Monday, September 12, 2016

The Many Uses For An Electric Herb Grinder

By Frank Morgan


These days you can find a kitchen appliance for almost anything. With so much choice, the challenge is not to spend your money on ones you will use only a few times before you let them gather dust on the shelf. One gadget that is a really good investment and that will pay for itself over and over again, however, is an electric herb grinder.

If you've ever tried to crush herbs or spices by hand, using a mortar and pestle, you'll know how time consuming it can be. An alternative that works with electricity is almost like a small blender that can chop up anything in seconds. It's easy to use and easy to clean, since you only need to wipe it with a cloth or paper towel once you're done. More importantly, though, it's incredibly versatile.

The obvious use for an herb grinder is to chop up herbs. For fresh herbs, you'll need to use the pulse mode so that you don't end up with a sticky paste. Dried herbs will become fine so that your cooking will be filled with flavor but without leafy green bits. Many people even use the appliance to chop up herbs for smoking, since a finer texture makes it easier to roll an herbal cigarette.

Spices lose their flavor over time when they are in powdered form. Serious cooks know that freshly ground spices are a much better option for aromatic meals. An electric grinder makes it a breeze to grind just enough for your needs and you can even turn hard-to-crush spices like cloves into powder.

The trusty little machine is useful for more than just herbs or spices. Incorporate healthy whole grains, legumes and nuts into your diet in ingenious ways by grinding them into flour. Flax seeds become easier to digest when they're crushed and can release their nutrients into your body. Even stale bread, cornflakes or cookies get a second life when you turn them into crumbs for making coatings or pie crusts.

A vastly superior cup of coffee is one made with freshly ground beans and your trusty grinder will help you with this. Use it also to turn ordinary sugar into powdered sugar so that you'll have the perfect confectionery to accompany your coffee. Furthermore, if you can only find a coarse version of your favorite salt, you can grind it at home until you get the texture you want.

A good electric grinder is an essential tool if you'd like to try your hand at making homemade, natural hygiene and beauty products. Add some cloves or dried mint to baking soda and grind it into a fine, tasty tooth powder that will keep your breath fresh and your teeth in good condition. Coffee grounds are great for gently exfoliating dry skin and powdered medicinal herbs such as calendula or lavender flowers are excellent in face masks, ointments or deodorants.

The dried petals of flowers like roses will get a finer, less uneven texture if you take a few seconds to grind them a little. Even bits of paper in different colors can become a festive confetti. Add a sprinkling of potpourri or confetti to a gift bag for a creative, thoughtful touch.




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