Using a Thermomix in USA

I recently moved to the US with my Thermomix from Australia. Through the moving company, Thermomix Australia recommended using a Todd Systems Step-Up transformer. Using the electrical information on the bottom of my Thermomix, Todd Systems was able to recommend the correct transformer I required.

In my case, they recommended using model SU-14G
Note: This transformer is very heavy - around 20-22 lbs. and there is no easy way to carry it. It's definitely an industrial product (you're buying straight from the manufacturer), not like consumer friendly ones you might pick up at a shop with a finished case or handle.

   


Also, because I was referred by Thermomix, I received a discount on the price (with shipping came to around US$230).

They also shipped a 230v US male plug because the transformer only receives that type of plug.

Todd System's instructions were to cut off my male Australian plug and attach the 230v US male plug they provided.

I didn't want to do this for a couple of reasons:

1. I didn't want to void any warranty if there still was one on my Thermomix 
2. The plug is bright yellow and aesthetically, I didn't want to alter my Thermomix 

Instead, I went to an electrical company that rewires lamps, appliances, etc. and got two things...

• 1 foot of wire 
• Australian female plug (also in a beautiful bright yellow)

Total cost: $7

With these two items and the male plug provided by Todd Systems, my dad made an adaptor cord for me. (With your Thermomix, everything has to be grounded electrically, so make sure you talk to someone who knows what they are doing and can assist you to make sure you have the right parts. Once you have the right parts, the actual wiring of the cord is easy enough.)







The set-up works as follows...

THERMOMIX (male Australian plug) >> (female Australian plug) ADAPTOR CORD (male US 230V plug) >> (female US 230V plug) TRANSFORMER (male US standard grounded plug) >> US WALL OUTLET


Alternative to building your own adaptor cord, you can have someone else professionally put it together. In my research this would have cost $50 for my required set-up vs the $7 it cost me to make my own.

Whatever route you go, make sure you have enough wattage from the transformer to power the Thermomix. Otherwise, your Thermomix may not work properly or at all!

Body Rock 30 Day Challenge

I found bodyrock.tv a few weeks ago and finally got around to starting the 30 day challenge. They started this in February, but it's April 1st and I'm starting from the beginning.

So, my scores from the fit test are:
Squat Jumps - 30
Push-Ups (knees) - 19
Burpees - 10
High Knees - 90
Switch Lunges - 7 Basic, 9 switch
Prisoner Jumps - 50
Tricep Dips - 20
Straight Abs (hands to knees) - 15

BodyRock.TV's February 30 Day Challenge Calendar

Yummy Primal Fried Chicken

I've been scraping together random bits and pieces; eating mostly fried eggs at night since it was 'easy' and I didn't have enough ingredients to make anything else.

However, tonight I cooked my first proper primal recipe. The recipe I tried was from the free primal reader-created cookbook from Mark's Daily Apple: Crispy Nut and Herb Fried Chicken with Creamy Avocado (pg. 52). I used all four nuts pictured: almonds, walnuts, macadamia, and pecans. I also chose rosemary as my herb and only 1 egg since I was making just one portion.


Instead of chicken breast I used a chicken leg (the only thing I had defrosted!). First time making this recipe, first time making fried chicken, first time working with chicken leg... the only thing I felt was hard was getting the timing of cooked meet in balance with a too crispy coating.

In the end, served with a quarter of an avocado (3 slices) and it tasted amazing even if just slightly burnt.

I used FitDay.com to estimate the nutritional values of this dish. Everything is estimated, so (disclaimer) may not be completely accurate!

A few berries for desert to top it off. Yummy! Happy belly!

UPDATE (10/Jan/12): After many more attempts at making this (it's my new favourite) I've found the best way to make this without burning is to use chicken breast and flatten it with a mallet like chicken schnitzel. Then proceed with recipe instructions as normal.

Meat Overload

Last night I made my first lamb roast with a spinach, feta, spring onion (eshallot) and balsamic salad. Not bad, loved the salad (mostly the cheese part), but I think I over cooked my lamb slightly. : /

This morning I had 2 fried organic eggs and 2 mini organic beef sausages. I made 3 sausages, but found I got too full to eat the last one. I think this is more meat than I've had in a really long time, so I definitely wasn't liking all the sausage this morning.

I finished eating at 10, did my sprints at 10:30 and only starting to feel hungry at 1:30 for lunch. Time to forage in my kitchen for food. I'm thinking a lamb salad... and maybe some blue/rasp/strawberries or cherries for a little sweetness.

If I'm lucky, I'll pop over to my friends place tonight (also primal) and will partake in primal fish tacos (hold the taco).

Going Primal

I started researching healthy things to eat to help grow healthier, thicker hair and stumbled across the Paleo Diet blog called Free the Animal. 


One holiday and three weeks later, I was back in town at a friend's BBQ and talking about how she and a couple other friends were going primal using Mark's Daily Apple blog. Living like the first humans would have - hunter-gather style. 

Seeing that I'd been researching a lot of different lifestyle changes for diet, including Ayurvedic diets (I'm Pitta Dosha), the primal lifestyle seemed like a good way to combine all of things I've been reading.

So, today I went to the shops and bought a lot of primal approved food for the week. I don't know what I'm going to create yet. There are a lot of recipes and I'm not great in the kitchen, so there's going to have to be a lot of research.

But, this is what I purchased for my first primal shop...

Veggies / Fruit

• Spinach
• Parsley
• Eshallots
• Organic Carrots
• Cherries
• White Onion
• Avacado
• Eggplant
• Portabello mushrooms
• Diced Tomatoes (canned)
• Garlic
• Raspberries
• Blueberries
• Strawberries

Meats

• Organic Eggs
• Organic Chicken Breast
• Organic Chicken Drumsticks
• Organic Beef Sausages
• Lamb Roast

Other

• Coconut Milk (canned)
• Tapioca Flour
• Beef Stock

As part of this change, I want to also head back to the naturopath and monitor my blood as I did in previous posts to see how the diet is affecting it.

Network Care Chircopractor

As I've been seeing my personal trainer I've started to use my neck a lot more in our exercises. Even ones that wouldn't work any muscle near my neck. So, he recommended I go see a network care chiropractor who would help my faulty muscle recruitment patterns.

Below is the chart my chiro filled in indicating the tension that was in my muscles. On a 1 to 5 scale, I was off the chart! I liked to joke that if 5 = steel, then my 5++ was adamantium (Wolverine's indestructible metal alloy skeleton). He also said he was able to tell that I was a type A personality (which I am completely) from the way I sat and composed my email.

After 10 sessions, I'll get my updated chart. Stay tuned.

Naturopath 3

8 weeks in, 6 weeks from last visit...

Annulocytes (Gone!)


Platelet Aggregation (mild [down from medium])
Platelets are responsible for blood clotting. Various lifestyle choices (such as smoking or eating fatty foods) and disease states may make platelets stickier, resutling in platelet aggregations. Large aggregations can be a sign of an increase tendency to blood clotting.
[THIS WILL TAKE A FEW MONTHS OF DIETARY CHANGES TO GO AWAY]