Forum Thermomix

Welcoming Center, Management and General Chat => Introduce Yourself => Topic started by: Decadent Dot on May 22, 2011, 02:05:27 am

Title: Me and my Thermo
Post by: Decadent Dot on May 22, 2011, 02:05:27 am
Hi everyone. I am English and living in England. I have called myself decadent because I have had a Thermomix for over 2-1/2 decades.  I have updated along the way of course and currently use a TM21 and have thought of moving on to the TM31 for years. I have held off because I keep getting an eerie feeling that an even newer model is on the way and I know that I would want the latest plus my TM21 is still doing a great job.  Having been married to a chef,  you would be forgiven in thinking that I had my meals prepared for me but that was not the case. We had hotels and restaurants and even a motel in Queensland. Sadly my husband died and now I live alone. I told myself that I don't need such an expensive toy just for me but actually, I use it every day and most meals. Today I am making curried carrot and celery soup and hummus and 5 Seed bread….and that is just for lunch! I plan my week ahead using  a terrific food software program that I have, that way I am never without the ingredients I need and I can control my diet (well I try not to sabotage the diet)  I just love this machine. It is like playing an exciting game that I never tire of winning.
Title: Re: Me and my Thermo
Post by: salval on May 22, 2011, 05:16:28 am
Hi Dot!! Wow I can't believe you've had a TMX for so long.. And that you still use it every day. If that's not proof about how wonderful it is, I don't know what is. What a great advertisement you are!

Sounds like you've got a great eating & menu plan happening.

Karen
Title: Re: Me and my Thermo
Post by: pandateddy on May 22, 2011, 06:43:02 am
Hi,
 What is the name of the software that you have that helps you with the meal planning? I would be interested to find out about it. Thanks
Title: Re: Me and my Thermo
Post by: foodiepep on May 22, 2011, 08:00:55 am
Me and my Thermo is't it mean't to be....'My Thermie and I'......?
 ;D

Title: Re: Me and my Thermo
Post by: Decadent Dot on May 22, 2011, 08:51:57 am
Me and my Thermo is't it mean't to be....'My Thermie and I'......?
 ;D



Absolutely true Foodiepep but here I am using colloquial English or you can call it friendly conversational slang. ;D
Title: Re: Me and my Thermo
Post by: Decadent Dot on May 22, 2011, 09:00:38 am
Hello pandateddy,
The software is called Diet Pro. Made by Radium Technologies. It costs $65 US. You can download a trial albeit a short trial. (I have no affiliation with this software, I just enjoy using it) There is a forum to look at too.
http://www.dietpro.net/demo/priceit.htm
Here are some of the things I use it for:
1.   I plan my week’s meals ahead. I can follow any diet I choose because each recipe lists the nutritional values. Supposing I am a weight Watcher, I can at a glance say how many weight watchers points are consumed that day and increase or decrease them as required.
2.   Plan a weight goal over a period of time. It will tell you how many calories you need to consume to reach the goal. Every recipe will list its calorie value and much more besides. Example: Diabetics will find it a boon.
3.   It will even tell you how much water you should drink.
4.   It will follow an exercise plan telling you how many points to add with each exercise that you did. Example mow the lawn for 60 minutes and it will tell you how many calories you used.
5.   You can include photographs and reports to analyse your progress.
6.   Copy and paste any recipe I see on the net that I like (no typing required)
7.   I can design my shopping list into isles of my favourite store and so avoid looking at items that are not on my grocery list. Just walk the isles and tick   off on the list.  As I live in a tiny village with no shops, I need to be sure not to forget anything.
8.   Keep separate cookery books. My favourite is my Thermomix book.
9.   Share any recipes or even books with other Diet pro owners by e-mail.
10.   I can detail the ingredients that I have in stock and Diet Pro will deduct them as I use them and then only top up what is needed on my grocery list. 
11.   I copy the recipe into a shopping list on the program. (It lists the recipes I am making on the shopping list as well ) It adds up the ingredients of several recipes and it then takes off anything that I have in stock. It also prices up the shopping list.
12.   Left overs. ! No problem, it will search for any recipe containing that ingredient.
13.   It will also search for any recipes that you want to find quickly by asking it to search out descriptive recipes example: “Thermomix” or “breakfast.” Or “any recipe with over 5 grams of fibre” or “recipes that take  only 30 mins to complete”
P.S. Sorry for writing such a long reply

