Vitamix blenders are the number one choice in households across the world. It is a one-time buy kitchen utility that lasts a decade and longer. Households have memories attached to their Vitamix blenders. People often wonder if Vitamix blenders can be used as a food processor.
A Vitamix food blender can be used as a food processor in a limited fashion. It can be used for cutting and chopping activities but not for shredding and slicing activities. Of course, you can continue to use it for blending, mixing and grinding, which the Vitamix blenders are traditionally known for.
The article discusses food processors and the use of Vitamix blenders for food processing activities in your kitchen.
In This Article
Food Processors: An Overview
Food processors are kitchen appliances that facilitate laborious, repetitive tasks to speed up the food-making process. Food processors are used for blending, chopping, cutting, dicing, and slicing activities. They are available in home kitchens as well as in restaurants.
Nowadays, food processors usually have an electric motor with several attachments and blades to do the job. There are, however, several manual devices that do the job of food processing as well. Food processors save time and effort in food making, along with improving the quality of the dish in the making.
The first electric food processor was made by Electrostar, a German company, in the year of 1946. It had several attachments that could slice bread, centrifuge milk, and help in ice cream preparation. Later Electrostar made several versions of the food processor, which were a huge success in the market. They made the last food processors in the year 2000.
Almost all food processors have a similar design. There is a powerful motor in the base unit of the food processor. This motor turns a vertical shaft. A container made of plastic or steel mounted on the base unit has a blade attachment in it, which does the food processing work.
The blades can be changed as per the job, and at times even the container needs to be replaced. The containers may have a lid with a feed tube to add in ingredients inside the food processing jar while the motor is in operation. All food processors have safety mechanisms that stop the motor operation if the lid is not properly closed or the food processing jar is not properly attached to the base unit.
Vitamix as a Food Processor
You can use your Vitamix food blender for several food processing activities. It is a reliable brand with over 100 years of legacy and has found its way inside several kitchens all across the globe. You can do several activities with your Vitamix food blender and reduce your cooking time.
- For making juices and smoothies: You can use your Vitamix blender to make fresh fruit juices and smoothies for your early morning breakfast or evening meals. Vitamix is known to keep the nutrient values of the fresh food providing you the optimum fruit juice or smoothie. You can simply put the peeled oranges along with some water and sugar in your Vitamix and run it for a minute to get the delicious orange juice you need.
- For making baby food: You can use your Vitamix to create the right baby food for your bundle of joy. Vitamix Simply put in a few ripe bananas along with streamed strawberries and run the machine for a minute. You will have a delicious, nutritious paste for your child within minutes. And it is bound to disappear within seconds!
- For soup-making: You can use your Vitamix to make soup for your supper. Simply add the vegetables, salt, pepper, and condiments in your Vitamix and run it at high speed for five to six minutes. Since Vitamix has a strong motor and sturdy blades, the soup will be ready without any troubles. Have it immediately.
- For crushing dry bread for crumbs: if you are into making cutlets and fries, you will need bread crumbs. Simply take some dry or toasted bread and break them into small pieces. Put them in the dry jar and run the machine for 25-30 seconds. You will have fine, smooth bread crumbs to coat your chicken fry or fish cutlets.
- For making dough from flours: You can use your Vitamix to make dough for your bread and pizzas. With experience, you can match the quality of dough with that of any chef. The bread and pizza made from the Vitamix dough taste heavenly, and you are sure to become a hero in your neighborhood.
To make pizza dough, add all-purpose flour, hot water, yeast, and olive oil into the blender and run it for 10-15 seconds. Repeat this pulse action a few times. When the dough is ready in the form of a ball, remove it with floured hands.
- For making batter: The Vitamix blender makes amazingly smooth batter for your cakes, pancakes, cookies, and muffins. A smooth batter goes a long way in making delicious bakery products. Many chefs recommend using a blender to the traditional hand process for making the perfect cake or cookie.
To make a cake batter, whip the eggs, sugar, salt, and melted butter in the blender. Add the flour and baking powder in it. Run the blender for 20 to 25 seconds. Add any food-grade essence you like. Pulse the batter for five more seconds. You will have a smooth, fluffy batter. Directly transfer it to your greased baking pan.
- To make frozen desserts: Vitamix has a powerful one horsepower motor and strong, laser-cut, sharp, aircraft-grade stainless steel blades. This combination can crush any frozen food within seconds. You can make smoothies from frozen yogurt or whip the ice cream recipe several times before refreezing it to get a smooth texture.
- Making nut butter: Use your Vitamix blender to churn out nut butter for the fresh, healthy alternative. The high-speed whipping by your Vitamix blender makes the job easy and quick. For example, you can use Vitamix to make almond butter at home. Add the ingredients in your blender jar and start whipping it at slow speed, increasing the speed in steps. Do so for a minute, and you are ready to go.
- Sauce making in Vitamix: You can make various types of sauce in your Vitamix and add flavor to any meal. It just takes under a minute to make your favorite pesto sauce. Just add the cheese, garlic, basil leaves, walnuts, lime juice, and olive oil in the blender and run it for 45 to 60 seconds. Slowly increase the speed as you go. The pesto sauce will be ready in minutes.
- Preparing food for your recipes: you can also use your Vitamix blender to cut & chop fruits and vegetables towards your dinner. For making fruit salad, simply toss the fruits inside the blender and run it for a few seconds in the burst mode. Add fresh cream and sugar, give it another spin for 10 seconds. You are good to go.
There are several advantages of using a Vitamix blender as a food processor. Some of them are:
- It is easy to clean a Vitamix blender as compared to a food processor.
- Vitamix blenders are sturdy and have a long life.
- The maintenance cost of these blenders is negligible.
- It can be used for almost all the kitchen activities in daily routine.
Conclusion
We understood that a food processor saves our time and effort in the kitchen. From the points in the previous section, we also realized that Vitamix blenders could be used for all the regular activities in our kitchen. Hence, Vitamix blenders can almost be used as a food processor in our kitchens.
Sources
- Joy of Blending: Vitamix food processor
- Kitchen care 101: How to use Vitamix as a food processor
- Consumer reports: Bender vs. food processor
- Well and good: Difference between blender and food processor
- Leaf: how to use a blender as a food processor
- Wikipedia: Food Processor
- Life is no yoke: Vitamix food processor
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