One of the first reason I fell in love with a food processor is that it rescued me from chopping carrots. One of those tasks I dislike in the kitchen is chopping a carrot, I find it very annoying. When a friend discussed this electric gadget with me and mentioned its ability to chop and slice vegetable, I instantly ordered for mine.
A food processor is a multi-use kitchen appliance used to chop, slice, grind and shred varieties of vegetables. The device comprises of the bowl, metal blade, feed tube and the feeder. One thing I value my processor for is the ability to save time. It’s very fast and easy to use. I use it to blend soups, salsa, and puree soup. It can as well be used to slice and chop meat and vegetables. I also use it for beating cake batter and kneading bread.
The new model food processor comes with different attachments to make your cooking easy and worthwhile. The processor comes with a dough blade, an egg whip, a julienne disk, a French fry disc, a citrus juicer and a non-citrus juicer. But if you have a food processor that does not have all this supplement attachment, you can just buy the attachment and make your processor versatile.
Easy Steps to use a Food Processor
Step one
Read through the manufacturer’s manual on how to assemble the food processor, don’t assume all models are assembled the same way. And do not plug the processor while assembling it.
Step two
Select the blade of your choice with respect to the food you want to process and place it into the food processor. Latch the lid and the bowl making sure it is firm on the processor.
Step three
Add your food or recipe ingredients. Some prefer to do these before latching the lid while others just prefer putting it through the machine feed tube. You can use any of the methods just make sure you don’t pass the recommended level while filling, else the food will leak. The recommended level is indicated with a mark on the bowl.
Step four
Make sure you chop large ingredients into smaller chunk before processing for easy blending. Additionally, when making coleslaw, use the shredding disk instead of the slicing disk to avoid short pieces.
Step five
Lastly, secure the lid to the food processor and begin processing your food. Most times the device have two buttons, the pulse button, and the run button. These buttons are used to chop, blend and liquefy food.
Use the pulse button to chop food while the run button should be used to blend because it runs continuously. If you have a food processor that has more than two buttons, consult your manufacturer’s guide on how to use.
5 simple things you can prepare with a Food Processor
Vegetables for salad
I’m mentioning vegetables first because that’s the first reason I got my food processor. Precisely to chop my carrot and other salad vegetables. For vegetable lovers like me, you will agree this gadget saves a lot of time and effort in the kitchen.
I also use it to slice firm vegetables like potatoes for a casserole, apples for pie and beets for crisp. Oh! I almost forget to mention that I chop my onions, garlic, and ginger with my processor. For slicing and chopping, all I have to do is to change the blade and I will get my desired blend.
Homemade hummus
Here is one of my favorite – Homemade hummus! It can be prepared in just 10minutes with a food processor. I like it more if the skin is removed from the chickpeas, it gives the meal a very nice texture. Although you can take it without removing the skin, it will still be delicious. You can try making this meal with a food processor and see how easy and fast it is.
Kneading bread and pie dough
In addition to what I prepare with my food processor are bread and pie dough. It’s quite easy and fast using a processor for these meals. All I have to do is combine my ingredients, turn on the machine and pulse it. I take pleasure in watching the dough come together.
You should also watch out for the taste of things you prepare with a food processor, they have their beautiful distinct taste. It’s no news every steel or blade has its distinct taste, you can read more on these in our post on best steel for a kitchen knife.
Homemade pesto
Whenever I want to avoid the stress of using a Mortar and Pestle, I simply prepare my pesto with a food processor. It saves me time and stress. Pesto is a very healthy food that can be prepared in a few minute. You should try it out.
Homemade mayonnaise
I whip up delicious mayonnaise that is better than the store bought own with my processor. I like homemade recipes a lot and I take my time to prepare the best.
Although Mayo can also be made by hand, i don’t use my hands because it’s very difficult and if you don’t have a strong hand, you might end up messing it up.
But a food processor makes it easy, all you have to do is put the egg yolk, lemon juice, mustard, and seasoning to the food processor and turn it on to mix. Then add the oil through the feed until the mayonnaise comes together. Tada! It is done.
Maintenance of your food processor
- Always clean your food processor after every use. After completing your recipe, pour it into a dish and move the plastic part and blade of the processor into a sink. Wash food processor bowls, attachments, blades, covers, and pushers. Most are dishwasher safe.
- While using the processor, don’t overload the machine. This can damage the engine of the processor.
- Always wipe the blades and spindle thoroughly after washing. Oil the blade occasionally for it to function efficiently. The blades become dull over time, so replace it when it’s dull.
In conclusion, most food processor can last for eight to ten years depending on how you maintain it. And as you can see above, it does not require much maintenance. Just follow the maintenance tips above and your processor will last long.
Your turn! Tell us how you use your food processor and what you prepare with this gadget.
