Blenders and food processors are such appliances that are founded in most of the kitchens. They are one of the most used appliances inside your kitchen and therefore it is very essential to have those with you because they will help you a lot with cooking and making delicious food.
Many beginners think that blenders and food processors are the same as these two appliances are similar in appearances and also can perform the same functions but still there stands a major difference between the two of them.
Today we are going to learn about blenders and food processors and do we need both of these devices to complete our kitchen and can a blender perform the tasks of a food processor, if yes, how?
Food processors
Food processors are kitchen appliances that go hand in hand with a blender. They can help you prepare a lot of food items very quickly and easily.
Unlike blenders, a food processor requires a very little amount of liquid to work. They are capable of chopping, slicing, baking, blending, or dicing to prepare food quickly.
The size comes in a different range that is 2 cup choppers for 1-2 people to 20 cup choppers that can be used for a large number of people or even in a restaurant kitchen. The price of the food processor ranges between $40 to $700. The expensive models come with attachments such as grinding mills, citrus presses, blender jugs, and different sized bowls.
This helps you in a lot of ways but makes it difficult to clean and also requires a lot of space and care.
If you cook food in large batches for a large number of people then you require a food processor that can help you to do the job real quick.
Click on the link to buy a food processor
https://www.amazon.com/Cuisinart-FP-8GM-Elemental-Processor-Gunmetal/dp/B00MVWGFP4/Blenders
Blenders are specially designed to perform the function of blending liquids. When a blender is switched on a vortex is created which pulls the ingredients inside the blender to gather at the center which helps them to blend properly.
Blenders are excellent to prepare juices and turn ingredients into smooth mixtures. It can also be used to crush ice and make dips.
A full-sized blender comes with an average height between 8-22 inches and talking about the weight they can range between 4-18 pounds. If you are someone who regularly drinks smoothies and soups then undoubtedly a blender is the best appliance that will fit in your kitchen.
Two main types of standing blenders are capable of making larger batches in one use while there are mini blenders that can offer you 1-2 portions at a single time. Some blenders come with additional attachments that help you to grind things like coffee and nuts.
The price of such blenders can range between $20 to $500 as per your needs and requirements. They all perform the same function but vary in price because of the features, quality, and brand.
There are blenders known as hand or stick blenders which can perform quick jobs such as making a dip or blending soup for you or smoothies. This type of blender requires it to be carried and it can be very tiring when it needs to be held for long periods.
Click on the link to buy a blender
https://www.amazon.com/Ninja-Professional-Countertop-Technology-BL610/dp/B00NGV4506/Can we use a blender as a food processor?
The answer to this question depends on what you want to cook. They work excellently as a substitute for some dishes while for some they might not work. Below mentioned are some of the tips and tricks you can use while using a blender instead of a food processor
Bread crumbs
You can use a maximum of two slices of dried bread and run the blender on high speed for 30 seconds. In case your blender has a pulse option then use the pulse option for 30 seconds.
Baby food
If you are thinking about making baby food using a blender then add a mixture of freshly cooked vegetables in the blender jar. Now turn on the mixture at its highest speed to get a smooth mixture of the ingredients added.
Vegetables
A blender is capable of chopping to some extent. You can use it to chop vegetables. For this place the vegetables inside the jar and run it on the lowest settings and make sure that the vegetables are at the bottom in the middle so that they are in proper contact with the blades.
Pesto
If you are a pesto lover then preparing it at home would be better than eating it outside which contains fats. All you will need to gather is ¾ cup of olive oil, ¾ cup of cheese, 1 ½ cups of basils, 3 cloves of garlic, and ¼ cups of pine nuts. Add all these ingredients to the blender jar.
Run the blender jar on medium speed until the sauce of the pesto turns smooth enough.
Ice
You can also crush ice using a blender. Ice is very important in parties and all you need to do is place 5-6 cubes of ice inside the jar and run the blender on medium until you get finely crushed ice.
Dough
If you have got an industrial blender then only I would recommend you prepare the dough. A home use blender is not capable of preparing dough due to its slender shape and sharp blades.
Some important things to know
Some accessories come along with some blenders that can be additionally bought like tamper stick, serving cups, ice blade jars, and more.
Generally, most blenders have 3-speed settings but expensive one come with 6-speed settings too. You can buy them as per your requirements.
If you do not know how to use the settings. Initially add the ingredients one by one to prevent wastages.
Use minimum ingredients while using a blender as they cannot handle a volume equal to a food processor. Only use ¼ of what you use for a food processor.
Conclusion
If you are smart enough and know how to use the settings then it won’t be difficult for you to use a blender instead of a food processor. You’ll just have to keep certain settings and precautions in mind and then you are ready to go.
