For years I talked about how badly I wanted a red KitchenAid Stand Mixer. Despite doing quite a bit of baking, I couldn’t justify the price. I must have had some good karma in a past life, or caught C on a good day because for my birthday last year he gifted me one. And just so you know, he was out of town on my birthday and I came home to the biggest and heaviest box of all time. And then I cried tears of joy…
In my mind, it was the ultimate gift anyone could have gotten me because it would get put to use more than anything else in my kitchen. Let’s fast-forward 10 months and I am still obsessed with the aesthetics of my red beauty, but if I’m being honest, it doesn’t get as much use as I thought. I think it’s partially because I don’t have as much time to bake, but also because I have ZERO desire to turn the oven on in the summer. Even though it’s sits out loud and proud on my counter-top it’s distant cousin, Mr. Food Processor (who btw remains hidden in a cupboard above the fridge) gets far more use.
When people ask me what kitchen gadget I most recommend, I always say a food processor. I totally get that they’re expensive and bulky but do yourself a favour and start filling up that piggy bank because it is SO worth it. I should add that I totally didn’t pay for mine. I have to thank my wonderful cousin who gifted me her old one and it still works like a charm!
There are definitely moments where I think it might explode and especially when making almond butter, but he always pulls through. My Mom’s FP has been going strong for 30+ years so I would say the initial investment has paid off ten-fold.
I use my food processor for just about everything. I ain’t got time for finely chopping and shredding. Thank goodness for blade attachments or I would be still be shredding carrots for that Gluten-Free Carrot Cake I made. Okay that’s a bit dramatic, but let’s just say that patience is not my strong suit. Now I get that I spent a whole post discussing why I’m too cheap to buy a spiralizer so you’re probably all judging me for encouraging you to splurge on a food processor, but hear me out. Your spiralizer can make noodles and veggie “rice” (appartently?). My food processor can make nut butter and no-bake bars and balls and shred my veggies and even knead dough! I could probably clean my apartment for me if I asked nicely…
It’s quite possible the amount you spend on snack bars and nut butters could have all been saved towards buying a food processor. I’m not good at math but I’m fairly certain that my years worth of larabars I purchased a few years back could have been spent on buying myself a second one…Okay two food processors might be a bit excessive 😉
PrintNo-Bake Chocolate Blueberry Bars
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Total Time: 20 minutes
- Yield: 12 bars 1x
Ingredients
- 2 cups of raw cashews (any nut should work)
- 1 cup dried blueberries*
- 1 cup pitted dates**
- 1/2 tsp sea salt
- 1/3 cup dairy-free chocolate chips or good quality chocolate
Instructions
- Add cashews to food processor and process until broken down (about 30 seconds)
- Add in dried blueberries, dates and sea salt. Process until all comes together in a sticky ball.
- Line a 9 x 9 inch baking pan with plastic wrap.
- Remove “dough” from food processor and place in baking pan. Use your hands to flatten out “dough” making sure it is even and all corners are filled in.
- Place in freezer for 15 minutes.
- Remove from freezer and lift plastic wrap out of pan.
- Cut into 12 bars.
- In a microwave or double-boiler, melt chocolate.
- Add chocolate to a ziploc bag and cut off a small corner.
- Squeeze chocolate out of bag in a zig-zag motion over bars.***
- Store in fridge for several weeks.
*I buy mine for a reasonable price at Costco.
** Dates should be sitcky and if not, soak in hot water for 30 minutes before processing.
***Alternatively just spread melted chocolate over bars with a knife.
What’s your favourite kitchen gadget? Do you own a food processor?
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33 Comments
Tina @ Tina's Chic Corner
June 15, 2014 at 11:13 amWe have a kitchen aid stand mixer. My husband uses it more than me. I think it’s because I like the control of the hand held one.
These bars look deeeelicious! Mmm blueberry + chocolate = amazing. 🙂
Consuelo - Honey & Figs
June 15, 2014 at 11:05 amAbsolutely! My food processor is by far the kitchen appliance I use the most! It can do anything oooohhh and I totally foresee him making these bars tomorrow ;–) They look super yummy!
