2. What do you use a food processor for?
Food processors are one of the many modern appliances that have taken over kitchens everywhere. Food processors can be used for so much more than just chopping vegetables. The possibilities are truly endless when you consider all of the things they can do. With this in mind, we wanted to take some time to share with our readers what a food processor might be capable of doing around your home.
1) Make homemade baby food:
Parents will love this new trick. Babies usually demand a lot of attention and a lot of trips out of the house, which can make it really difficult to cook homemade meals from scratch – especially if you're on the go during mealtimes, too. Food processors to the rescue! Food processors make it easy to whip up a quick homemade meal in a pinch, which means you'll be able to cook all of your baby's food from scratch every time – even when you're busy getting ready for work or running errands.
2) Make pesto, hummus, and healthy dips:
Healthy dips and spreads tend to require a lot of kneading and stirring by hand, but this is often difficult if you don't have any free hands around while cooking. Food processors come in handy here again because they'll allow you to prepare healthy dips and spreads without having to stir constantly with a spoon. If your family loves ranch dressing and hummus, then you should definitely give this recipe. It's delicious!
3) Slice vegetables or grate cheese:
Food processors can also be used to slice vegetables or grate cheese – it saves time and frustration when you want to make certain dishes but don't have the right tools on hand. Food processors are amazing because they cut down on preparation time dramatically. Whether you're making zucchini bread, sweet potato fries, or eggplant parmesan, having a food processor around will save you tons of time that would normally be spent chopping veggies by hand. You could even use your food processor to take care of meal prep during the week – just put all of your ingredients in and let it do the work for you.
4) Mashing potatoes without lumps:
Food processors can also be used to mash potatoes without having lumps or clumping issues. If you're tired of lumpy mashed potatoes that ruin your Thanksgiving dinner every year, then you should try this next time! Food processors are amazing because they do all of the hard work for you so that cooking turns from a chore into an easy pleasure. Food processors help save time during meal prep as well as save money on energy bills – who knew?
5) Making homemade nut butters:
Food processors are excellent at creating buttery spreads from nuts, seeds, or coconut by using the S-blade attachment to get everything extremely finely chopped, so it blends up into a smooth paste. You can use any type of nut (or seed or coconut) in these recipes; the only thing that changes is the amount of time you need to keep processing until it becomes smooth. The final product will be warm, creamy, and spreadable. Food processors are also excellent for nut butter because they can easily get into the corners of the jar where a blender is less effective.
6) Grinding meat:
Food processors can be used for grinding meat, or more specifically, using the S-blade attachment to turn semi-frozen meat into ground meat (if you want to make your own burgers or sausages). This works especially well with fattier meats like pork and beef; lean chicken meats don't work as well due to their low-fat content, which ends up with a dry end result.
7) Make curry paste:
Food processors are excellent for grinding, chopping, and blending all in one appliance, making them perfect for creating curry pastes. Food processors will similarly work for your other spice pastes, such as chili paste and ginger garlic paste (though you may need to add a bit of liquid to make it spreadable).
8) Getting awesomely textured veggies for salads:
Food processors excel at chopping vegetables into small pieces; even better when the end result is smooth, but when using the S-blade attachment on certain vegetables like carrots and beets can create an interesting range of textures that add interest to salads because they add different mouthfeels between lettuce tomatoes – which can sometimes get a bit boring.
9) Making homemade hummus:
Food processors (and blenders) excel at making hummus, which is traditionally made by soaking chickpeas overnight and then cooking them before blending with tahini, garlic, salt, and lemon juice. Food Processors make it much easier to make hummus because you can simply open a can of chickpeas (or other beans like butterbeans), drain and rinse them under cold water then put them into the food processor to blitz everything together until smooth without any pre-soaking or cooking required!
10) Chocolate truffles and other healthy snacks:
Food processors are excellent at chopping, dicing, and mixing ingredients together to create chocolate truffles or other healthy snacks because they don't require any baking.
11) Chopping nuts:
Food processors are perfect for chopping nuts up into small pieces, which is very useful if you're using them as a crunchy topping on cakes, mousses, or salads where even with a knife, some of the nuts will roll away on the floor, never to found.
If you make cookies quite often and serve them with ice cream, put the leftovers in the freezer in an airtight container; once frozen, run them through your food processor for about 30 seconds (until they resemble coarse crumbs) and add them to the ice cream while serving for added texture.
If you bake your own bread, save the leftovers (or buy day-old bread). Run them through your food processor until they're crumbly, then store them in an airtight container or freezer bag for later use. When taking out to make meatballs or spaghetti sauce, just be sure to give it some time to thaw before adding to the recipe—you don't want soggy meatballs!
