cake batter cashew butter

Before yesterday’s Peaches n’ Cream Oats post, it had been quite awhile since I had a new breakfast recipe to share.

However, it’s been even longer since I’ve shared a new nut butter recipe. 

So long that it makes me uncomfortable.  If you’re new to the blog, you may not know about my nut butter making.  Check out my recipe page, where you will find twenty-one nut butter recipes.  I had no clue there were that many!

Well, in honor of Miss Kelsey’s 28th Birthday [!!!!!!!!], I decided to dust off my food processor and make something extra special.

Because she deserves it and so do you.

I’ve turned almond butter into cookie dough nut butter, so why not try making cake batter nut butter?

Cake Batter Cashew Butter to be exact.

And a birthday is not a birthday, without sprinkles.  They’re just so darn cute + colorful.  Why not add them to the mix to make things extra festive?

Unfortunately, there are no pieces of delicious vanilla cake mixed within this concoction.  I’m not an ice cream shop! 

Instead of cake pieces though, can you settle for the batter?

Extremely creamy, bursting with vanilla and hints of almond, sea salt, + sucanat.

I’m pretty sure this would be delightful topped on just about anything.  Except your dinner.  Unless you are making oats for breakfast, lunch + dinner, because I’m pretty sure this is going to make you want to do just that.

Kelsey is coming over for a birthday breakfast, and little does she know this special jar awaits her arrival.  I banned her from reading the blog until after breakfast. hehehe

Cake Batter Cashew Butter   [yields ~1 1/4c]

• 2c raw cashews
• 1/4-1/3t fine grain sea salt
• 1/2T vanilla extract
• 1/2t almond extract
• 1T sucanat
• 2T sprinkles

1. Preheat your oven to 250*.
2. Roast cashews on a pan for about 30min, turning 1-2x until lightly golden brown.
3. Let cool 5-10min and pour into your food processor.
4. Turn on + let process until butter smooth.  You will need to scrape down the bowl numerous times before it butterizes.  It takes about 8-12min to smooth out. 
5. Once smooth, add in salt, vanilla, almond, and sucanat.
6. Process again until smooth, scraping the bowl as necessary.  ~2-4min.
7. Empty into a bowl and place in the fridge for 15-30min, until room temp or slightly cool.
8. Stir in sprinkles + pour into a jar.

*If you’re at the 12min mark and nothing is happening, add in 1/2T at a time of tasteless oil.

*I use a Cuisinart 11c food processor.  If you’re using a 7c, you may want to decrease the amount of nuts from 2c to 1-1.5c. 

*I store my nut butter in our pantry for 1-2 weeks.  If I don’t use it up by then, I’ll move it to the fridge.  I’m sure food safety protocol would say to store them in the fridge from day one, but I’ve never had a problem.  If I make a nut butter with flax however, it’s always kept in the fridge.

Now it’s time to come up with an extra special birthday breakfast bake!

A huge happy birthday to the one + only Kelsey!!! 

My partner in crime.

 

Ashley

undeniably delicious

Lightroom just got the best of me.  Adobe Lightroom.  The photo editing program I use.  It has nothing to do with the actually photo editing, but the technical side of using the program.  There are a numerous ways you can easily mess up your file system, and I seem to have done that.  Numerous ways.

Awesome.

So, while trying g-chatting with the amazing, fantastic, Laura, who was trying to help me out, I gave myself a nice big stress-induced headache.

Double awesome.

Now, what is actually awesome and not sarcastically awesome, is this breakfast.

I have gone through so many phases of what I mix into my oats, the actual oat combination, cooking method, type of oat, etc.  I’ve claimed certain things to be “the best” or “my favorite,” only to find something that is even better.

I’m not claiming this as the best.  But it’s definitely up there.

Undeniably delicious. 

Thanks to:

Fresh strawberries.

And…Cinnamon Crunch Almond Butter.

I actually whipped banana into my oats, and added cinnamon + vanilla.  Something I haven’t done in quite some time!  I’m also currently really enjoying about 3T of Raw Protein mixed into my oats, at the very end.  I don’t notice a texture difference, but almost a more “oaty” flavor.  It also thickens them up and keeps me satiated longer.  I’m not a huge fan of mix ins, and protein powders generally, but I feel that this powder is actually real food! 

Check out this ingredient list. [source]

But the protein powder is not the star of the show.  It’s the crisp, sweet strawberries and the crunchy, cinnamon almond butter.

Strawberry Banana Oats

• 4T rolled oats
• 4T oat bran
• 1c milk of choice
• 3/4c water
• 3T protein powder
• 3 large strawberries
• 1/2 banana, thinly sliced
• 1/2 banana for topping
• 2T Cocoa Goodness Love Grown Foods granola
• 1 heaping T Cinnamon Crunch AB
• 1t cinnamon
• 1/2t vanilla

1. In a pot over medium heat, whisk together oats, oat bran, milk water, 1/2 thinly sliced banana + cinnamon.
2. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to simmer, stirring every 1-2min until desired thickness is met.
3. Stir in protein powder + vanilla.  Add a few splashes of milk if it becomes too thick.
4. Top with granola, banana, strawberries + nut butter.

Scarf.

Time to put this headache to bed!

Goooooodnight!

Ashley

it’s been awhile…

It’s been awhile since I’ve busted out the food processor. 

It’s been awhile since I’ve given you a nut buttery recipe.

Today I did both.  I mean to do one, you have to do the other.  You just do.

Peppercorns.  Are you scared yet?

Salt + pepper + nut butter?  What?  Has she gone mad?  Nope.  Not one bit!  Have I ever led you astray?

Are you starting to see where I’m going with this yet?  Are you still in disbelief at the combination?

Think about eating roasted cashews covered in salt + pepper.

Now think about turning it into creamy goodness.

Not so bad, right?

Right!

Salt + Pepper Cashew Butter?  Most definitely.

creamy.

salty.

peppery.

savory.

spicy.

addicting.

I could have gotten fancier with this, but decided to keep it simple.  If you’re looking for a fancier, savory nut butter, you must check out my smoked paprika almond butter.  Sometimes simple is better.  Or at least just as good.

Salt + Pepper Cashew Butter

• 2 cups raw cashews
• 1 – 1 1/2t fresh ground pepper
• 1/2t salt

1. Roast cashews, on a pan, in the oven at 170* for about 30min, turning once.  [gives them a nice slow + light roast]
2. Add nuts to processor, and turn on, scraping sides as needed.  It should butterize in about 5-8min.  It goes much quicker than almonds. 
3. Allow the cashew butter to process until creamy/drippy and add in 1t ground pepper + 1/2t salt.
4. Process + scrape sides + bottom to make sure it’s all combined.
5. Taste + add more salt/pepper as needed. 

*This has quite the kick of pepper.  You can always start by adding in 1/2t and adjust from there.

*If you’re using a 7c food processor, I would decrease to the recipe to a max of 1.5c nuts + adjust other ingredients accordingly. 

*You can definitely make this with other nuts or a combination of more than one.

The peppery spice, mellow cashew flavor, + pop of salt, work together to make a stellar new savory spread. 

Try this on:

• carrots
• crackers
• egg sandwich
• veggie sandwich
• tempeh
• celery
• toast
• sweet potato
• any potato

You get the idea.

And if you’re really brave…try it on an apple!

I dare you!

Ashley