Homemade Raw Almond Butter

On mornings when I'm in more of a rush or that I am simply not in the mood for a green smoothie, I have gluten-free toast with almond butter.  Raw or natural nut butters are a healthier alternative to regular nut butters because they are not loaded with oils and other undesirable ingredients.  The only ingredient they contain are raw nuts, although some people will add honey, oil or salt. 

 

So what are the health benefits of consuming almonds, almond butter or most nuts for that matter?  Well, as reported by the  George Mateljan Foundation "five large human epidemiological studies, including the Nurses Health Study, the Iowa Health Study, the Adventist Health Study and the Physicians Health Study, all found that nut consumption is linked to a lower risk for heart disease. Researchers who studied data from the Nurses Health Study estimated that substituting nuts for an equivalent amount of carbohydrate in an average diet resulted in a 30% reduction in heart disease risk. Researchers calculated even more impressive risk reduction—45%—when fat from nuts was substituted for saturated fats (primarily found in meat and dairy products)."

 

So go crazy, spread it on your toasts with some banana slices, spread it on your crackers or on celery sticks!

 

Raw Almond Butter

(makes approximately 1 1/2 cups)
 

 

 

 



 

Ingredients

 

2 cups raw almonds 

 

Method

 

Place almonds in a food processor with the blade attachment and process for 3 minutes.  Change to knead attachment and process for another 7-9 minutes.  If you have a regular (not professional) food processor and you do not switch from the blade to the knead attachment, it will most likely not work!  Trust me, I processed for 25 minutes and nothing happened until I switched the attachment!)



Knead attachment for food processor

 

Enjoy and have a great day!

Amelie