ex.cite.ment.
March 15, 2010 I’m glowing about TWO things right now and ONE of them has to do with YOU lovely people.
#1 Some of you guessed it. YES, I did make almond butter for the firs time! It couldn’t have been any easier.
Do you have a food processor? Do you like almonds? Then this is a no brainer! This [along with pnut butter] are items that you almost 100% of the time by in a jar at the store. It’s there + it’s easy. What I love about making nut butters at home is that you can control the ingredients that go in it! Okay…on with the post!
Let ‘er rip!! I’ll post the recipe at the end! This part at the beginning was INsanely LOUD!!!
Starting to form almond meal and sticking together. My excitement is building [nerd]. Scrape down #1
Whirling around…now it’s just “humming”
Ohhhh yaaaaaah…we are on our way…Scrape down #2…3…..4…lots of scraping down the bowl
ChunkEE
And THERE you have it. Creamy, thick, almond butter with no added oil, salt or sweetener. You have to be patient as this took about 15min with all of the bowl scraping and processing.
But it’s so worth the wait.
A little more info? Surely. So I used 2c of almonds. I know the price of almonds vary quite a bit. I can find almonds for ~$7.50/2lbs at Natural Grocers here in CO. That price definitely makes AB at home cheaper.
There are appx. 3.5c of almonds in 1lb. 2c of almonds yields about 1.25c almond butter [or a tad less]. In a typical jar [18oz] you’ll get 2c of almond butter. The cheapest AB I have seen is about $6.99. I do know they have a much larger jar [maranatha brand] at Costco for about that same price you will find the smaller jar in most grocery stores. I think it is definitely doable to find deals on almonds [trader joes, natural grocers, iherb.com, amazon] to make this fit your budget.
It was so easy to whip up without any extra ingredients….unless you want to add more ingredients…which I did :)
You didn’t think I was going to make plain ‘ol almond butter now did you?
Say hello to mr.vanilla bean. Oh vanilla, how I love thee.
1/2 of the batch got a healthy dose of finely chopped almonds and CHIA seeds!! I wanted CRUNCHY almond butter.
The other half got vanilla beans + ground cinnamon mixed in. Can you see the vanilla bean flecks? hehehe I’m still working on exact amounts of how much should be put in. The cinnamon definitely made it even a bit thicker. The vanilla beans have opened up quite a bit. I’ll have to see how it is in a few days to know how to adjust for next time.
Chris thought the AB’s were both really good. However, they totally stick ALL over your mouth…but as does any good AB ;) I have heard some people say they needed to add extra oil to get it thinner. It all depends on preference!
Let me know if you have questions or decide to try this out. I’m going to post photos that any readers send me of recipes they try from my homemade week. So get in the kitchen + send your photos to edibleperspective AT gmail DOT com.
I know you guys always love seeing the messes I make. This wasn’t toooo bad ;)
RAW Almond Butter
- 2c almonds [I used raw]
- Process in your food process for about 15min scraping down the sides as necessary. It will turn from almond chunks, to almond meal, to almond dough, to an almond ball, and finally to almond butter. If you want a richer/nuttier almond flavor you can roast your almond in oven at 350* for about 7-10min. Make sure to stir the almonds every 2min and watch so they don’t burn.
Mix Ins: chia seeds, vanilla beans, cinnamon, coconut, almond chunks, cocoa powder, etc.
Exciting thing #2!!!! You all know how much I love the cookbook Clean Food by Terry Walters. I recently talked to Terry and she was kind enough to offer a cookbook giveaway for my readers!! I think this is a GREAT way to kick off homemade week. Super excited.