Title: Re: Me and my Thermo
Post by: Cornish Cream on May 22, 2011, 09:20:19 am
Hi and welcome to the forum Decadent Dot.With your experience of the TM for 25 years you will be able to give us some great advice and probably some great recipes to try. :)
Title: Re: Me and my Thermo
Post by: Decadent Dot on May 22, 2011, 09:24:59 am
Hello Karen,
Some people might say thatI spend rather too much time, money and effort where the Thermomix is conserned. I do love machinery and gadgets though.
An Apple ipad would be a great way to have a recipe book where you want it to be. In the kitchen, at the shop or taken to share with friends. No more printing or searching. Should I buy one or should I upgrade my TM21 to aTM31? What do you Thermies think?

Dot
Title: Re: Me and my Thermo
Post by: johnro on May 22, 2011, 09:25:43 am
Hi Decadent Dot and welcome to the forum. What a wealth of experience you bring to this forum, so pleased that you have joined us.  BTW an ipad is very handy to have on the recipe stand - so much easier than the laptop!!!!! Cheers -  :)  :)
Title: Re: Me and my Thermo
Post by: Decadent Dot on May 22, 2011, 09:32:14 am
Thank you for your welcome Cornish Cream.
I have to tell you that I have never had a fault on any of my machines in those 25 years which I think is really good. I will of course be happy to get involved. I am reading various bits of the forum and getting into the spirit of it.
Dot
Title: Re: Me and my Thermo
Post by: Decadent Dot on May 22, 2011, 09:35:21 am
Thank you Johnro. But is an ipad a better spend than upgrading to a TM31?  :-\ That is the big question.
Dot
Title: Re: Me and my Thermo
Post by: knittercook on May 22, 2011, 09:45:35 am
Me and my Thermo is't it mean't to be....'My Thermie and I'......?
 ;D



Nah!! Me and me Thermie (insert a real Aussie accent)  ;)

Welcome Decadent Dot and wow what a wealth of experience you have to share with us, so great to have you on board  ;D

Sharon
Title: Re: Me and my Thermo
Post by: judydawn on May 22, 2011, 09:46:52 am
Hi Decadent Dot, welcome to the forum.  If you are quite happy with your TM21 why bother upgrading just yet.  I'd wait until the next model comes out - goodness knows when that is but you'd be spitting chips if it came out just after you upgraded. Obviously the TM31 is better than the TM21 but it is just you to cook for and you don't seem to be having any problems or needs.  It was lovely to read your first posting - a very satisfied customer indeed.  Enjoy your time on here, it is a great place to be.
Title: Re: Me and my Thermo
Post by: Katya on May 22, 2011, 10:07:52 am
It's a tough choice between iPad and TM31.   I think I  agree with the others.  Why bother to upgrade to the TM31 as you seem to be happy with the TM21.    And the iPad will expand your horizons in a way that the TM31 probably won't....

I guess the only thing you have to ask yourself is what would you do if (heaven forbid!) the TM21 gave up the ghost.   An iPad wouldn't really help with the cooking at that point  :D
Title: Re: Me and my Thermo
Post by: Nik2WIN on May 22, 2011, 11:47:24 am
Hi Decadent Dot, I'm also in England so a great big welcome from me.

I'm on the side of an ipad.  I would LOVE one but I just can't justify the spend for something that I know I would mostly use for recipes and cooking!  Every time I use a recipe I've downloaded I wish I had an ipad but I have a mac and an iphone (3gs not 4) and my lust for gadgets is getting out of control.

