Adventures with a Thermomix

My cheap little food processor died earlier this year.  After a lot of internet research I became a Thermomix convert and bought the most expensive kitchen gadget I have ever bought (by a long shot).  It really did feel a bit like joining a cult.  But I am not going to get all evangelistic on you and tell you it is the best thing that has ever happened to me.

I mean I do love having a Thermomix and I have been using it almost every day.  But I am not ready to tell you that it is worth the $2000 (AUD) price tag. Ask me in 2 or 3 years.  If it is still going strong and I am still using it most days of the week then I might be ready to become an advocate of this expensive gadget.

So what have I made in it so far.  I have tried a few recipes out of the book that comes with it and I have made a few recipes that I have found on blogs on forums.  And of course I have done a lot of experimenting - because I love experimenting with food.

I have been pretty lazy with taking photos so I don't have a lot to share with you.  And as for my experiments - some I am still perfecting, and some I just didn't even bother to keep notes on the ingredients.

Here is a few examples of food from my Thermomix.

Red Lentil Curry from Thermomix "Everyday Cooking for the Family" book.

Served with veggies rather than rice (I kind of think of rice as empty calories).

This is a delicious dish and I have made it a few times already.  The only change I have made is to double the cummin and mustard seeds and I did not mill them.  Suger has kindly typed out the recipe for the "Red Lentil and Tomato Dahl" which appears in the Thermomix Vegetarian recipe book.  It is almost identical to the Red Lentil Curry in the original and you can find it here.

After it finishes cooking it pays to let it rest for 15 minutes before serving as the flavours really come together better.  The recipe makes a lot of dahl and so we had plenty left for the next day when it was even more delicious!

A few examples of the sweet vegan balls I have been making.

And a close up of the Hot Cocoa Fudge Babies from Chocolate Covered Katie

Tex Mex mix made in the Thermomix, and the creamiest whipped Avocado.

Chia seeds milled in the TMx, added to Soy Linseed Bread made in Bread Maker.

Sun Dried Tomato and White Bean Dip

I love dip.  I love eating it with crunchy raw veggies and experiencing the different combinations of flavor and texture.  There are lots of vegan versions of Sun Dried Tomato dip around.  I have tried a few and below is my take on it - adjusted to suit my taste buds.  This recipe can be easily adjusted to suit your taste buds and mood.  You can add olives, fresh herbs, leave out the vinegar - whatever!

Ingredients
1 clove crushed garlic
1 cup cooked Cannelloni Beans (rinse and drain if from a tin)
1 cup Sun Dried Tomatoes, drain off most of the oil (although I wish I had not drained quite so much)
1 teaspoon brown sugar
1 teaspoon salt or powdered vegetable stock
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
3/4 cup toasted pine nuts

Method
1. Combine all the ingredients except the pine nuts in a food processor and process until very smooth.  Adjust salt/sugar/vinegar to taste. 
2. Add most of the pine nuts and process for about 5-10 seconds so they are combined and a little chopped but not too smooth.
3. Transfer to the bowl you plan to serve the dip in.  Garnish with the remaining pine nuts.  Refrigerate until ready to serve.
4. Serve with a variety of vegetable crudites.  Is also very nice spread on fresh or toasted bread and in sandwiches.

When I finished making this dip yesterday I thought it had the perfect texture.  But after refrigerating for a couple of hours it was a little to thick for my liking.  Next time I will add a little extra oil from the Sun Dried Tomatoes to keep it more "dip-able", but you could add a little water instead if you wanted to avoid the extra oil.