For the LOVE of Almond Butter

We ate peanut butter in our house, but I wouldn’t call it a staple.  Once we meet with the Nutritionist he explained about the Omega-3’s and all the nutritional benefits of eating nuts.  We were surprised to learn that a peanut, is actually a legume, not a nut, so when you eat peanut butter you aren’t getting all of those benefits.  We looked at jars of Almond butter in the store and I was turned off by the oil floating on the top, and more importantly the price!  I did some digging around on pinterest and founds it’s just as easy to make your own almond butter (or cashew, pecan or other nut for that matter).  You can follow my pins at “Lexy Lux”-once I have tried and approved them I move them over to “Pinterest Successes” 

Are you ready for the recipe??

1 pound of roasted unsalted almonds (we buy in the bulk food section)

Food processor-we tried it in our blender before we bought a food processor, it’s doable, but much harder. 

Mason Jar & Lid

Seriously, that’s the recipe!! 

Pour the almonds in, at first they will be crumbly and as it whirls it will start to get creamier.  It takes a few minutes.  We like it really smooth.  1 pound will fill 1 regular size mason jar.  We normally do about 5 pounds at a time.  These filled jars are like gold at our house, I dropped one and shattered it on the floor, and I thought my husband was going to cry.  I put it on apple wedges, bananas, use it in smoothies, spread on Ezekiel toast, brown rice cakes, make ice cream (more on that one later!) and just devour it with a spoon.  You don’t need salt or sugar or any extra oils. 

Brian likes to go camping and wants to eat clean while he is there so he always stocks up on individual packs of Justin’s Nut Butter, they have lots of yummy flavors.  There are some extra ingredients in them and it’s not as cheap as making your own, but if you want to try out almond butter before you make the commitment to making a full pound, try it out.  I stash a couple in my car and desk at work, there’s nothing like an Almond emergency!!  I also hear that Target's house brand Archer Farms makes almond butter with only Almonds in it.  I haven't tried it, but thought I'd pass it along. 

One time we couldn’t find roasted unsalted almonds and tried raw and roasted salted almonds, both were disastrous for different reasons.  They need to roasted so the natural oils come out and make it creamier.  We had to roast them in the over and there is a fine line between slightly roasted, and SMOKED almond butter.  I wasn’t a fan.  If you are lucky enough to live by a Sunflower Market, they go on sale about every other month for about $5 a pound.  Or you can get them at Whole Foods, or maybe even your local grocery store bulk section.  Go to your pantry and read the ingredient list on your peanut butter or even almond butter at the store.  If there are items in there you can’t pronounce, or don’t know what they are, why are you putting them in your body??