Nut butters have become a popular food choice in recent times. Because of their naturally high protein content, nut butters are an excellent replacement for meat in a diet. Nut butter does contain a high amount of fat but the type of fat is considered to be a healthy source for the human body.
Blendtec WildSide HP3A Blender
Nut butters can be made from almost any type of nut including macadamia, almond, cashew and even hazelnuts. Making your own nut butters at home is an excellent way to add a delicious source of protein to your diet without the high cost of processed nuts.
Making nut butters requires a bit of blender finesse. Because nuts are hard, you will need to grind them in a way that is similar to chopping ice in the blender. This means that variable speed option blenders are the perfect choice for nut butter makers.
The best way to begin creating your own nut butter is by choosing the nuts that you enjoy. Softer nuts are a good choice for first-time butter making practice.
To make a delicious cashew nut butter you will begin by deciding whether or not you want your cashews roasted.
To roast cashews, simply place them in a single layer on a baking pan.
Bake them in the oven for about 15 minutes at 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
Remove the cashews from the oven and let them cool. If you do not want them roasted, just skip this step.
Pour two cups of cashews into your blender’s carafe. Choose a low speed option on the blender to begin chopping the nuts.
Slowly increase the speed until the nuts begin to turn to a fine powder. This process takes several minutes and can make the blender hot, so be sure to pause between speed changes.
Once the nuts begin to clump together in the carafe, you can add any flavorings that you choose.
Honey, maple syrup and vanilla are all nut butter flavorings that add only a small amount of calories to the mixture.
Cinnamon is another favorite when it comes to nut butter flavoring. A few tablespoons of cinnamon will add a little spice to a bland nut butter.
Once your nut butter is completely blended, it will remain the consistency of store-bought peanut butter. You can then jar your nut butter for storage or eat it immediately. Nut butter will stay fresh for several weeks when stored in a jar with a tight-fitting lid.
Remember that making nut butter can take practice. Allow the blender’s motor to cool between speed changes or you may end up over-heating the blender. Once you try a few nut butter recipes, you will definitely appreciate the cost savings.
