the plastic (no BPA) trays, but it does cost a bit more, and has a clear door, that I’m not real thrilled to see. All Excalibur styles also are available with 5 trays. Excalibur dehydrators are not expandable, so we recommend the 9 tray models. Stainless Steel trays can be purchased separately for the 3900 if you’d like them.

The Excalibur 3900 series is a more expensive machine than the American Harvest/Nesco 1000 series. It is also considered more durable/ long lasting (and is made in the USA). Thus we have the 2 Top Picks. Weigh the pros and cons of both and decide which is best for you.

Our company also offers the L’Equip FilterPro Dehydrator. I’ve heard good things about its feature of filtering the air intake to remove pet dander and other “floaties” from the air that is blown over your food, but have not had any experience with it. It also is a stackable dehydrator with a hole in the center, like the American Harvest, but rectangular in shape. It can be stacked to 20 trays, and is 530 watts.

#2 – Sprouter

Our top recommendation – Gardening for Wimps & Terra Cotta, Basket, and/or Hemp Bag Sprouter

We all know that raw foods are best. Sprouts are a form of raw with even greater increased nutrition. In addition, many seeds are not eaten in the form we get them (ie. dried, grains and beans); sprouting makes them more digestible. Sprouts are a small, easy, and cheap improvement to your diet with big benefits, but it is a lifestyle change that will take time to become a habit.

Sprouting is indoor gardening that allows you to have fresh organic “baby vegetables” year-round. Sprouting has been traditionally done in a glass jar with cheesecloth or fine netting over the opening but a Sprouter adds convenience and lessens the chance of molding, and they are quite inexpensive. The key to Sprouting is good air circulation and good drainage. These are 2 big problems when using a jar. Jar sprouting tends to many crop failures, due to spoilage.

Gardening for Wimps is a Freedom & Simplicity™ guide to sprouting, from Me and My House. It tells you all you need to get started in kitchen gardening–why sprout, the proper equipment, the various seeds, proper care, etc. It also includes recommendations for sprouters, going into more depth than I do here.

We’ve used several types of sprouters over the years, beginning with those glass jars, moving on to a plastic 2 layer “jar” with drainage, and then on to tray sprouters that provided verticle sprouting and that provides a much better environment for the sprouts with room to grow and much better crops. One of our favorite tray sprouters was in a clear “house” with a roof. This sprouter provided the humidity needed for good sprouting. The Sprout Master is a verticle sprouter with 3 plastic trays with covers. (Here’s the Single, and Mini Triple.) These are easy to use and good method and inexpensive, …

… but I’d really like to avoid the plastic. I have 2 choices I know of, 1) find some good traditional bamboo baskets for sprouting, or 2) a newer type of sprouter (to me anyhow) made of TerraCotta. I’m really excited about these. Untreated clay, great environment for the sprouts–with no plastic out-gassing, has great ventilation, absorbtion. TerraCotta Sprouters (or this one) provide an environments most similar to natural growing conditions. (However, last I checked these were currently unavailable).

The baskets were the first used and sold by the Sproutman in 1977. However due to inconsistent quality he quit selling them. You can look for a good sprouting basket made of unshellaced bamboo with a tight “bread basket” weave.

The Hemp Bag Sprouter (made here in the USA) is also an easy to use and natural option. Just dip and hang. We recommend it for certain types of sprouts.

If you really get into sprouting, or you’re really a gardening wimp, you may want to get an automatic sprouter. They can be really handy if you tend to forget to water your sprouts, or if you have many sprouts growing. The drawback is, again, these are plastic. The Freshlife automatic sprouter is made up of round trays that sit on a water reservoir and has a misting head that sprays over the top of your sprouts. Another type of automatic sprouter is the Easy Green. After researching these out and talking with a friend who uses one, I think I can highly recommend the EasyGreen MikroFarm. We may eventually partner with them, but for now, here’s an Amazon link, for the best price we’ve found there. Easy Green Automatic Sprouter

Resources & Recommendations for the Kitchen

Every workman must have proper tools to do his job effectively. We all know you can use a pair of pliers as a hammer in a pinch. But if you are a full-time construction worker, you don’t. You use the proper tool to do the job effectively and efficiently.

We may not have Maidens in the same sense that the Proverbs 31 wife did. But we do have many tools that make our work easier and more convenient and efficient. In our Good for You Store are some of ours for a wholefoods kitchen. In the Modern Maidservants™ category of these posts are the reasons we’ve chosen to add what we have to our Store, and helpful tips for you in choosing the tools you use in your kitchen.

Having the proper tools makes any job easier; the task of feeding our families the best we can is no exception. If we would choose to go all natural we wouldn’t need any tools at all, well maybe a knife and/or nut cracker. We’d just eat God’s Original Diet in its natural state – raw. We could do that and live pretty healthy on raw fruits, vegetables, nuts, and seeds. But food preparation is an art that most people enjoy–consuming if not preparing. And having the proper tools can even make the preparation enjoyable.

Most reasonably healthy people can consume about 15-25% of their food intake cooked without it having a negative effect on their health. And it takes some tools to do that food prep. Modern Maidservants™ is a list of modern tools available to be your maidservants, (Proverbs 31 says that the virtuous wife has them, 😉 ) in the art of food preparation. The top tools are numbered in order of nutritional value they help provide.

We have many other products available to offer you, however we feel if, out of all the options available, you are choosing to purchase through us, you are probably interested in our top picks. If you are wanting a different product than we have listed, click on our Amazon link or image in our sidebar.

Any prices listed in our Store are current at the time of posting, however the price of every product we list here, other than our Me & My House Exclusives, is out of our control. Certain items in the kitchen supplies market have fluctuating prices, so we cannot guarantee prices, though we do update as soon as we receive notice of change.

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