food processor...

[river]

I'm going to buy a food processor tomorrow to help me out a bit, as im just starting off.

Does anyone have any tips and what I should look as a minimum, like watts or s-blades, capacity that kind of thing. it's to feed 2 people!

Thanks guys and girls! River.

p.s. Ive vowed to stop wasting time doing pointless things on my computer, like checking football news, and browsing youtube. yay!

[raweater]

If you want a really good one, I got Cuisinart's most expensive home model and love it. They only more expensive one if the 20 cup restaurant model (which has a horrible warranty compared to my model's 20 YEARS on motor).

This is the one, the MP-14:
http://www.cuisinart.com/catalog/product.php?product_id=301&item_id=406&cat_id=7

It also comes with a whisk attachment but that's not used very much on the raw diet but there are obviously many other reasons I got it, to read my detailed review of it see here:
http://www.epinions.com/content_367844167300

[river]

Thanks, I'm seriously considering this model! It seems to have great reviews.
Are you able to make all Alissa's recipes with it, I mean is it powerful enough to blend nuts and all that stuff, and what about ice? It's rated at 800w 0.75HP which seems a little light but it's obviously tough.

I can't get my head around the difference between a food processor and a vita-mix. At least this is cheaper!

Thanks...

[raweater]

I don't have alissa's book but there's nothing I tried that even slightly slowed down the motor, it's extremely powerful and if the blades hit something hard in the bowl the whole 20 pound machine jumps up, that gives you an idea of the power it has. I wouldn't worry about the power, it has plenty. I'm also curious to know why you say 3/4 HP seems a little light... I've never seen a single food processor with a more powerful motor, I don't think there are any more powerful than this one.

I wouldn't recommend putting ice in it, that's more of a blender job, but the manual says you can put ice but they warn it may scratch the bowl and they recommend having a spare bowl for ice if you want to crush ice, but I recommend using a blender for that.

A food processor and blender is not at all the same thing, while some jobs can be done in either machine, many require specifically a blender or specifically a food processor.

[river]

Cheers for replying.

The power comment was to do with the vita-mix rating of 2HP or 3HP depending on the model, in comparison it seemed a lot less. But having used neither, I have no basis for comparison!!!!

Without sounding paranoid about blenders and food processors, could you or anyone please explain what raw food preperation jobs would be done in a blender and which would be done in a food processor? It would really help me to understand as my kitchen skills are poor at present!

Many Thanks for your help, River.

[shakti17]

i ve had a black n decker and now i have hamilton, both $40, and they both work fine.

alissa's recipes can mostly all be made with a food processor.

[raweater]

It's true the Vita Mix is much more powerful, but it's a blender. I've never seen a food processor above 3/4 HP.

The main differences are:
Food processor:
-Relatively very slow blade rotation with very high torque
-Used to get chunky results like salsa or chopping things, you have a lot of control on how fine you chop due to the slow blade speed
-Used mostly with solid items like nut pates rather than liquids
-Additional blades and discs allow food processors to slice, grate, shred, chop, whip, etc. Things a blender could never do (try slicing tomatoes in a blender!). It can basically replace a mandoline, I threw mine out when I got my food processor and do all mandoline jobs (slicing, shredding, grating) in my food processor now. I turns 2 tomatoes into slices in less than a quarter second, try slicing that fast with a knife (obviously don't try it)!

Blender:
-Very high blade speed
-Used mostly to get silky smooth results like smoothies and soups rather than chunky
-Used mostly with liquid rather than solids

So the things I make in the food processor are like nut pates, salsa, guacamole, and the things I make in the blender are smoothies, soups, ice cream blends (to then turn into ice cream in the ice cream machine), etc.

I'm off to try and make coconut lime bars, with mature coconut, dates and lime juice. This will accomplish to raw goals I had: Find a new recipe that uses mature coconut, find a new recipe for fruit/nut bars. This recipe does both, and it will be done in the food processor as it's mostly solid and will be a VERY thick blend.

Hope this helps.

[parsnip]

As I understand it, a food processor works well for things that you want to chop up and still have some texture, and a blender works well for things that you want to be mostly smooth.

I have a Vita-Mix, which of course works beautifully for smoothies, soups, nut milk, salad dressings, and all that sort of thing. But it doesn't work well for salsa, or pates. I don't have a food processor, so I do it anyway, but I have to add extra liquid and they end up as more of a puree than anything chunky.

A food processor would also be better for things that are really thick, since a blender or vitamix needs things to be liquid enough to move around. For example, I can make a puree of dates by adding water, but I couldn't use the vitamix for date paste -- it wouldn't move enough to blend. I think a food processor could do it, though.

[river]

That really does help, thanks for taking the time to reply.. and good luck with the recipe!

[raweater]

Well The coconut lime bars are in the dehydrator already, the "raw" dough tastes great, I can't wait to try them dehydrated. They will also be miuch cheaper than the larabars I used to buy. I just used the meat of one mature coconut, a few dates, and juice of half a lime. If the dehydrated version is good I'll probably make more using 4 coconuts (that will be over 6000 calories of energy bars!).

[river]

I've just ordered the MP-14 Cuisinart!!!!!!!!!

Wow, a decision was to be made, and I made it.

[raweater]

I've just ordered the MP-14 Cuisinart!!!!!!!!!

Wow, a decision was to be made, and I made it.
Congrats, you won't regret it! I love mine and use it almost every single day, often more.

[Eilene]

I have the 11 cup, am giving it to my Mom and just ordered the 14 cup...Can't wait!! The Cuisinart is the best FP I have ever used. I think I can justify this as I use it at least 2-3 times a day!!

[jacsam]

I have the 11 cup, am giving it to my Mom and just ordered the 14 cup...Can't wait!! The Cuisinart is the best FP I have ever used. I think I can justify this as I use it at least 2-3 times a day!!
I love my cuisinart and Costco has a nice sized one for 100.00. By the way Eilene....I love your Dr. Suess quote and have actually shared it with others. I've also enjoyed looking at your knitting site, being a knitter myself, it's always fun to see the projects that others are working on. Enjoy your new Cuisinart.

[Hygeia]

I have the Cuisinart 7 cup and LOVE it....it's perfect because it's only me but some day I might need to upgrade to a bigger model.

[carolg]

I too love my Cuisinart, 11 cup from Costco. Save receipt if ever problem Costco is great.

carolg

[raweater]

I have the 11 cup, am giving it to my Mom and just ordered the 14 cup...Can't wait!! The Cuisinart is the best FP I have ever used. I think I can justify this as I use it at least 2-3 times a day!!

Did you get the MP-14 model? I love mine, and prefer it's design to the "boxy" ones.

[Eilene]

Did you get the MP-14 model? I love mine, and prefer it's design to the "boxy" ones.

I sure did!! My 11 cup looked the same as the 14. It was cast metal...which I love!!

[rawererin]

omg Cuisinart, and at least an 11 cup capacity, that thing is a beast!

[hootiehoo]

What's a good, cheap food processor?