I <3 My Food Processor

Posted by The Editorial Desk / Thursday, September 8th, 2011

For 26 years of my life, I’ve lived without a food processor.

I know, you’re thinking, “But HOW?!”

Well, I never thought that I needed one. Now, at 27, I realize how foolish I used to be. I used to just buy prepackaged hummus and pesto from a tube.

For the record, I’m not sure that anything from a tube should be considered “food.” And have you ever read the back label of a generic grocery store hummus? Citric Acid? Potassium Sorbate? I realized it was time to grow up.

And once I started making my own meals more often, I realized what I had been missing out on all those years and how easy it was to whip up a tasty snack.

No, it’s not witchcraft; it’s my KitchenAid 7-cup food processor (in white).

For example, at least once a week I make chutney. My boyfriend is of Middle Eastern descent and he got me hooked on a wonderfully spicy chutney made with jalapenos, cilantro and garlic. His mom makes it fresh with every meal and pretty soon I started craving it so much, I begged her for the recipe. We put it on practically everything, including rice, fish, chicken and even pizza, sandwiches and Chinese takeout. Seriously, it’s that good.

For those of you interested in tasting for yourself, here’s a quick recipe (but be careful- it is not-for-the-faint-of-heart spicy!)

Spicy Chutney

10 jalapeños, halved and seeds removed
1 bunch cilantro
2 cloves garlic
1 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup apple cider vinegar

Preparation
Dump everything into your trusty food processor and let ‘er rip!

So go nuts! Make your own healthy, preservative-free hummus (no Potassium Sorbate required) and whip up a tasty pesto (sans tube) to stir into pasta. And the variety of various attachments and blades really make for hours of entertainment.

But let me warn you- don’t put anything hot in the bowl and then crank it up to high unless you are prepared for a full spa facial of Moroccan lentil soup (you win this round, KitchenAid).

Now I’m pretty attached to my own food processor even though it weighs nearly 15 lbs, perhaps in the same way people are attached to their favorite pair of jeans even though they’re so frayed they’re almost see-though. I suppose in order to find your perfect match you just have to read the reviews and see which is right for you. And no, I’m not selling them even though it may sound like it- I just really, really like my food processor!

- Jennie Whistler

Tags: appliances, chutney, cooking, food, food processor, Gut Check, homemade, kitchen aid, Northern Virginia, Northern Virignia Magazine, NoVA, recipe