It seems as though 99% of us know what peanut butter is. In fact, many of us grew up with it in our cupboards. It’s a simple formula: grind nuts to a smooth, spreadable paste. Maybe add a touch of salt, but nothing more is needed. A pretty simple concept really. But have you looked at the ingredients in PB lately?
Take a look, and you’ll find sugar and hydrogenated oil. Both are terrible for our health. Hydrogenated oils are chemically altered, containing unsaturated fats that have had hydrogen atoms added to their structure, making them more solid and turning them into trans fats which are linked to heart disease, obesity and diabetes. Our bodies don’t recognize this as food. All it can do is try to fight the free radicals clogging your bloodstream and damaging your cells.
So, what to do instead? Make your own nut butters in minutes. The benefits of making your own nut butters far outweigh the jarred variety. You can control the ingredients and what goes into your butter. For instance, how much salt and sugar, if any. But even better, you can make nut butter from any nut. AND you can add additional flavorings – like cinnamon and raw cacao! Genius.
Today we are making a simple walnut butter and then slathering it on warm toast with touch of honey, cinnamon and a few banana slices. So good and nourishing- it’s great as a snack or breakfast. Blend up a walnut nut butter today. It’s one small step to healthier and a giant step to yummy!
Yummy Walnut Butter and Banana Toast Walnut Butter
- 2 cups raw walnuts
- pinch of salt
- optional: sweetener (honey or maple syrup)
Place the walnuts in a blender or food processor. Blend until the nuts break down into a sticky paste. Add a pinch of salt and sweetener, if using. Blend another minute to get a smoother consistency.
Store in the fridge for up to 3 weeks.
Soaked walnuts: Soaking the nuts for 6 hours or overnight helps to break down their exterior, which is difficult on our digestion systems. Soaking will also helps the nuts blend easier.
Roasting: You can roast or toast the walnuts if you prefer that roasted flavor. Just place raw (soaked) walnuts in a 350 degree oven for 10-15 minutes until golden.
Sweetener: I don’t add any as I prefer to add it in later in my recipes, but you can add a tablespoon or two of raw honey or maple syrup while blending as desired.
Walnut Butter & Banana Toast
- walnut butter
- dash of cinnamon
- raw honey
- bread
- banana
- Toast a piece of bread. Slather with walnut butter, sprinkle with a dash of cinnamon and drizzle with honey.
- Top with a couple of banana slices and enjoy!
Happy Healthy Tips: Walnuts are heart healthy, are filled powerful antioxidants, have cancer fighting properties, support brain health and are a delicious source of Omega-3 essential fatty acids, which the body cannot manufacture.
For more recipes, go to Monique’s blog: FatandHappyBlog.com and Monique’s new site, HappyEatsHealthy.com