| Learning to cook can be as intimidating as trying to | | | | leaves for a fresher taste. |
| learn another language. Even for seasoned vets in the | | | | - 2 cups of fresh basil leaves |
| kitchen, going over complicated lists of ingredients and | | | | - ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese |
| long sets of instructions can get confusing. | | | | - ½ cup extra virgin olive oil |
| The great thing about most food processor recipes is | | | | - 1/3 cup pine nuts |
| that they are usually just a few simple steps. Most of | | | | - 3 cloves of garlic |
| the time all you have to do is just throw everything in | | | | - a little bit of salt and pepper |
| there and blend it up! | | | | There are a few substitutions you can make to this |
| If you have a food processor or are thinking about | | | | recipe to suit your tastes. The Parmesan can be |
| buying one, here are a few recipe ideas for you to try | | | | substituted with Romano for a bolder flavor and you |
| out. Below each of them are suggestions for quality | | | | can use walnuts instead of the pine nuts. This is |
| food processors if you don't already have your own. | | | | delightful when tossed in with cooked pasta. You can |
| Homemade Hummus | | | | also blend in a few tablespoons with garbanzo beans |
| Store bought hummus is delicious but it can also be | | | | and tahini for another delightful take on hummus! |
| expensive. This simple recipe is versatile and | | | | Try this recipe out with the Wolfgang Puck 7-cup |
| cost-effective. | | | | Food Processor. The cord stores neatly in the unit and |
| - 1 15-oz can of garbanzo beans drained and rinsed | | | | everything but the base is dishwasher safe. When you |
| - 2 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil | | | | are making this recipe also remember to keep taking |
| - 1 ½ tablespoons of sesame tahini | | | | breaks to wipe down the inner walls of the food |
| - 2 tablespoons of lemon juice (fresh or in a bottle) | | | | processor as the basil will tend to stick. |
| That is just the basics, but you should experiment with | | | | Blended Tortilla Soup |
| other additions as well. I left out salt and pepper for a | | | | This is a new take on an old classic. Preparation is |
| low-sodium hummus but go ahead and season to | | | | easy. Just blend everything up and then heat it on the |
| taste if you are feeling adventurous. Don't be afraid to | | | | stove. Serve in a bowl over tortilla chips and garnish |
| throw some crushed garlic in there either. You could | | | | with cheese and avocado on top. |
| even roast a red pepper on the stovetop and then | | | | - 8 Roma tomatoes |
| blend it in with the beans. Get creative! | | | | - ½ red onion |
| Although hummus is traditionally made with garbanzo | | | | - 2 carrots |
| beans, you can also use great northern beans for an | | | | - a big handful of cilantro |
| even smoother texture. If you decide you like making | | | | - ½ jalapeno pepper |
| hummus you should also think about buying your beans | | | | - 3 stalks of celery cumin, cayenne pepper, salt and |
| dried. It takes a little longer to re-hydrate them but you | | | | pepper to taste |
| end up saving a lot of money and you really cut down | | | | If you want a soup with more broth you can also add |
| on the sodium. Also remember that if you buy dried | | | | a cup of water to this recipe. A little bit of taco |
| garbanzo beans you sometimes need to actually cook | | | | seasoning can also be used instead of the spices. |
| them and not just let them sit in the water. | | | | Give this delicious recipe a whirl in the Hamilton Beach |
| The Cuisinart DLC-2ABCFR Mini-prep Plus Processor | | | | 14- Cup 70590 Big Mouth Food Processor. Start |
| is a three-cup food processor that is the perfect size | | | | blending the jalapeno, cilantro, and onions first and then |
| to make this small batch of hummus. It has two | | | | add the rest of the ingredients so you can blend them |
| speeds which is perfect for starting slow and then | | | | up as much as you desire, all the way to puree. |
| speeding it up as the beans start to blend with the | | | | Berry Everything Shake |
| other ingredients. | | | | A great way to start your day is with a healthy shake. |
| Guacamole | | | | It is versatile and you can easily tailor this recipe to |
| Guacamole can be made with your bare hands or by | | | | suite your tastes. |
| using a mortar and pestle, but for an extra creamy | | | | - ½ cup berries of your choice |
| guacamole a food processor is the only way to go. | | | | - 1 banana |
| - 2 ripe avocados | | | | - 1 apple |
| - ½ of a red onion | | | | - ½ cup orange juice |
| - 1 jalapeno pepper (remove seeds and stem) | | | | - 2 heaping tablespoons yogurt |
| - 2 tablespoons cilantro leaves | | | | - a few slices of pineapple |
| - ½ ripe tomato with seeds and pulp removed | | | | This shake will give you an unbelievable amount of |
| - a little bit of salt and pepper | | | | energy. It is good to buy frozen berries and pineapple |
| An important thing to remember is that your | | | | so you can always have those ingredients on hand. |
| guacamole is only as good as your avocados. They | | | | Feel free to mix things up by adding in a little mango, |
| should be soft but not too soft. Guacamole will also | | | | papaya, or any of your other favorite fruits. |
| start to turn from green to brown pretty quickly. So | | | | This recipe works perfect in the blender portion of the |
| enjoy with tortilla chips or in a burrito while it is fresh. | | | | Cuisinart Food Processor Blender Combo. It has a |
| The Hamilton Beach 70450 6-cup Food Processor is a | | | | convenient 7-speed touch pad control so that you can |
| nice mid-sized food processor that can easily handle | | | | start slow and build your way up. |
| this recipe. Throw all the ingredients except for the | | | | No matter which of these recipes you decide to try, |
| avocado in first to chop them up, and then blend in the | | | | the important thing is that you are taking your health |
| avocado itself at the end. This should give you a few | | | | into your own hands by cooking at home. Eating out |
| decent sized avocado chunks in there to chew on. | | | | too much and buying a lot of pre-packaged foods can |
| Pesto | | | | lead to an unhealthy lifestyle. When you cook from |
| Fresh pesto is at its best when the basil is plucked right | | | | scratch using a food processor you know exactly |
| out of the garden. Store bought is fine but consider | | | | what you are putting into your body. So get out there |
| buying the live basil plants rather than the packaged | | | | and get cooking! |