I love that you use your TMX every day still.  I've almost always cooked from scratch even if it was just for myself, although mostly did it the long way as its only been Me and My Thermo for around 6 months.  I have 3 boys and they have a real interest in cooking probably because my kitchen is gadget city!

I love your dietpro program and am off to investigate (I follow weight watchers :) )

Thanks for sharing and great to "meet" you

Nik xx
Title: Re: Me and my Thermo
Post by: foodiepep on May 22, 2011, 12:01:06 pm
Me and my Thermo is't it mean't to be....'My Thermie and I'......?
 ;D



Absolutely true Foodiepep but here I am using colloquial English or you can call it friendly conversational slang. ;D

Oh I get it.  You don't think us Aussie talk properer English.   ;D

Well that's quite correct.
Title: Re: Me and my Thermo
Post by: Decadent Dot on May 22, 2011, 12:54:34 pm
Hi Nik,
I had 2 boys and a girl. I insisted that they all 3 passed my basic ability tests before leaving home. Prepare basic meals, iron shirts and basic sewing which included buttons and shortening trouser hems. Both boys were glad of the skills because they joined the army. They used to show off their knife sharpening skills with a steel and fast chopping too. Now that they have grown up, they let their wives do it.  ???My daughter has however gone from strength to strength.
Weight watchers use an equation to arrive at points. It is : where a= 50 (calories) b= 12g (fat)+c=5.oo (fibre) d= 0.00 g (saturated fat. ) You need to be a bit of a mathmetician to get round that but it seems to work on the Diet-pro software when I have checked it against their recipes.
Dot
Title: Re: Me and my Thermo
Post by: Decadent Dot on May 22, 2011, 01:05:43 pm
Hi Katya,
The question of the ipad versus the TM31 has been resolved because it appears that the Diet Pro software is not ready to be read on the ipad. How sad is that! :'(
Of course my trusty lap top serves the purpose of being a big recipe book and I can play on it from the TV screen too. I suppose that it could go with me to do the shopping too but it is all too bulky in comparison to an ipad.
I am therefore back to a waiting game of not buying either one............yet.
Title: Re: Me and my Thermo
Post by: Nik2WIN on May 22, 2011, 01:21:48 pm
Hi Nik,
I had 2 boys and a girl. I insisted that they all 3 passed my basic ability tests before leaving home. Prepare basic meals, iron shirts and basic sewing which included buttons and shortening trouser hems. Both boys were glad of the skills because they joined the army. They used to show off their knife sharpening skills with a steel and fast chopping too. Now that they have grown up, they let their wives do it.  ???My daughter has however gone from strength to strength.
Weight watchers use an equation to arrive at points. It is : where a= 50 (calories) b= 12g (fat)+c=5.oo (fibre) d= 0.00 g (saturated fat. ) You need to be a bit of a mathmetician to get round that but it seems to work on the Diet-pro software when I have checked it against their recipes.
Dot

Oh I think I am your clone! My oldest is only 9 and my youngest not yet 3 but I do insist that they look after themselves (according to age)  Even a 2 yr old can bring his plate etc from the table.  I've been a stay at home mum since I had my first but that does not make me their slave.  I do all their laundry but they are expected to put their own clothes away (with some help where necessary).  As they get older I shall relinquish laundry duties too.  I'm a firm believer that children need to learn life skills if only for their own self esteem - its shocking how some children are looked after these days, one parent wakes her (6 yr old) daughter up with a cup of tea and a breakfast scone!

I'm also a bit of a mathematician and have a degree in IT :)

Nik
Title: Re: Me and my Thermo
Post by: Decadent Dot on May 23, 2011, 07:50:28 am
Hi Nik,
Almost all animals prepare their young for "going it alone". but some humans, however seem to want their young to cling on.
 
