March Cooking Tool of the Month – Food Processor
Cooking Tool of the Month – Food Processor
Hello lovelies! I’m really excited to announce the March Cooking Tool of the Month, one of my favorite tools in the kitchen. The Food Processor!! You might be asking yourself, “I have a blender so why do I need a food processor as well?”. Here’s the thing. Blenders are great for things that are liquidy like beverages, dressings and soups. For things like hummus, bean pates, tofu quiche, and nut-based desserts the food processor does a better job. Not only that but it has all kinds of cool attachments that make slicing and grated a snap!
I’m about to board a big boat on the Taste of Health cruise (hope you can join me next year!) so Heather Nicholds is going to give you the rundown on how to use your food processor and share a delicious recipe with us. Thank you Heather for the wonderful guest post, video and recipe! Enjoy everyone!
Well, it’s March and you know what that means – time to get to know and love a new cooking tool! This month, it’s all about the food processor.
When I was little, my favorite type of salad was my mom’s coleslaw. She would always shred the cabbage and grate the carrots in her food processor, and if I was lucky I’d get a few bits to nibble on before dinner. When I moved out and had to start cooking for myself, I still made coleslaw, but it would take me forever to chop up the cabbage as finely as I wanted it…
After getting a food processor, I can now make coleslaw as fast as my mom did, which makes it so much more fun! I make it a lot more often now, because it’s not such a huge hassle. So coleslaw brings out two of the reasons I love my food processor – it saves time, and it saves me from grating carrots by hand, which for some reason just gets me all tense. My jaw clenches up, and it’s just not a good scene.
Food processors do cost more than some of your basic kitchen tools, but they can do so many jobs, and they get things done so quickly. If that gets you eating more healthy food, and having more fun in the kitchen, then I think it’s definitely worth the money! If your food processor comes with different blades, you can use it to puree, chop, grate, pulse and mix dough. If you didn’t get all those blades when you bought yours, you can easily order extra blades online.
Throughout March, Christy will be bringing more recipes to show you all the things you can do with your food processors. Some of my favorites are coleslaw, bean dips like hummus, creamy soups like squash or sweet potato, smoothies and frozen fruit ice cream.
Asian Coleslaw Recipe with Avocado Dressing
Makes 3-4 servings
2 cups savoy or napa cabbage, shredded
2 carrots, grated
1 asian pear, grated
1 green onion, chopped
1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
1 avocado
1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
1 tablespoon tamari (soy sauce)
1 teaspoon fresh ginger, minced
2 tablespoons sliced almonds (optional)
Preparation
Toss the cabbage, carrot, pear, green onion and cilantro together in a large salad bowl.
Puree the avocado, vinegar, tamari and ginger in the food processor until smooth. Toss the dressing with the vegetables, and serve topped with sliced almonds.
What are your favorites things to make in your food processor? Is there a kind of recipe you would like us to feature this month using the food processor?
Heather Nicholds is a Registered Holistic Nutritionist who helps clients energize their lives through simple changes in how they eat. Whether you’re seeking healthy weight loss, more energy or a boost towards balanced nutrition, Heather will introduce you to the positive and powerful impact of a plant-based whole food diet. Through her nutritionally-balanced meal plans, cleanses, online cooking classes, and nutrition consultations, she can get you on track. She shares her knowledge, enthusiasm and experience to help you prepare quick, healthy, delicious and balanced meals that leave you and your family full of vitality!
You can connect with Heather on YouTube, Facebook and Twitter.