A little about Clean Food:
- all of the recipes are vegan
- it is split up seasonally with a FULL menu of recipes for each season
- there are desserts, appetizers, entree’s, etc for each season
- the first 35 pages give a FABulous explanation about eating REAL, CLEAN food and eating for YOUR health
- there is an ingredient index in the front with very helpful information
- each recipe takes up ONE page and they are all clear cut and easy to follow
- there are some unusual ingredients that are worth investigating and trying out
- there are no recipe photographs
- each recipe has a small summary of what the dish is like, what it will do for your body, and/or what other recipes in the book to pair it with
So far, I have tried about 1/4 of the recipes in the WINTER section of the book. Cooking seasonally is amazing. There is nothing better than using fresh ingredients from the season. I urge you not to be scared because this is a Vegan cookbook. You all know I am not vegan. However, I LOVE how I feel after consuming the food I make from this book. I am not weighed down and lethargic. [I am also not just bs’ing about this ;)] You will notice a difference once you start to eat cleanly on a regular basis…trust me! Chris even says that he feels better after eating meals, like the ones in this book. If you don’t believe me, ask Teri!
Pretty paintings for each season :)
2 SUMMER desserts!
The page marker you see at the top definitely comes in handy!
To enter: This giveaway will be open until 5pm [mountain time] on Wednesday, March 17th! Sorry this is open to US commenters only. I will use the random # generator to pick the winner on Wed.
- Leave me a comment on this post and tell me one thing you HAVE done, or PLAN on doing, to better YOUR health!
Also, check out Terry Walters blog!
All for now….off to make GRANOLA which was definitely the MOST requested item for homemade week!
~Ashley
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Recipes, almonds, chia seeds, cinnamon, vanilla
Reader Comments (145)
LOVE the vanilla bean in almond butter...YUM! and of course i didn't think you would make just plain AB ;) i've started working out consistently again (despite my knee) and eating MUCH better..."slurging" only once or twice a week, and even then trying to cut back on the amount. the weight's coming off... :)
Ooooh I've been eyeing this cook book for so long!
I've done 2 things that have made a significant improvement in my health. 1.) Running and Yoga and joined the DailyMile.com community. 2.) Read labels on food. My younger sister is allergic to food coloring and many preservatives so we all started reading labels to keep her healthy. What ended up happening was that we all got healthier because we stopped eating foods with ingredients that we couldn't pronounce and started making food from scratch so that we could know exactly what we're eating and where its coming from.
To better my health I'm trying to cut out all processed foods, mainly processed soy :)
(Looks like you've got yourself some uhh-mazing almond butter :) )
One thing that I have begun doing to improve my health is buying my fruit and vegetables from an all local grocery store. The store references the farm name and location next to the produce. Most of the items are organically grown and it is nice to feel part of the local agriculture community. I believe this is improving my health because I am eating fresher items since I know they have been grown within my own state and the nutrients have not been depleted because of long travel times.
Your almond butter looks fantastic!
I've actually been drinking green smoothies for breakfast for the past few months to ensure I get some greens in the morning, and now I bought an elliptical so I have no excuses to skip workouts! :) Would love to try some of the clean recipes!
Thanks for the almond butter recipe! It looks fantastic.
I've started a few things that are meant to better my health. One, I've been experimenting with vegetarianism. And now that that's going smoothly, I'm considering throwing in a vegan only day to my week. Two, I've picked up running again (I had to stop running last summer due to a hip injury). I'm loving it! Three, I started buying organic groceries that are on the dirty 12 list.
Your AB looks delicious!! I've become more serious about running to better my health. I'm signing up for more races to keep myself motivated.
I am making (more of) an effort to not buy packaged products...I'm trying to eat more real, fresh, veggie-based meals instead of easy, on the go, frozen dinners.
I've been trying to drink more water to better my health. It's probably doing my body good, but I hate constantly peeing!
Oh, and how good is your food processor? If it was loud on yours..I'd be afraid to try that on mine...It might explode.
AAH SUCH good timing! I need this book! I've recently (like, yesterday) started a super clean eating plan with as little processed stuff as I can handle or afford. Oh, and I'm making homemade chocolate coconut butter this week sometime.
In the past year I have done lots of things to better my health, one of the big ones is to eat REAL FOOD!! Fruits, vegetables, whole grains, etc.
Just over a month ago I started eliminating all processed foods and refined sugars from my diet. I have also been migraine free for the first time in 2 years because of it!!!!!!!
