Need advice for food prep! This has got to be easier...

[Holo]

I just got my first beardie 3 days ago and am very new at everything. Thanks to this forum, I've got his set-up as close to perfect as possible. The only issue I'm still working out is veggies... I just spent 30 straight minutes cutting and chopping A collard leaf and 1/4 sweet potato...!!! I don't even spend that much time preparing my own food! I come to you to help me find an easier way of preparing veggies for my little man. Please tell me all of your food prep secrets! Maybe there is a kitchen tool or little machine that does it, or at least tips to make it go quicker... ANYTHING! I'm desperate for advice! Thank you!!!

 

[carlisv]

When we first got our two dragons, it seemed to take forever to make their salads every morning. Now after a year I'm down to 5 minutes or so. You'll get faster with the greens with practice. The secret to the yams, squash, carrots, asparagus, and firm things like that is a box grater. Any kind will work - just use the coarse shred side and you can do enough for two or three days in a minute. (It doesn't keep longer than that, so there's no use in doing more).

For our two adult boys, I wash a collard/turnip/mustard leaf, (or half if they're big), a green bean, two or three pea pods, a piece of red or green pepper, or whatever else I've got that's fresh, then put it in a pile on a cutting board and just rough chop it until all the pieces are small enough - less than 1/4". It takes about a minute. Then I add a pile of shredded squash/sweet potato, and done! They each have their preferences, and don't always eat everything, but whatever's left goes to the crickets, so there's no waste.

 

[Holo]

Thank you. This helps a lot. I honestly didn't know if I was doing something wrong or not. I also tend to be a perfectionist, so I might just need to forget about how it looks and just chop away!

 

[Cowabunga]

IF its taking that long you must be counting the time it took to hand pick them from the garden lol.

If you have a small food processor like the ones used for salsas, those work creams too when you have multiple dragons to do. A few pulses will get you a nicely shredded concoction. 8)

 

[warnisha]

well personally I use my food chopper, the veggie slicer and salad chopper from PC and chop it all up ahead of time, put it in a air tight container and then for the week I just open and scoop! I tried the food processor but it made things too small and mushy for me.

 

[Cowabunga]

well personally I use my food chopper, the veggie slicer and salad chopper from PC and chop it all up ahead of time, put it in a air tight container and then for the week I just open and scoop! I tried the food processor but it made things too small and mushy for me.

The one I use is a tiny little one like the kind made for Salsa. They have various size blades and types but it cuts it into little chunks. Doesn't spin fast enough to puree or make it mushy like the big high end ones or a blender.

Even so, staking a bunch of greens on top of eachother and hand slicing them takes about 2 minutes tops and then chop up some cucumber, squash etc is easy peezy. The coarse grater is perfect for harder squashes and carrots tho.

 

[Holo]

Thanks so much for the advise. I think I have a small processor that I was given years ago... I'll have to dig it out and see if it works. The first day I used a Bullet but it made a mush and Dax didn't like it so much. However, the collards I spent so much time on last night he ate some of today, so there is a reward to all the work

 

[Cowabunga]

Thanks so much for the advise. I think I have a small processor that I was given years ago... I'll have to dig it out and see if it works. The first day I used a Bullet but it made a mush and Dax didn't like it so much. However, the collards I spent so much time on last night he ate some of today, so there is a reward to all the work

I have used blenders too but you just have to pulse blades a bit and don't get too carried away. :lol:

 

[Paradon]

I wouldn't use a lot of sweet potatoes if I were you. It has a lot of oxalate which binds calcium. If you want to use orange color veggies, go with winter squash like butternut squash and kabocha. They are much more nutritious and they don't have a lot of calcium oxalate. You can nuke them in the microwave to soften them so they are easier to peel and then use a serrate knife (stake knife works well) to cut off the skin.

 

[slinkystumpy]

I bought this bag of "Country greens" at safeway for 3 bucks. It was mixed collards, mustard, and turnips greens. I just took that and cut it up smaller, and re-bagged it.

 

[DragonRudy]

Could you tell me the brand of these Country Greens? I don't have a Safeway, but might be able to find it at another chain store. Thanks!

 

[slinkystumpy]

I don't think it was some specific brand... I just went to the produce aisle and saw it bagged up.

 

[DragonRudy]

Thank you! I will check around. Sounds so much easier!