I am finding it increasingly difficult to prepare food which necessitates chopping veg etc😠My wrists, thumbs and fingers are incredibly annoying atm. My thumbs don't bend and half my fingers don't bend properly along as being sore; my wrists don't have a lot of strength either. Currently, I use a tiny (no more than 5" diameter and 4" deep) electric chopper thingy. It tends to pulverise everything, which is great for bolognese sauce or chilli but I'd like to have to option of chunky veg! However, some of these food processors and mixers can be very expensive and vary so much in capability! Does anybody have any suggestions - including a reasonably priced processor?
Thank you🔪👩🍳
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Moomin8
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Hi there, I use a soup maker for making soup 2 or 3 times a week. I only need to roughly chop the veg as the soup maker blends for me. I make mushroom; broccoli and stilton; tomatoe and basil all easy to chop stuff.
For chunkier veg I buy it already chopped butternut squash, summer greens or carrots for example.
(So traffic light soups...tomatoe, butternut squash and broccoli are my regulars 🚦)
Most of the supermarkets do frozen chopped onions, garlic and other herbs, which can be fiddly to chop if your hands are not good, they are all absolutely fine for cooking with and the frozen onions hold there texture too.
I don't have a food processor, just the soup maker and a small blender which I find I manage with.
For broccoli and stilton it's just a roughly chopped broccoli head, a stick of celery, chicken stock / cube, black pepper into the soup maker. When ready and still hot, add in around 100mgs of roughly chopped stilton and stir until the cheese melts but is still a bit lumpy. Serve with bread. Delicious.
Tomatoe, I use 3/4 large roughly chopped vine ripened tomatoes, a small handful of fresh basil, a clove of garlic and table spoon of chopped frozen onions (not too much onion or you can taint the soup). A stick of celery. Black pepper. Stock of your choice, all into in soup maker, but works best with vegetable stock.
You can substitute a tomatoe for a red pepper and have red pepper and tomatoe soup. Serve with a wee bit fresh basil on top and bread.
Butternut squash, I buy most of the veg for this one pre chopped from the supermarket.
One pack of chopped butternut squash fits in the soup maker with a small carrot, a stick of celery and a clove of garlic, stock of your choice, veg or chicken work well. All ino the soup maker.
When serving you can add either: grated nutmeg or a sprinkle of chilli powder or paprika powder, but I like just black pepper. (Some people add the chilli or paprika before cooking).
It tastes good with a dollop of creme fraishe on serving too.
Mushroom, I use button mushrooms, but chestnut mushrooms, or half and half work well too.
A standard size box of mushrooms, roughly chopped, 2 cloves of garlic, 2 tablespoons of frozen chopped onions. Chicken stock/ cube. Black pepper all into the soup maker.
When ready I add a little milk before serving, cream works even better, but I save that for an occasional treat 😉 and top with some chives or parsley.
All very easy, minimal prep. I don't roast, saute or do anything else to the veg before cooking. It's just too much work frankly.
I splint my hands which helps a lot as there is a metal support bar inside. I bought them from Beagle Orthopoaedics online. They are washable and strong and I buy the basic ones. Around £5 each. I've been buying them for years. They arrive quickly.
Thanks funswim🙂I do have some hand splints from the hospital which I use sometimes- and yes, they do help. But holding the knife is difficult. Btw, I love you name 'Funswim' 😍I started to learn to swim last September and have loved it ever since! I have started to go back to swimming and gave felt very safe.
Hi Moomin
For diced veg I use a Zulu’s easy pull . God send chips nuts and frozen chillis etc. Very easy to use and clean. They sell them on amazon but I got mine from Dunelm it was cheaper. For chunkier veg and chips I use a Westmark potato and veg chipper/ slicer again on amazon
Hi J1707, I think the easy pull is very similar to my mini chopoer machine- albeit your one would be ideal for camping! The chopper would be difficult to press down for me, I'm afraid, but thanks! These might be great for someone reading this 👌
I have a special knife with handle at right angles to the blade. So it’s more of a sawing motion when cutting. I’ve also got a mini chopper thingy which does cut very small like yours.
I like soups too and prefer the broth types with larger veg pieces in not smooth veloutes. So that knife is a godsend when there’s lots of cutting to do.
I’ve also got some special scissors with spring action (Fiskars)and they’re great too.
I think I bought both on Amazon or maybe Easylife.
I have a man for that called my hubby. Sorry i do understand how hard it is and thats why i no longer cook. Have you thought of buying your vege ready peeled etc.xxxx
Morning Sylvi, I too have a man to do the chopping and cooking when he's not building (his job)...but as he's also a trained chef, he refuses to buy already chopped vegetables!! It goes against his grain🤣🤣
I bought a couple of new kitchen knives - I didn't realise how blunt my old ones were. I also now have a knife sharpener - a great tool to maintain sharpness.
I buy veg already prepared. I still try to chop vegetables but I can’t do sweet potatoes even with my hand splinters. I’m always on look for aids for kitchen. I used to be a chef but live alone so I have to do myself unless I ask me to do 🤣
I acquired a hubby 48yrs ago and he's still proving useful 😂 also I use a small chunky handle knife easier to hold and control, plus ready chopped veg are a must on bad days . X
No more chopping for me since I discovered the huge range of pre prepared frozen veg now available. I’d lost the will to prepare anything because it was so painful and difficult so variety was definately not the spice of life in my kitchen .But now it back ....and prep time is minimal so everything’s takes much less time and no more than usual hurting hands.
Yes a bit expensive but build quality is excellent and make great pastry too. I make in batches and freeze, they are versatile. I do think a good investment. I've had mine for over 14 years and still looks good.
I have a modern Kenwood cheff with all gadgets on it so I grate things in large amounts ie pack of onions, then portion and freeze. my sister bought it for me for my 60th two years ago. I keep knives sharp but then if you slip....which I have a tendency to it flippin hurts. I cook pots in their skin as I do carrots and parsnips after washing. I am like Mmrr and make a lot of soups and often use butternut squash. Pierce skin any way you can, wrap in sliver foil and roast for about an hour,depending on size, leave in oven till it's cool. Knife goes through it like butter or I often just use my hands to scoop out seeds then scoop flesh into pan.
I would have had to think twice, but now I know how much it helps it is so worth the money. She did get it in a sale about £40 off however was still around £200 because it had all the gadgets. I hope you find something that helps you.
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