why i love my food processor

Exhibit A: almond butter
Pulse 2 cups of almonds (I like to toast mine), scraping down the sides periodically. It will eventually form a ball and then spread back into a liquid...about 4-5 minutes total. I drizzle in a little honey at the end. Yummy on English muffins or on a banana cut in half.

Exhibit B: hummus
Ingredients:
1 large head of garlic
1 tsp olive oil
2 1/2 cups canned garbanzo beans, rinsed and drained
4 tsp tahini
1/3 cup water
1 1/2 tsp kosher salt
1/4 tsp ground cumin
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice

Slice off the top of the garlic head, drizzle with oil, wrap in foil and roast for 45ish minutes in 400 degree oven. Let cool. Squeeze cloves into food processor with remaining ingredients. Mix until smooth...about 3-5 minutes. Eat. I recommend in a pita pocket with avocado and red bell pepper slices.

Exhibit C: grain-free granola
Ingredients:
1 cup walnuts
1 cup almonds
pinch of salt
1/4 cup raw honey
3 tbsp butter
3 tbsp cocoa powder (I used dark chocolate)
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 cup shredded coconut (NOT sweetened)
2 oz dark chocolate

Preheat your oven to 200 F.
Using a food processor, coarsely chop the walnuts and almonds (I'd pulse only a handful of times). Leave the nuts in the processor and set aside for later use.
In a small saucepan over low heat, melt the butter with the honey and whisk occasionally. Once combined, add the cocoa powder, vanilla and a pinch of salt. Whisk together.
Pour the chocolate mixture into the nuts in the food processor. Pulse briefly, just until the chocolate is consistently mixed in. Add the coconut and pulse one more time.
Spread the mixture out over a baking sheet. Bake for 4 hours in the preheated oven.
Once the granola has finished baking, remove it from the oven and allow it to cool completely. Break the granola apart into small chunks. Also break apart or chop up the 2 oz chocolate and mix in with the granola. Try not to eat it all at once.

No, I am not going Paleo...although I'm very intrigued by it. Too bad I ate this with Greek yogurt while drinking a glass of milk, which is very un-Paleo...so was the pita bread and the hummus I ate all last week for lunch. Paleo peeps are missing out!