To avoid the misery of teary eyes while chopping onions, you can take a little help from your food processor. It is way easier and a quick process too. Try not to store the chopped onion because the taste of the onion might change as time passes. Instead, use freshly chopped onions in your dishes, as they are much healthier and taste yummy.

Firstly, clean the onions before you put them into a food processor. Put them in water for 3 to 5 mins so that you can easily peel the top off. We will never know how they are produced or shipped to your doorstep. So it will be wiser to clean them first. Remove the first layer after you wash them. Now let’s see how to chop onions in a food processor below:

1. Peel the top layer of the onion completely and dice it into four pieces from the center. Using a sharp knife will finish the process quickly.
2. Open the food processor and fix an S blade into it. Make sure it is fixed properly and rotates in anti-clockwise.
3. After the blade is fixed in its place, test for its function without adding any ingredients to it. This will ensure it is properly fixed.
4. Only put two diced pieces on each side of the blade.
5. Fix back the lid and rotate until the top of the processor is fixed with the motor. This might be different according to the models of food processors. Some might just need a press, while some needs to be clipped in.
6. With short bursts, start chopping the onion, then increase the pulse according to the size of the onion you desire.
7. Once you have the onion chopped to your desired level, stop the food processor.
8. Switch off the processor and scoop all the chopped onion into a bowl.
9. Then twist the blade clockwise to remove it from the processor and wash it.
10. Be careful while handling blades because they are sharp enough to slit through your fingers.
11. Do not over-chop the onion in the processor because it might get bitter sometimes.

The only way to store chopped onions in your refrigerator is by putting them in an airtight container or a resealable bag. Many say this might attract toxins if placed in a fridge, but it is only a myth. But the taste might get bitter; sometimes, it is completely okay to store for up to 10 days.

Using a food processor can give you the best outcome while cooking because it will chop the food in the same size. This will look so pleasing to the eye too. Just take time to assemble the blade properly in the food processor.

Speaking of facts, onions will have lots of water in them. After chopping the onion, it will release a lot of water which will be enough to grind or chop the onion. Although some pieces might get stuck under the blade, you can add some water just to lubricate it. You can add it as per the consistency you require.

Adding a whole onion to a food processor might save you from teary eyes, but we would not suggest you do it. The large size of the onion might stop the blades from working efficiently. And might stop the motor in the food processor too. To avoid it, we suggest you dice the onions into four or five pieces before adding them to the food processor.

Onions usually take in sulfur from the earth while growing. This produces a complex in the vegetable, which is called amino sulfoxide. This will release an enzyme released as soon as you scrape or chop the onion. This will react with the receptors in the eye, which will cause you tears. To avoid excessive tearing and irritation of the eyes, you can try chilling the onion for some minutes before you cut it. You can use Google or eye shields while chopping to prevent crying too.

1.      https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V0Oa_7v8lfk

2. https://www.kitchenaid.co.uk/static_assets/pdf/KA/food-processor/FoodPro_EN.pdf

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We find using a food processor to grind meat so fascinating. With technology advancing, food processors are advancing too!! They have the best-perforated blades to get a perfect texture and moisture for ground meat.

Grinding your own meat will make you feel a little professional. However, you can also save money and protect your health without using store-bought meat. Be it a ribeye or leftover chicken from lunch, you can easily process it using the steps to get textured ground meat.

You’ll first need to clean, cut, and freeze your fresh or leftover meat to grind meat. Frozen meat is easy to process and will slide through a food processor’s blades without friction.

Cut the meat into cubes and freeze them until they have a hard outer layer. This will hardly take over 20 mins; meat freezes real quick. Do not make it rock solid. Blades will find it hard to move through them if it is hard.

Remove after the meat’s outer layer gets a little hard and put them in batches into the food processor blending jar and pulse it. Adjust the speed level and time until you get your desired texture.

Food processors can grind all types of meat; it should be boneless. For example, you can grind the meat from beef to duck for your hamburgers or sausages. You can even grind shrimp for shrimp pastes, halibut or scallops, etc.

If you are working on different meats at a time, clean the jar after completing the processing of one meat and switch to the other. If you are working on cooked and fresh chicken, mixing them will not be a wise choice. Instead, adjust the fat and meat ratio to get the best flavor and texture.

Grinding your meat gives you ultimate control over the fat-to-meat ratio, which is highly required to maintain a good flavor and texture to ground meat. Instead of buying it from a supermarket just go to the local farm and get the best healthy chicken you can get.

• Choose the right type of meat

You can only grind boneless and skinless meat in a food processor. So if you have store-bought meat remove the bones if they are still there, and if you are using fresh farm meat, ask your butcher to do it for you.