Emily
June 15, 2014 at 10:59 amI have been harassing my husband for a Vitamix for a couple of years now. But since we have both a food processor and a blender, he sees a Vitamix as an extremely expensive and completely unnecessary one more thing to clutter up our kitchen. I, on the other hand know that our blender is as old as our marriage (10 yrs), the food processor can’t handle anything “complicated” like nuts or ice, and both were cheap models from Target. Plus, I just want to be one of the cool kids and say I have a Vitamix.
That being said, my food processor does a lovely job of chopping, shredding, and pureeing my veggies for me. But that’s about it. Maybe I should test it’s limits more and see if it’ll impress me with what it can actually do.
[email protected]
June 15, 2014 at 10:25 amI abolutely LOVE the ingredients of these!! And no bake is the best anyway.
Stand Mixers are much more populer here that Food Processors. The kind of Food Processors we have here die when they have to cut a cooked potato. So no wonder I already killed 2 by making almond butter.
Sam @ Better With Sprinkles
June 15, 2014 at 8:23 amI actually don’t use my food processor all that much! But to be fair, it’s small and doesn’t work very well. Does the microwave count as my most-used kitchen gadget?
[email protected]
June 15, 2014 at 7:56 amMy food processor definitely gets the most use out of everything I own! I got a mixer for my wedding and I think I’ve used it twice. I think the only reason I even registered for it was because it was pink!
Kim @ Hungry Healthy Girl
June 15, 2014 at 7:55 amYum… I cannot wait to try these bars! I’m with you; I love my KitchenAid mixer, but it doesn’t get all that much use. My food processor, on the other hand, is used every single day. Also, use my Vitamix several times a week and LOVE it. I ordered my spiralizer off Amazon for only 30.00 + free shipping and it works like a charm. http://www.amazon.com/Paderno-World-Cuisine-A4982799-Tri-Blade/dp/B0007Y9WHQ
Amanda @ .running with spoons.
June 15, 2014 at 7:28 amI don’t get as much use out of my stand mixer either. In fact, I can’t even remember the last time I turned it on 😯 The mini food processor, on the other hand, gets used almost daily. I’m starting to think I should have just invested in a full-sized one! And oh! The food processor over at my parents’ place is probably around 25 years old too 😆
Laurie
June 15, 2014 at 6:34 amOy. I only have one child, but three kitchen appliances. My Kitchenaid mixer was my first mothers day gift. It’s gotten a lot of use in my son’s 12.5 yrs. my ex husband also got me a food processor at some point. While we never got along as well as we should have, he is a great dad (it is Father’s Day after all), he was great about supporting my budding cooking and baking obsession which started when I was a stay at home mom. Then, there’s my Vitamix. My recent just because gift to myself can’t choose which one I like best. Oooooh. There’s also my cuisine ice cream maker. Don’t use it as much, but still well loved.
Kim @ BusyBod
June 15, 2014 at 6:09 amMy mom gave me her old food processor at Christmas and it has been life changing. I fully believe it is responsible for making me enjoy cooking more. Also I have to tell you that way back months ago when I told you that thanks to you I was trying to experiment in the kitchen, this is what I basically was trying to make! Only minus the dates, because I can’t have them, which was the whole goal of my experiment. I thought maybe non-dried blueberries would work to be sticky enough. I did end up with balls that held together but they weren’t good enough that I wanted to make them again lol.
meredith @ The Cookie ChRUNicles
June 15, 2014 at 6:04 amI had registered for every gadget and gizmo possible when I got engaged years ago. And received them all. And most of them stayed in their boxes, including the mixer for many years lol. I first started using the mixer a few years ago and was glad I did but can’t stand lugging it out because I never left it on the counter. I do have a food processor and should use it more often. My favorite kitchen gadget is probably my Keurig. lol.
Arman @ thebigmansworld
June 15, 2014 at 5:19 ambahaha. Do you own a food processor. Now I do! 😀
I can’t believe you like larabars! I bought a box of mini ones from wholefoods and ate it in a day….the wholebox. I swear if you put them together, it made one date and 2 cashews.