Food Processors for Good Health
A food processor is a great kitchen appliance for those who are trying to eat healthy, natural foods. A food process will allow some foods to be broken down while maintaining all the vitamins, minerals, and fiber better than a juicer, without the messy cleanup. Food processors also help in making healthy baked goods.
What is a Food Processor?
A food processor is a kitchen appliance that can make food preparation easy and eliminate time spent chopping and dicing. Food processors can make healthy foods that maintain nutritional value in less time because it uses all parts of the food, including the fiber rich skin.
A food processor is used for blending, chopping, cutting, mixing, and even juicing. Food processors will mix batters, make sauces creamy and smooth, and blend fruits and vegetables for refreshing drinks. Coffee can be ground in a food processor, batters mixed for breads and cakes, even healthy smoothies can be processed.
Cost of Food Processors
Food processors come in all sizes and prices, ranging from small units costing around $28.00 up to elaborate food processors costing over $650.00. The size and cost depends on how the food processor will be used. The casual cook who wants the food processor to cut time chopping and dicing will find the smaller units work just fine. A more sophisticated cook who is skilled in the kitchen or cooking for large gatherings might want a larger unit with the most powerful motor available. There is a style and price that fits the need for just about anyone.
What to Expect When Buying a Food Processor
All food processors have a base that houses the motor. Even the smallest food processors will take up some room on the counter or in a cupboard, so be prepared. The motor is what powers the grinding and cutting process quickly and efficiently. There are many attachments, bowls, blades, and jars, depending on the type of food processor purchased.
Food processors come with several sizes of bowls and jars, some with lids. There are jars for liquidizing and blending and chopping, and bowls for mixing and blending. Some food processors have metal bowls and some bowls are made of glass; it is a personal preference which type to purchase.
Food processors have blades that do all the work chopping and blending. The basic four types are for dry grinding, wet grinding, grating and chopping, and the blending blade. Fancy food processors will have several blades of each type, from small mixing blades to large paddle style; small chopping cross-blades to larger waffle-shaped; fine grinding to coarser grinding blades.
Processing Healthy Foods
Food processors now come with juicing attachments. Many people know and love the benefits of juicing. Juicers can be large and bulky, so having a food processor that also juices is a big plus. Juicing fruits and vegetables for drinking maintains a lot of the vitamins and minerals of the food and makes getting daily servings of fruits and vegetables easy to drink and good tasting. Many fruits and vegetables can be combined and juiced into a delicious, healthy drink or even meal replacement with the food processor attachment. Just add a powered protein for a total meal replacement that tastes great.
Food processors make it easy to make healthy foods. Pick ingredients and throw them together in the processor for healthy dips, soups, drinks, and smoothies.
For a great hummus, throw garbanzo beans, olive oil, lemon juice, and garlic together, then add other ingredients for flavor, such as sun dried tomatoes, sesame tahini, or spices to taste. Good taste and healthy, too.
Guacamole is super easy in a food processor. Just mix avocado, red onion, tomatoes, salt and pepper, and some cilantro and jalapeno pepper to taste for a great dip.
Make a great smoothie by adding berries to yogurt and orange juice and blend.
Other healthy recipes are just as easy with a food processor.