Recipe by Joy McCarthy, Holistic Nutritionist & Health Expert, joyoushealth.com
Image courtesy of Joyous Health
If you’re like us, then nut butter is among your only three belongings in the hypothetical “deserted island” scenario—that’s how much you can’t live without it. But feeding your addiction to these rich and satisfying spreads can not only get expensive, it can also be a little monotonous, with your standard almond and peanut butters becoming repeat players in your coveted snack breaks.
Behold, the incredibly easy, mind-blowing concept of doing it yourself. It’s cheaper, more nutritious, and lets you get creative with extra yum ingredients like cinnamon, honey and even chocolate (oh, yes we did). But you don’t have to take our word for it. We asked two experts, Toronto-based holistic nutritionists Jenn Pike and Joy McCarthy, for their personal favorite recipes and came away with these three blue ribbon winners. So dust off your food processor and get those old mason jars out of storage. It’s time to go nuts.
Cinnamon Almond Butter
• 2 cups whole, natural almonds
• 3 Tbsp ground cinnamon
• Pinch sea salt
1. Preheat oven to 300°F. Place almonds on a baking sheet covered with parchment paper. Roast almonds for 10-12 minutes, stirring once halfway through, to ensure they don’t burn. Remove from heat and allow to cool. (Note: If you prefer to use raw almonds, skip this step.)
2. When cooled, place almonds in the bowl of a food processor along with the cinnamon and sea salt. Pulse until creamy smooth. Depending on your food processor this may take several minutes.
3. Transfer to a glass jar with a tight seal and refrigerate for up to two weeks.
Tip: This would also work with sunflower seeds instead of almonds!
Recipe by Jenn Pike, Registered Holistic Nutritionist, jennpike.com
Creamy Cashew Butter
• 3 ½ cups raw whole cashews, soaked overnight
• 1 Tbsp raw honey
• 1 tsp organic pure vanilla extract
• ½ tsp of sea salt
1. Rinse the soaked cashews and dry well.
2. Puree the cashews in a food processor for 10-15 minutes, scraping down the sides as needed.
3. Add the honey, vanilla, and sea salt, and continue to puree for another 8-10 minutes. (Be sure to stop your food processor a couple of times to give it a little break.)
4. Once you’ve achieved the desired consistency, spoon your butter into an air-tight mason jar and keep in the fridge for up to one month. Note: the cashew butter may be warm or hot at first, this is normal.
Recipe by Jenn Pike, Registered Holistic Nutritionist, jennpike.com
Dark Chocolate Almond Honey Spread
• 1 cup raw almonds, soaked overnight
*for a smoother texture use blanched almonds
• 2 Tbsp cacao powder
• 1 Tbsp raw honey
• 1 Tbsp coconut oil
• Pinch of sea salt
1. Rinse the soaked almonds and dry well.
2. Puree the almonds in a food processor for 10-15 minutes, depending on desired consistency, scraping down the sides as needed.
3. Melt the honey and coconut oil together and stir in the cacao powder until well combined. Add to the food processor and blend to mix well.
4. Spoon into an air-tight mason jar and store in the fridge for up to a month.
If store-bought is your thing, check out our guide to the best nut butters we could find in the March/April issue of STRONG Fitness Mag. Or pick up a digital copy here.
