Food processors are a godsend when it comes to food preparation, taking the grunt work out of shredding and making kneading a breeze. While they’re most often used to make smooth recipes like dips and sauces, the mechanics of food processors make them an ideal tool for much more than just hummus. In fact, with a pinch of creativity and a dash of salt, there’s practically no limit to the ways food processors can be used to prepare all kinds of delicious recipes. Here are a few of our favorite non-traditional ways to use this essential kitchen appliance.
Brown Sugar
If ever you find yourself baking, only to discover mid-recipe that you’re out of brown sugar, know that you can easily whip some up in your food processor using just two ingredients. Add one cup of granulated white sugar and two tablespoons of molasses to the bowl of your food processor and pulse until the molasses incorporates evenly. Voilà—rich, moist, flavorful brown sugar in no time.
Herb Salt
We love cooking with herbs, but fresh herbs often come in quite large quantities, and it can be a challenge to use them all before they go bad. One of our favorite ways to get more out of the herbs we buy is to create our own salt blends. Place any leftover herbs in a dehydrator or oven on low heat until they crumble easily, then pulse in a food processor with ½ cup of coarse sea salt. Use it to flavor all kinds of dishes such as pasta and roasted vegetables, or fill glass jars with your salt to give as homemade gifts.
Whipped Cream
Skip the store-bought stuff—making your own whipped cream is a cinch when you’ve got a food processor, and the results taste so much better. Add one cup of chilled coconut or heavy cream to your food processor bowl and pulse a few times. Once the liquid no longer splashes, blend for 30 seconds to a minute until you’ve reached your desired consistency. Add a teaspoon of vanilla and your choice of sweetener to taste, incorporating with a final pulse.