One thing I have done is cut out trans fats right before I turned 30 (6.5 years ago!) and as a result cutting that one ingredient ended up cutting out most processed foods! I have learned over the past 6.5 years to satisfy myself with real food, and now I don't even like the taste of things that have awful ingredients like trans fat, hfcs, etc!
Running and including more Omega-3s in my diet!
What I have already done to better my health is lose 30 pounds over a year. Changing my lifestyle to heatlhy eats and exercise! I've never felt better!
I really need to get a food processor. So many great things can be made using them.
I've really been working on trying to drink water. For some reason it has become really hard for me to do. I've started carrying a water bottle with me everywhere!
One thing I have added to my diet to become more healthy is making green smoothies as a post-recovery drink after the gym! I recently picked up a vegan protein powder made with rice and spirulina. It is very new to me and I love it. It something I actually look forward to making after a good workout!
Woohoo!! I NEED to start eating my veggies more. Just don't know how since I hate them so much!
Ooooh!I love almond butter but have never thought to make it myself! And I've been wanting to buy this cookbook for quite some time. I am obsessed with anything relating to a cookbook, especially when it has pictures! I eat healthfully everyday (I only shop at Whole foods and Trader Joe's) and I also run everyday. Up to 95 miles per week!
The cooking book looks awesome. In order to improve my health I have been shopping weekly at the local farmers market for my produce. Seeing all the fresh produce not only inspires me to make healthier purchases it also feel great supporting the local farmers.
I think deciding to make most of my meals at home with whole ingredients was the best thing I have done for my health. I hardly have any processed food in my house at all!
Congratulations on your first almond butter making experience! I'm sure it was the first of many! One thing I've done to improve my health is putting an end to buying and eating pre-made meals. It's so easy to make it fresh... why did I spend so many years eating the frozen version?
LOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOVE THIS idea! I love the vanilla cinnamon! Totally going to get some almonds and try this. THANK YOU! :)
Ooh! That AB looks gooooood!! I have forced myself in to becoming a morning exercise person! Every morning last week I hit the treadmill!
Oh I wish I had a food processor. I wonder if I could do it in my blender?
For my health, I'm losing weight to fit into a bikini for my birthday! I'm also seeing a naturopath.
I think I'll make almond butter TONIGHT!
Can I enter even if I already have it? I think it'd be an awesome gift for my mommy! One thing I'm doing to better my health: work on relaxing more! More yoga, more downtime, more unplugging from the TV/internet time.
Oooh, I've wanted that cookbook forever! One thing I'm doing to improve my health is tracking my calories and macro nutrients on Sparkpeople. I think having a better handle on how my body feels with certain amounts of calories and nutrient ratios will allow me to become a better athlete and feel the best I can on a general, day-to-day basis.
mmmm, the almond butter looks delicious!
I've tried to cut out as many processed foods as possible. It's a work in progress, but so far, so good.
I am trying to pay better attention to labels, and eliminate processed foods! I love learning to make products I would typically buy pre-made. Love the idea of making almond butter, especially since I am almost out. . .Step 1: FINALLY buy a food processor!
Lately, I've been trying to incorporate more flax and chia seed into my day by adding it to smoothies. Yeah omega 3's!
Love your blog! As a Mom of 3 young children, I try to make wholesome, healthy foods. I have cut way back on processed foods and just try and eat as clean a diet as possible. I also have added daily exercise to my regimen. I am always looking for "clean" cookbooks and would love to own this one! I, too, have been making my own nutbutters. Some easy ones includes peanut with white chocolate chips and also using Trader Joe's honey roasted mixed nuts (macadamias, cashews, pecans, almonds) and adding white chocolate and unsweetened coconut. So good! The lastest one I want to try is to make one like Nuttzo (since it's expensive and I don't want to pay shipping, but I'm anxious to try the mix), I bought a mix at TJ's that had most of the nuts and I'll add sunflower seeds and flax, etc. The possibilities are endless and the results so good! Thanks for the chance. Best, Jonna
I so want this book! I read a few pages last time I was at b&n and that's what prompted me to purchase kombu. My diet is already very low in processed foods but I've been working toward eliminating them entirely. My most recent venture was homemade almond milk, but I will definitely be making almond butter now that I've seen your tutorial - Thanks!