I am impressed by your ability, maths was never my strong point. I am the sort who thinks that square roots are diced carrots. I am great at the basics though I always use the scale down tool on my software to turn a recipe into the number of servings that I want.  I have had a computer since they came out. Actually around the time I had my first Thermomix.I have been on lots of college courses but not a degree. Well done you! 8)
Title: Re: Me and my Thermo
Post by: Katya on May 23, 2011, 09:15:36 am
That's a bit of a bummer Dot.... hopefully the software will be compatible with the iPad soon.  But, in the meantime, just think of all the money you're not spending  :D :D
Title: Re: Me and my Thermo
Post by: Nik2WIN on May 23, 2011, 09:24:25 am
Hi Nik,
Almost all animals prepare their young for "going it alone". but some humans, however seem to want their young to cling on.

Good gracious why, WHY??? I ask you??   ;D

I love my children dearly but I think its very healthy for them to be aware that I do have things that don't revolve around them - as they will as they grow older.

We've just moved house in the last 10 days and my 2 big boys have started new schools - sure they were worried on their first day but they went in there without a murmur and got on with it!  I put it down to the fact that I'm so boring  ;)  Even my almost 3 yr old can't wait to start a new nursery school to get away from me!

Of course the downside of this independence I seem to have fostered is that they are all "strayers" - we rarely have a day trip when one doesn't get lost.  Nearly had a shopping centre locked down one Christmas when we lost 2 of them.  DH really panics but I'm used to it plus I've spent a lot of time with them and understand what would have caught their eye and can usually find them pretty quickly. 

Nik
Title: Re: Me and my Thermo
Post by: Frozzie on May 23, 2011, 01:39:09 pm
a belated welcome dot....always difficut making decisions and when it comes down to it, deciding what you always 'need' as to 'want'  ....i really want an ipad but with so much going on ive decided to wait a little...too many other projects on at once and as far as the thermie goes i only know the tm31 so cant comment but seems to me your getting alot of use out of it anyway... :)
Title: Re: Me and my Thermo
Post by: faffa_70 on May 23, 2011, 03:01:56 pm
Welcome DD (had to shorten it as we have that habit here in Oz  :D) How fantastic that you have found us.

I was reading though this thread waiting to get to the end to let you know that I didn't think DietPro would work on an iPad as Living Cookbook wont and they are made by the same company... that said I love LCB and couldn't be without it.



Title: Re: Me and my Thermo
Post by: Decadent Dot on May 23, 2011, 04:29:21 pm
Thanks for the welcome Frozzie. I also have Living Cookbook to which I have exported my Diet Pro and my own cookbook directories (like Thermomix)
 I know that many people on the Radium Technology forum have requested an app for LC but it doesn't sound as if it is fast forthcoming.  Not to worry, like  Katya commented, I am not spending money on the ipad.

DD (Thats a new one)  ;D Almost anything is better than Dorothy which I hate.
Title: Re: Me and my Thermo
Post by: Decadent Dot on May 23, 2011, 04:39:16 pm
Ooops! I sent my last message to Frozzie instead of faffa  :-[
Forgive me. Perhaps that's what comes with living upside down.
Title: Re: Me and my Thermo
Post by: Frozzie on May 23, 2011, 04:52:14 pm
haha understood who it was meant  for Dot and you know htat you can also modify any of your messages..just click on modify and adjust it!  We have all done that once or twice  :)
Title: Re: Me and my Thermo
Post by: cookie1 on May 25, 2011, 07:53:58 am
A very belated welcome Decadent Dot. You certainly have a wealth of experience.
Title: Re: Me and my Thermo
Post by: Decadent Dot on May 29, 2011, 09:55:16 am
Thank you Cookie1
Yes I look back over the 25 years of having a Thermomix and realise that I had settled into a rather monotenous cooking regime where I repeat the tried and tested recipes. Some that suit my diet and some because they are quick or easy and never fail.
I feel a need to "break out" from the routine and investigate something different. This is why I have joined the forum to see what you are all doing. Already I am starting to feel the new excitement that I felt when I was new to it. ;D
Dot
Title: Re: Me and my Thermo
Post by: Very Happy Jan on May 30, 2011, 01:29:06 am
Welcome DD. I'm sure you will find many recipes on thi forum to re ignite your passion. There are many here that have been well tested, tweaked and given several variations.