3. Tips on how to use a food processor correctly and safely:
- Don't overfill your food processor! Maximize blending efficiency by keeping ingredients below the maximum line. If your processor has a large capacity, it's still best to process smaller amounts of food at a time.
- Cleaning your food processor is a breeze. Simply pop it in the dishwasher or wash it by hand, taking care not to scratch the blades. But NEVER submerge it in water or wash it in the microwave. These actions can cause serious electrical problems.
- Achieve even chopping results by scattering your ingredients across the bottom of the bowl, rather than dumping them all directly into the center. Start with a low speed and stop once your food reaches a crumbly consistency to avoid over-processing it. Also remember to unplug your food processor before removing the lid or adding additional ingredients to prevent electrical problems and injuries.
Bonus tip: If you're purchasing a stand-alone food processor or not using the entire set, take note of the wattage. Higher wattage usually means better performance and efficiency.
And don't forget to wash your food processor before each use to avoid the risk of serious burns from dried-out ingredients.
4. Food processor cleaning tips:
Food processors are great, but they can also be a pain because of the small parts and nooks and crannies that need extra attention when washing. Here's our favorite method for cleaning food processors:
- Soak all removable parts in hot water with dish soap for about an hour, then scrub clean.
- Next, fill the bowl halfway with warm, sudsy water and run on high speed for 30 seconds to get off any lingering food from the blades or grooves.
- Transfer the mixture into a large bowl and let it sit for another 10 minutes, allowing bits of food to come up from the bottom of the processor bowl—this is where all your hard work has been!
- After letting it sit, run more warm water through while running at low speed. Rinse thoroughly and allow to dry before returning everything back to its place.
Recipes Featuring A Food Processor
A food processor is an invaluable kitchen tool that can save time and effort when preparing a variety of recipes. Whether you’re chopping, grinding, blending or pureeing, a food processor is an easy way to get the job done. With pre-programmed settings, some models are even able to knead dough or whip cream. Here are a few recipes featuring a food processor that you can try out in your own kitchen:
– Salsa: Start off with fresh tomatoes, garlic, onions and jalapeno peppers. Use the food processor’s chopping blade for quick dicing and combine all ingredients together for a flavorful salsa.
– Hummus: Chickpeas are the base for this delicious dip. Place them in the food processor along with garlic, lemon juice and tahini paste for extra flavor. Blend until smooth and enjoy with pita chips or veggies!
– Pesto: Basil leaves, Parmesan cheese, pine nuts and garlic is all you need to make homemade pesto sauce. Pulse these ingredients in the food processor to blend together into a creamy sauce that goes perfectly on pasta dishes or as a spread on sandwiches.
– Doughs: Kneading dough can be time consuming but not with a food processor! After mixing up your favorite bread or pizza dough recipe, attach the kneading blade to your machine and let it do all the work while you relax!
– Milkshakes & Smoothies: Frozen fruits and ice cream come together quickly in the blender attachment of your food processor – no need to buy expensive milkshake makers! Make sure you add enough liquid so it processes properly for creamy results every time.
Safety Precautions When Using A Food Processor
It is important to take the proper safety precautions when using a food processor, as the blades can be incredibly sharp and cause serious injury. Before using a food processor, make sure all pieces are securely locked into place and that the bowl is properly secured. To avoid blade-related injuries, always use caution when handling them, either by wearing protective gloves or taking care not to touch them.
When pouring ingredients into the bowl of the food processor, it is important to stop periodically while adding items so they don't fly out of the machine. Additionally, it is best to avoid overfilling the bowl or attempting to process too large an item; it may damage or clog up the appliance. To avoid getting burned when removing hot ingredients from the food processor after processing, use oven mitts and carefully lift up on the release tab for safe removal.
If any liquid gets inside of your food processor during operation, immediately unplug it and clean out all parts before continuing with further usage. Make sure that all components are completely dry before switching on again; moisture in combination with electricity can be dangerous. Finally, always read through user manuals before starting up a new model of food processor for best results and maximum safety!
Conclusion: What Do You Use A Food Processor For
In conclusion, a food processor is an incredibly useful and versatile kitchen tool that can make cooking easier and faster. It can be used to chop, grate, blend, puree and even knead dough. It’s ideal for quickly blending ingredients together, making sauces and doughs or grinding nuts and seeds into powders or pastes. As a time-saving appliance in the kitchen, it’s no wonder why so many seasoned home cooks rely on their food processor for its ability to make meal prepping easier.
Take the time to find the best fit for you as every cook has different needs in terms of performance, power and storage capacity. Investing in this must-have kitchen item is sure to help speed up your meal-making process now and in the long run!
