HAZELNUT BUTTER
Most of us are familiar with the chocolatey variety of hazelnut spreads, but it’s also available without flavourings. It’s a good source of fibre, vitamin E, minerals and omega-6 fatty acids but only has half the protein of peanut butter. Turn to here to try making your own!
MACADAMIA NUT BUTTER
This is low in saturated fat and contains a variety of healthy vitamins and minerals. It can help to lower unhealthy LDL cholesterol and control blood-sugar levels. Due to its high fibre content, it is gut friendly and may also ease the symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome (IBS).
PEANUT BUTTER
This is the most widely consumed nut butter in the world. It’s highly nutritious, especially in protein, vitamin E and minerals, and available salted or unsalted, plain or with added flavourings, smooth or crunchy. Avoid brands that have added sugar and palm oil for the most nutritional benefits.
PECAN BUTTER
Although slightly higher in fat than other nut butters, this contains both omega-3 and -6 healthy fats, a jackpot of vitamins, minerals and dietary fibre.
PISTACHIO BUTTER
This is very nutritious and can help to keep our arteries healthy and reduce cholesterol in the body. It is an especially good source of potassium – just 25g (1oz) of pistachio butter can contain as much potassium as a banana.
WALNUT BUTTER
Walnuts are a great source of healthy omega-3 fats, which help stimulate leptin, the hormone that tells us when we’ve had enough to eat. This nut butter also has anti-inflammatory properties, making it a popular choice for people with autoimmune and inflammatory health problems.
COMBO BUTTERS
These can be made from grinding any of the nuts listed above and combining them with other nuts, edible seeds (sesame, pumpkin, sunflower, etc.) or flavourings, such as salt, honey, vanilla, spices and cocoa.
COOKING WITH NUT BUTTERS
Cooking with nut butters is not a new phenomenon – in Southeast Asia they’ve long known the benefits of cooking with nuts, especially peanuts. They are a staple of Malaysian and Thai food where they are sprinkled over noodles, curries and salads as well as playing the starring role in satay sauce. Nut butters can add flavour and texture as well as nutrients to both savoury and sweet dishes. Use them to make pasta sauces, dips, creamy soups, curries, salad dressings and drizzles.
And it’s easy to make your own nut butters at home – just grind the nuts of your choice into a thick, oily paste. You can add flavourings, such as edible seeds, salt, honey and spices, if wished. We have basic recipes and suggestions to instruct and inspire you – all you need is a food processor.
BASIC RECIPES
It’s so easy to make your own nut butters and, this way, you can get the quality, flavour and texture you really like while avoiding palm oil, sugar, salt and some of the other additives that are found in most shop-bought commercial brands.
For the best results and to give you more control over the taste, use shelled raw nuts and roast them in the oven yourself. They can be difficult to source but most wholefood, health-food and natural-food stores sell them.
Roasting the nuts not only enhances their flavour and aroma but it also releases their natural oils, making them easier to grind and giving a smoother texture.
To grind the nuts for any nut butter, you’ll need a large, sturdy food processor. It takes a while for the nuts to release their oil and become smooth and creamy – as long as 10–15 minutes – so be patient. Be careful not to over-blitz the nuts or the nut butter will be too liquid and not spreadable. If you like crunchy peanut butter, you can remove a few spoonfuls in the early gritty stages of grinding and stir them in at the end.
VEGAN OPTION
Nothing compares with the natural goodness of homemade peanut butter, whether it’s smooth and creamy or crunchy and nutty. This recipe shows you how you can adapt it to make either version, and it’s a lot easier than you think.
MAKES 500G (1LB 2OZ)
PREP 10–15 MINUTES
COOK 10–15 MINUTES
500g (1lb 2oz/3½ cups) shelled raw peanuts
1 tbsp sunflower, vegetable or peanut (groundnut) oil
1–2 tbsp clear honey or agave syrup (optional)
sea salt (optional)
Preheat the oven to 180°C (160°C fan)/350°F/gas 4.
Put the nuts on a large baking tray (cookie sheet), spreading them out in a single layer, and roast for about 10–15 minutes until golden brown and fragrant. Remove from the oven and set aside to cool.
When the nuts are completely cold, blitz them in a food processor until they are coarse and gritty. At this stage you can remove some if you prefer a crunchy rather than a smooth, creamy texture.
Add the oil through the feed tube and keep blitzing, stopping occasionally to scrape down the sides of the processor bowl, until the nuts release their oils and you have a moist, creamy textured paste. Stir in the coarsely ground nuts, if you removed them earlier, together with salt and honey or agave, to taste (if using).
Store in a sterilized 500g (1lb 2oz) glass jar with a screw-top lid or a Mason jar and keep in the fridge for 1–2 months.
ALMOND, CASHEW AND MACADAMIA BUTTERS
To make cashew butter and almond butter or more unusual butters, such as hazelnut, walnut, macadamia nut, pecan or Brazil nut, follow the basic recipe above for peanut butter, adding salt and honey to taste. Roast and grind the nuts in exactly the same way until you have a creamy paste. If wished, you can use a combination of different nuts.
NUT AND SEED COMBO BUTTERS
For a more nutritious and crunchy paste, try blitzing the nuts with edible seeds, such as unsalted raw sunflower, sesame, chia, flax or pumpkin seeds.
Tip: To sterilize the jar, wash it in warm, soapy water, then rinse thoroughly. Put the jar and lid on a baking tray (cookie sheet) and leave in a low oven at 120°C (100°C fan)/the lowest gas mark for at least 30 minutes until completely dry. If you’re using a Mason or Kilner jar, remove the rubber seal and wash separately in boiling water.
VEGAN OPTION
This deliciously smooth chocolate and nut spread is a healthier and more wholesome version of the commercial spreads you can buy, many of which have added palm oil and lots of sugar. When you’ve tasted this, you’ll never want to eat anything else. It’s great spread on breakfast pancakes, crêpes and waffles as well as toast. And it’s gluten-free and dairy-free, making it vegan-friendly.
MAKES 400G (14OZ)
PREP 10–15 MINUTES
COOK 10–15 MINUTES
400g (14oz/scant 3 cups) raw hazelnuts
1 tbsp sunflower, vegetable or peanut (groundnut) oil
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