Almost everyone loves nut butters: almond butter, cashew butter, any kind of this rich and creamy goodness. But so many brands are loaded with salt, sweeteners, chemical stabilizers and sugars. When buying a nut butter, be sure to look for those that list only the type of nut being used and salt as the ingredients. If you prefer unsalted, there should only be one ingredient: the type of nut being used. When you see a long list of ingredients, this isn’t the nut butter you want.
Rather than buying your nut butter at the store, you can control the ingredients by simply making your own. Specialty natural nut butters can be quite expensive. However, making them at home allows you to be as creative as you want, create your preferred consistency, save money, and know exactly what you are putting in your nut butters. There is nothing to it other than picking out your nut, choosing what flavor you want (sweet or savory), blending or mixing in a food processor, and enjoying! Just a tablespoon goes a long way with this energy-dense, high-fiber snack! Depending on what mood you are in or what you are craving, you can cater your nut butter to satisfy your needs. Often when I get a sweet craving, a tablespoon of nut butter does the trick!
Lately I have been obsessed with my Cinnamon Coconut Cashew Butter. Whether it is spread over an apple, over celery, onto of a piece of whole grain toast or simply enjoyed by the spoonful, the rich and creamy texture always satisfies my craving!
In this particular recipe, I added the superfood maca. Maca is a plant native to the high Andean Mountains of Bolivia and Peru. It has been known to balance the body’s hormones, help with stress management, increase energy levels and aid in increasing fertility. It is also includes tons of rich vitamins such as B vitamins, iron, vitamin C, D and E. You can see where adding this powerful superfood can be so beneficial to your overall health and longevity! I like to add it to my diet by simply adding it to my homemade nut butters and protein shakes.
Check out my Cinnamon Coconut Cashew Butter and let me know what you think! It is sure to satisfy your cravings and offer you long-lasting quality energy to get through your busy day!
Gina’s Cinnamon Coconut Cashew Butter
Ingredients
2 cups dry roasted cashews
1/4 cup melted coconut oil
1 tablespoons maca powder
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon sea salt
Directions
1. Add your roasted cashews to your food processor and turn on, allowing to mix and liquefy.
2. When the cashews become thicker and start to ball up, add your oil directly to your cashews while the food processor is still running.
3. Once your get a runnier nut butter, turn food processor off, then add remaining ingredients.
4. Turn back on the food processor and allow everything mix.
5. Turn off food processor, dish out into small container to enjoy by the spoonful.
Nutritional Information
(Per serving)
Serving Size: 1 tablespoon
Calories: 130 calories
Fat: 11 grams
Saturated Fat: 4 grams
Carbohydrates: 6 grams
Fiber: .5 grams
Protein: 3 grams
Sugar: 1 gram