If the meat is cold and frozen, it will have an easy, smooth glide on the blades, ensuring a clean and neat texture. In addition, freezing will protect the natural texture of the meat.

• Do not over-process the meat

Keep a check on the texture of the meat inside the blending jar after every pulse because the tender chicken will grind sooner than other parts. So over-processing the meat will turn it into a paste which will not be useful for hamburgers or sausages.

• Do not dump the blending bowl of the food processor

You should only fill the blending bowl of the food processor halfway. Then, leave room for the meat cubes to rotate and grind properly. Usually, frozen meat will occupy less space; work in batches to avoid spilling and bursting.

• Clean the blending bowl as soon as possible

The kitchen gets easily contaminated. To avoid any food poisoning or illness, clean the things and equipment used to prepare the dish as soon as you finish cooking. For example, raw meat is highly contagious and gets contaminated very easily.

If you are storing the extra ground meat, store it in separate zip lock bags, divided into potions. This will ensure the meat is not spoiling completely. Then, use it for 4 days after freezing.

Grinding meat can be an effortless process using a food processor. However, sometimes store-bought ground has so much grease and water in the packaging. This is because of not having a proper ratio of fat and meat. Even the preserving process might affect the texture of ground meat. If you want to freeze your meat, do not add water or any liquids while grinding it. Instead, season it with a little salt and oil and freeze it using a freezer bag.

1. https://data.fast.eu/manual/41/41008538/41008538-im-en.pdf

2. https://agrilifefoodsafety.tamu.edu/files/2011/03/Ground_Beef_and_Food_Safety.pdf

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You can create a blend that is just as unique as you to start your day using a food processor. Then, use the multi-purpose or the s blade in the food processor to blend the ingredients to make the smoothie. The ingredient combinations are endless, and you have a different smoothie for breakfast every day.

As we said already, the ingredient combo choices are infinite. You can add anything from kale to blueberries into the food processor to make the smoothie. While adding the ingredients inside the blending jar, leave enough space for the ingredients to move around the blade. So this will give you the smoothest purée. You can add soft ingredients like spinach and small berries directly into the blending jar. Chop ingredients that are a little hard on the blade to avoid mess.

Usually, greens like baby spinach or kale will have so much cellulose, making them a little tough to grind into a smooth paste. So adding them first will be a wise choice. After that, you can add any greens you like, even the sprouted seeds.

If you use two or three different varieties of fruits, chop them and mix them up in a separate bowl. So it gets a proper mix, and the flavors are even. Then add the mixed fruits into the blending jar. You can add fresh fruits, but frozen fruits will give you an excellent and thick consistency. With even busts, mix the fruits and pulse for even consistency.

After the fruits are blended thick, it is time to add the supplements. If you are using supplement powers like whey protein or collagen boosters, this is the ideal step to add them. You can add soaked oats, chia seeds, or smoothie bowls if you do not use any of these. You can also add any extra flavoring substances like syrups etc., in this step and mix it every time you add a new ingredient.

At this point, you can add sweetening agents like sugar syrups, honey, or any other artificial sweetening agents. Keep a proper check on the sugar levels because fruits will already have sugars in them, so add according to them. The most commonly used ones are honey, but you can switch dates for a healthier option. Mix properly so the sweetness is evenly spread throughout the thick smoothie.

This step is optional for people who dislike cold smoothies or avoid ice in drinks, so it will not get diluted; skip this step. For those who love ice, add some crushed ice and give a mix for beautiful texture and refreshment.

Depending on the smoothie’s consistency, add a liquid base of your choice. For example, you can add cold milk or Greek yogurt for the creaminess. If you are lactose intolerant, go for tender coconut water or non-dairy milk like almond milk, etc. if you have leftover chopped fruits add them to the top.

As this smoothie is made in a food processor, consider removing the blade before pouring the smoothie into a glass. This will make it easy for you to scrape the base of the blending jar with a rubber spatula. If your smoothie is thick and you do not want to add any liquid, you can make it a smoothie bowl. Top it with a spoon of honey and nuts, and enjoy.

If you are looking for the best and yummy smoothie combinations, check out these top picks from us:

1. Frozen banana and spinach smoothie

Everybody loves this best and yummiest combo, so give it a try!

2. Pineapple and tender coconut bowl

If you are looking for some tropical flavors to start your day with, go with this color combo.

3. Blueberry and Greek yogurt smoothie

Yet another, almost like a smoothie combo to try at home.

Many people love to have smoothies for breakfast because they are easy to consume; you can have them while you are getting ready. Try these easy steps to have the yummiest breakfasts. If your smoothie is a little thick, just add water and drink it or eat it as a smoothie bowl.

1. http://cdn.vogue.com.au/media/file_uploads/1/1/8/0/11843-1.pdf

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