How To Make The Perfect Nut Butter

Spoonfuls of creamy nut butter blended into a lush Chocolate Smoothie Bowl, or generously spread on a slice of freshly baked banana bread, are just some of the ways I adore using this lovely staple comfort food.  Nut butters can be used as a topping, a binding ingredient for cakes and the yummiest protein balls the list is endless. They are packed with protein, minerals and B vitamins as well as heart healthy fats your body needs.

The best thing is that it doesn’t get much easier than whipping up your own nut or seed butter at home. You can watch my video on how to make it below this post. To know what's in the food you eat and to make it yourself, is the best possible thing you could do for your health + wellbeing.

Home-made nut butters are gluten free, dairy free, egg free and sugar free, making it the perfect healthy spread and delicious nutritional boost in many of the recipes I create for The Healthy Chef.

My Top 3:

ALMOND BUTTER

Naturally sweet and creamy. They are rich in monounsaturated fats, similar to olive oil as well as rich in fibre, protein, magnesium, B vitamins and vitamin E. They also perform like a natural prebiotic in the digestive system that feeds the good bacteria in the gut so great for Perfect Digestive Health. I love my almond butter made from roasted almonds and then blend them with a hint of sea salt and small splash of cold pressed olive or coconut oil, which makes it dollop wonderfully off a spoon or into your mouth.  For a super quick almond milk I blend 1 tablespoon of almond butter with 1 cup of filtered water and presto ! instant healthy almond milk! The recipe is for Almond Butter is in my latest cookbook Purely Delicious, and it’s one of my most viewed food demo videos. There really is no excuse to buy store bought nut butters ever again.

MACADAMIA NUT BUTTER

Macadamia nuts make the most amazing butters because they are so deliciously creamy and high in anti-inflammatory mono-unsaturated fats similar to olive oil and avocado. Enjoying macadamias can keep you youthful and slow the ageing process as they naturally contain antioxidants like manganese, vitamin E and zinc which neutralise or scavenge substances called free radicals which would otherwise damage cells.Macadamias also contain a potent bundle of heart protective healthy fatty acids (plant omega-3s and mono-unsaturates), plant sterols, dietary fibre and antioxidants like vitamin E that nourishes and supports healthy skin. I love making macadamia nut butter from both raw and roasted macadamias. You pretty much don't need to add anything else to this beauty, just blend them in your high speed blender until smooth and creamy. Try my Naked Chocolate Butter - its out of this world !

CASHEW BUTTER

Cashews are high in the amino acid tryptophan which helps to make serotonin – the FEEL GOOD hormone responsible for feelings of wellbeing and feeling great! Serotonin is also crucial for the proper development of the enteric nervous system (ENS) to support digestion. Cashews are also a good source of magnesium essential for energy metabolism and nerve function. The heart healthy fats are mostly anti-inflammatory oleic fats. These monounsaturated fats are the same as found in olive oil and macadamia that are good for cardiovascular health. I prefer to make cashew butter from raw cashew nuts which gives me a lovely delicate flavour that marries with many of my recipes.

HERE'S HOW TO MAKE THE ULTIMATE ALMOND BUTTER - don't forget to watch the video below !

450 g fresh roasted almonds

2 tablespoons cold pressed olive oil

Pinch of sea salt

Optional extras:

1 tablespoon chia seeds

1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste

2 tablespoons Naked Chocolat

WHAT'S GREAT ABOUT IT:

Almonds are incredibly nutritious and bursting with plant-based protein, beneficial monounsaturated fats and vitamin E. Many of my recipes contain whole and ground almonds or macadamias as I find that these nuts create a lovely creamy texture in many of my recipes.

Almonds have similar health properties to olive oil and avocados. These nuts contain a potent bundle of health-protective nutrients: healthy omega-3 fatty acids, plant sterols, dietary fibre and antioxidants like vitamin E and manganese. Enjoying them regularly can help slow the ageing process, keep you weight under control and support a healthy cardiovascular system. The magnesium content in nuts can also promote healthy nerve and muscle function, helping you rest and recover.

3 WAYS TO ENJOY NUT BUTTER - OTHER THAN A SPREAD!

1. Homemade nut milk

To make nut milk, just blend 1 tablespoon of nut butter with 1 cup of filtered water. If you want to make it truly decadent and creamy, add 1 teaspoon of vanilla bean paste and a fresh-pitted date. Blend in a high speed blender and enjoy!  I love to combine my homemade nut milk with Healthy Chef Naked Chocolat as a hot drink before bed. This calming combination of ingredients is full of magnesium to help relax blood vessels, improve circulation and blood flow, as well as help lower blood pressure. Cocoa is also rich in a compound called resveratrol, the same that’s found in red wine, which is known to help with increasing the brain’s production of feel-good endorphins and serotonin.

2. Homemade nutella

For the ultimate spread bursting with antioxidants and powerful superfoods, you can combine your nut butter with 3 tablespoons of Healthy Chef Naked Chocolat and half a cup of organic maple syrup for your own addictive and indulgent jar of nutella! A true marriage of flavours that’s unforgettable. 

3. Peanut butter protein balls

These protein balls take about 5 minutes to make and are the perfect portable breakfast or snack. They remind me a little of no-cook Anzac biscuits and are packed with rolled oats, coconut, dates, Healthy Chef Protein + your choice of nut butter. For these ones I’ve used peanut butter and you can find the recipe on The Healthy Chef Recipe App!

You can find more delicious recipes in the #1 bestseller Purely Delicious from The Healthy Chef eStore HERE.