Nut and Cookie Butter

 Nut and Cookie Butter 

 

I enjoy making nut butters in my VitaMix. My recipe is simple...3 cups of nuts. I blend the nuts until a smooth consistency is achieved. Today I used roasted and unsalted peanuts.

 

Sometimes I make small batches of unique nut butters. Cinnamon is a favorite in our household. 

 

Today I made two small batches using HomeFree Treats. One batch used two packages of Crunchy Organic Ginger Snap Mini Cookies and another batch used Crunchy Vanilla Mini Cookies. The texture and flavor of both batches was great. It is a sweet treat to enjoy on the banana bread that I just made!

PB HomeFree Protein Bites

 I was looking to make a twist on a tried-and-true favorite snack. I took one of my favorite cookies and combined it with my PB Protein Bites Recipe and HomeFree Chocolate Mint Cookies. 

 

I substituted HomeFree Chocolate Mint Cookies for 1/2 of the oatmeal in my original recipe

 

Base Recipe Ingredients:

• 1 Cup Oats (DRY)
• 1/2 cup Peanut Butter (or nut/seed butter of choice)
• 1/2 cup Ground Flax Seed Meal
• 1/3 cup Honey (or sugar)  (Sub Maple Syrup to make Vegan)
  
• 1 tsp Vanilla

 

 HomeFree Cookie Remix Recipe Ingredients: 

• 1/2 Cup Oats (DRY) 
• 1/2 Cup HomeFree Chocolate Mint Cookies (Crumbled)
• 1/2 cup Peanut Butter (or nut/seed butter of choice)
• 1/2 cup Ground Flax Seed Meal
• 1/3 cup Honey (or sugar) (Sub Maple Syrup to make Vegan)

 

The result was a crunchier bite. You can add more chocolate flavor by adding additional chocolate. You could add more mint flavor by adding mint flavor in place of the vanilla in the original recipe.

Spicy African Peanut Stew

I made African Peanut Stew after I researched a handful of recipes and combined them into the dish I prepared. One thing I would do different next time, I would make it a little thinner.  I would add 1/2 the peanut butter and an extra can of tomatoes. Suggested changes NOTED in ingredient list below.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup TEFF grain
• 1 cup brown lentils
• 1 tbsp olive oil or coconut oil
• 6 cups of water
• 2 cups of canned tomatoes (NOTE: I would add 4 cups)
• 1 cup peanut butter (NOTE: I would add 1/2 cup)
• 2 cups diced carrots
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1 tsp cloves
• 1 tsp nutmeg
• 1.5 tsp cayenne pepper
• 1.5 tsp mustard seeds
• 1.5 tsp caraway seeds 
• salt and pepper to taste (at serving)

NOTE: If you do not like spicy ... start with 1/2 the quantity of spices. After you prepare the dish you can taste and decide if you wish to add the other 1/2. If you like REALLY spicy food, you may with to add even more!

Instructions:

• Brown the teff, lentils, and spices in a warm pot (on low) with the oil 
• Add water, stir to combine, bring to a boil, reduce to simmer, and cover
• After 10 minutes, stir, and add the carrots and cook for another 5 minutes
• After 5 minutes add the tomatoes and peanut butter, stir, and cook for about 10 minutes
• Serve with a side of gluten free bread, gluten free croutons, or sprinkle with parsley

Homemade Cinnamon Peanut Butter

I love the taste of warm peanut butter ... fresh warm peanut butter is even tastier!

I keep a jar of homemade nut butter in my refrigerator at all times. I love making NUT butters in my VitaMix as all I need to make a batch is 3 cups of nuts and about 5 minutes. When nuts are on sale, I stock up which cuts the cost of each portion.

Today I made a double batch of peanut butter. The first batch was traditional creamy peanut butter and the second batch was CINNAMON peanut butter.

Instructions:

• Place 3 cups of nuts (added 1 TBSP cinnamon to batch 2) in VitaMix and turn on low
• Begin to use the wand to push down the nuts
• Turn up the speed to high and use the wand to continue to push the mixture down to combine  (The nut butter will be almost smooth after about 2 minutes)
• When the nut butter is almost done, turn the VitaMix to high and use the wand to combine for another 30 seconds. This will create the extra smooth and creamy texture. Omit this step if you wish a "grainy" or crunchy texture.  
• To wash the VitaMix, add water half way up and run the machine for a minute. Drain. Rinse.

NOTE: You can use raw, roasted, salted, or unsalted nuts for this recipe.
NOTE: I make nut butters frequently. Experiment with the flavors ... perhaps you will start to add 1 cup of three different nuts!

I had an amaZING day? Did you too?

I had an amaZING day! 

Did you? 

I taught three classes back-to-back-to-back early in the day and had enough time to complete projects around the house 🏠 and get in a great workout too! 

Thanks Zing Bars for fueling me through my three classes on a 90 degree day! Your bars not only TASTE GREAT but are also:

• Gluten Free
• Low Glycemic 
• NON-GMO Projet 
• Vegan
• Soy Free
• Artificial Free
• High in Protein
• Contain Good Carbs
• Contain Good Fats

I look for bars that fit that taste great and are good for me! Zing Bars satisfy me every time!

PB Protein Bites

I LOVE these! All food should be this fun! Finger food that is good for you and tastes so good you WANT to lick your fingers! These PB Protein Bites can be made as small or large as you wish. The stir-ins can fit your personality, the special occasion, or your dietary needs.

Base Recipe Ingredients:
1 Cup Oatmeal (DRY)
1/2 cup Peanut Butter (or nut/seed butter of choice)
1/2 cup Ground Flax Seed Meal
1/3 cup Honey (or sugar) (substitute Maple Syrup to make VEGAN)
1 tsp Vanilla

I use Bob's Red Mill Gluten Free Oats and Ground Flax Seed Meal

Optional stir-ins:
coconut, chocolate chips, butterscotch chips, toffee pieces, dried fruit, protein powder, and cinnamon

Directions:
Add ingredients to a mixing bowl/electric mixer
Stir until incorporated
Roll into balls (size is up to you...I generally try for ping pong ball or golf ball size
Refrigerate in an airtight container for about 30 minutes

OPTIONS:
Use a different nut butter if you prefer or have a peanut allergy
Use agave instead of honey, reduce to 1/4 cup
Some store bought peanut butters have more sugar in them than others, if you wish to cut down on sugar, reduce the honey in half
Use homemade or natural nut butter in place of mass market "brands". Stay Tuned for my nut butter recipes!


Each time I have made this recipe I have made the BASE recipe and HALF way through making the balls, I add a stir-in or two so the batch has variety.

Perfect for an on the go snack! Can be used as a post game snack, mid day pick-me-up, or a desert!