DIY: Nut Butters

We eat a lot of nut butter in my house. On any given day, if my husband isn’t putting peanut butter on his toast for breakfast, he’s having a peanut butter sandwich for lunch or smearing it all over a rice cake as an after school snack. Yes, he eats after school snacks. And yes he sometimes has all three of these meals in 1 day.

The good news: John prefers the all-natural peanut butter (i.e. peanuts, salt). Jif has become more of a ‘treat’ when we spend the weekend at mom & dad’s.

The bad news: He has recently taken a liking to the nut butter held near and dear to my heart, almond butter. And while peanut butter isn’t cheap, almond butter is down-right expensive.

It’s a good thing I’m not only nutrition savvy, but love to experiment in the kitchen as well. On top of that, I’m always looking for a deal. In the past, if I didn’t have a coupon, and Trader Joe’s was not fitting into the schedule (by far the best nut butter deals out there!) we rationed our peanut butter servings. Not any more. I’ve discovered not only a significantly cheaper, but also more delicious way to consume our beloved butters. Homemade.

It’s ridiculously easy. It’s addictively delicious. Just try and stop at 1 spoonful.

OG Peanut Butter

2c roasted, salted almonds

1. Pour peanuts into processor. Process for 5 minutes, tops.
   

Roasted, Salted, Honey Almond Butter (with flax)

2 c raw almonds

1 tbsp honey

½ tsp sea salt

1 tbsp ground flaxseed

1. Preheat over to 325⁰
2. Coat almonds with honey and salt
3. Roast for 10-15 minutes, or until almonds are fragrant & browned (stir and check every 5 minutes of so)
4. Remove, sprinkle 1 tbsp ground flaxseed and let cool for 5 minutes (almonds should still be warm, to avoid having to add additional oil)
5. Pour into food processor and begin processing. Process 12-15 minutes (yes, this feels like forever), stopping to scrape down the sides every few minutes.
   

I should warn you: Processing the almonds takes 2 to 4 times as long as the peanuts. The nuts are going to go through a ton of different stages. Don’t give up. It feels like forever. You’ll know when you’re done though; the result will be a smooth & drippy concoction.

A few recipe notes:

• You can follow the same basic recipe using any type of nut. I always buy pre- salted peanuts and raw unsalted almonds, but you can certainly experiment with others. I will caution you that if you try to use roasted almonds and re-roast with a sweetener the outcome is a burnt-tasting nut butter.
• By far, the cheapest way to purchase nuts here in Ann Arbor is in bulk or at Trader Joes. I like to watch for when they go on sale. Stock up and store them in your fridge or freezer.
• Additions I’ve experimented with: flax, honey, maple syrup (amazing), cinnamon, chocolate & more. Also try nut combinations. Next on my list: cinnamon pecan walnut.

This afternoon, when I will be discussing all things nut butter nutrition related: why our bodies need fat, why I pick almond butter, why I view Jif as a ‘treat’ and why you should never, ever, think about buying a reduced-fat peanut butter. Hurry back.