To better my health I have started to drink more green monsters! The spinach does the body good! I have been wanting to try a vegan cookbook so badly!
That almond butter looks fabulous!
To better my health, i've begum increasing my water intake to 100 ounces per day. I'm peeing all the time, but so far, my skin is clearing up and I'm feeling more energetic!
I've cut wayyyyy back on my college binge drinking and late night dance party (LNDP) habits ;-). However, maybe I should re-instate the LNDPs! Thanks for the sweet giveaway!!
I've started eating only real food, no more processed food. And I started doing yoga more regularly.
I continually try to cut back on my sugar intake, baby steps...
Wow I have been dying to experiment with clean eating! What will be even better is tricking my fiance into eating clean. :)
I can't wait to try making my own almond butter! I didn't realize it was so easy.
I've done a lot to better my health in the last few months.
#1 I quit smoking!
#2 In January, I began training for a half marathon in Columbus May 1 as motivation to make myself prioritize exercise. I might do a full marathon in Denver in October.
#3 I've reduced my Diet Coke intake (slowly weening myself off it).
#4 I'm getting 7+ hours of sleep a night. Finally.
#5 I've probably doubled my consumption of fruits and vegetables.
This all started as a new year's resolution, and I love how I feel, so I know I'll stick with it.
P.S. Thanks for such a fun blog!
I would love to win this cookbook. To eat more naturally, I have recently gone vegetarian! This would be a great resource for recipes!
I will be making almond butter STAT!
To become more healthy in the last 6 months I read The Omnivore's Dilemma, watched Food, Inc and stopped eating factory produced meat. We live in a great place full of awesome farms and I have joined a CSA and started buying eggs from pastured hens. We feel so much better about living and eating like this.
Ooh fun! I'm a cookbook fanatic. I joined a CSA in the new year and have been enjoying the plentiful produce, have been trying to make something from a recipe each week (as opposed to just throwing everything in a pan and seeing what happens), and set up a regular exercise schedule for myself to follow.
Oooooohhhh I want this book! To better my health, I have lost (and kept off!) 30ish pounds, become a vegetarian, quit artificial sweeteners, and stopped drinking alcohol. My biggest vice at this point is peanut butter :)
Would love to win this cookbook! One thing I'm doing to improve my health is following Michael Pollan's school of thought and eating real food. No more food in bags/wrappers.
I would LOVE to win this cookbook. Especially because I am currently living with and cooking for my mom who is vegan and I need new ideas! My healthy goal that I am currently undertaking is really losing all my baby weight and getting back in pre-baby shape. I need all my fitness and strength to chase after my energetic son! It is hard, long process, but I am determined to do it and do it right. Thanks, Ashley!
I just recently saw Food, Inc. and I'm definitely going to try to cut out non-organic or grass fed meats from my life. I also am going to try to avoid processed soy/corn ingredients as much as possible.
I REALLY also want to start making basic pantry items, like AB and PB if possible in the future. I feel like I'll save a lot of money and it will be really satisfying! :)
Wow, I am dying to try this cookbook.
One thing I have done with my health recently is quite contrary to the popular stance. I've actually endured quite a few really scary health issues in the past few months, with the last one landing me in the hospital for a few days. I realized I was pushing myself too hard and not getting enough rest and recovery. So now, I am trying something new to heal my body….I'm resting. I'm taking it easy and I am honoring my body because I know that this time in my life, my body NEEDS it.
It's good to push ourselves to our limits but there comes a time when our bodies need to be treated with the ultimate care. It's all a part of being overall healthy and happy in every single aspect of our lives.
Great recipe and pictures! Wish I had the books and wares to make this happen myself!
I am such a huge fan of homemade nut butters. My fav to make is homemade cashew butter... and have you tried making nutella with hazelnuts? Sooo tasty. Great post!