Nut Butter

So, I've started making small batches of my own nut butter since I stopped eating grains, legumes, and sugar. I'm a big peanut butter fan, but peanuts are not only not actual nuts, but the peanut butter all has added oils and often sugar. So, I make my own butter from almonds with my new blender. The process over-heats my poor little $20 blender, so I have to do it in very small amounts, but that's actually good because it keeps it all fresher. Some people have been asking me how to do it (often followed by 'make it simple, I'm not a kitchen person'). It's just about the easiest thing:

1) Get your almonds! I got this huge 800g bag on sale.

 

2) I'm making 1/4 cup of almond butter. You don't have to measure though, if you have a nice powerful blender, just dump some almonds in.

 3) Add salt. I like mine quite salty. If you're salt averse, just don't add it.

You could also add other things like herbs, coconut, chocolate, or vanilla. I haven't tried them, but I heave read about it.

4) Prepare to blend. Don't jump! The nuts make a bit of a racket.

 5) This is not blended enough... keep going.

6) This is about where I always think 'It's not going to work...'.
Have faith, keep blending.

 7) Finer still. I think you could stop here and use it as rough almond flour. But no! We want butter!

8) Don't stop blending too soon. This is starting to look good, but is still too crumbly.

9) And now, we have it! Almond butter.

I want to try other nuts too, but they are a bit expensive right now. I'm very keen to give macadamia butter a go.





So, there you have it. Nuts + Salt + Blender = Nut Butter.
Now, eat it with a spoon, on celery, or use in a recipe, like these yummy 'bancakes'.
Enjoy!