Real Food

Nut Butter On Life – That’s My Motto

This genuinely is my motto you guys!

Why?

Because it feels like a treat, when really, it’s full of everything we need; protein, essential fatty acids, vitamins, minerals, antioxidants and fibre.

Every meal tastes jazzy when it’s smothered in nut butter.

Here’s the scoop.

Nut butter is like avocado – in that it pairs well with just about any food and makes everything taste more indulgent.

  • It satisfies cravings with it’s high protein content
  • You can feel the essential fatty acids satiating your precious cells
  • The incredibly impressive mineral and B vitamin content works wonders for an overactive nervous system
  • The antioxidants and vitamin E help your skin glow
  • The fibre keeps the bowels moving like clockwork

Not to be confused with margarine replacements that are based on ultra-processed vegetable oils, Nut Butter is made simply from whole nuts that have been blended into a paste.

If anything is added, it’s merely a pinch of sea salt to enhance the flavour or a drizzle of coconut or macadamia oil to facilitate blending.

You find nut butters at markets stalls, health and bulk food stores, online or in the ‘health food’ or ‘peanut butter’ section of the supermarket.

Steer clear of those containing hydrogenated vegetable oil (or canola oil), added sugar or refined salt. 100% nuts is what you’re after.

You can also make you own as discussed here.

Or read the Buttery Blended Nuts (Chapter 9) in Periods, Poo & A Glorious You which offers several incredible nut and seed butter recipes

Now, enough small talk. Here are the take home’s …

Nut Butter – Nutrition

  • It’s rich in protein to fuel growth and repair
  • It offers essential fatty acids for glowing skin and happy hormones
  • It boasts important minerals for healthy metabolism and immune function
  • It contains antioxidants (including vitamin E) which keep you looking and feeling youthful
  • All nuts are loaded with fibre which supports digestive health, detoxification and mental health
  • Blending nuts makes them easier to digest
  • The synergistic combo of B vitamins and minerals such as magnesium and manganese boost energy during the day and calm the body come nighttime. Talk about a diverse range of benefits.

Nut Butter – Enjoyment

  • Pair with fruits such as banana slices, pitted Medjool dates, mixed berries or apple or pear wedges for an indulgent dessert
  • Serve with veggies – add nut butter to a dressing for salads and/or steamed greens (or pumpkin) OR dollop on baked sweet spud or roasted veggies (pumpkin/carrot/beets/cauliflower etc.)
  • Stir through porridge to make soft, creamy grains even creamier
  • Spread on organic wheat-free sourdough (I like oat, barley and rye sourdoughs the best) for obvious reasons (there’s a reason peanut butter sandwiches have never gone out of fashion y’all)
  • If you love chickpeas or lentils with veggies and rice, take them to the next level by dolloping your nut (or seed) butter on top
  • If you eat eggs, a quirky trick that nourished me deeply in year 12 (throwback much?) was hard boiled eggs with nut butter. It’s amazing and full of everything the brain needs to study for long periods

What If I’m not a Nutty Person?

  • If you don’t like nuts you can use seed butters such as Inca Inchi seed butter or tahini (black tahini is my personal fave)
  • Hemp butter (made from hemp seeds, pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, coconut oil and sea salt) is another gem

My Fave Varieties and How To Use Them

Macadamia Butter

The most ‘buttery’ of all the butters, this indulgent paste is amazing on everything but pairs especially well with banana and cinnamon or caramelised roasted sweet potato. It’s also one of the richest sources of heart-loving monounsaturated fats known to humankind.

Cashew Butter

So sweet and almost ‘sticky’ this baby is dreamy stuffed inside Medjool dates or spread on homemade cupcakes instead of icing. The Chocolate Patty Cakes (GF and Vegan) in Periods, Poo & A Glorious You taste uh-maz-ing with fresh cashew butter. Cashews are the richest nut source of iron, which is vital for energy, immunity and metabolic function.

Inca Inchi Seed Butter

Hands down my #1 staple at the time of writing. This is an omega-3 rich nut-free alternative. I love it blended with peanut butter and chia seeds and spread on homemade baked goods such as these muffins.

Tahini

Sesame paste is a beaut source of bone-building calcium. I love tahini in dressings with herbs, spices, garlic, lemon, salt and pepper or drizzled over baked sweet potato with coconut yogurt, berries, pink salt and chilli flakes – sounds odd, tastes fab and looks super-pretty).

Peanut Butter

This classic is bloody nutritious when made with 100% peanuts and nothing else. I love mixing it with coconut oil to make it spreadable and enjoying with sprouted gluten free bread and fresh apple wedges. Such a classic picnic combo. Oh, and if you’re yet to try stuffing celery sticks with fresh peanut butter, give it a whirl. Yet another monounsaturated fatty acid bomb with tonnes of protein and fibre to boot. Peanuts are actually legumes – like chickpeas and black beans. Cheeky little devils.

Almond Butter

Probably the second most popular butter after peanut, almond butter tastes sensational paired with: hard boiled eggs; apple or pear slices; steamed (or roasted) pumpkin or sweet potato cubes. One of the richest sources of protein the the nutty world, almond butter is a total dream for those wanting to satisfy their nutritional needs AND tastebuds in one go.

Walnut Butter

To be truthful, I enjoy eating whole walnuts so much that rarely do they make their way into my buttery creations. That said, walnut butter blended with steamed cauliflower and a pinch of salt is all types of wonderful! Better than mashed potato if you ask me. Walnuts are another rich source of omega-3, so brilliant for brain and skin health.

Hazelnut Butter

I actually prefer hazelnut spread without the chocolate component. Give me some pumpkin or a sweet potato and a jar of freshly made hazelnut butter and I will be yours forever*. This butter is an antioxidant bomb tanks to the vitamin E content. Ageing? What even is that?

*This is not a ‘come hither’ invitation, in case you were wondering.

Pecan Butter

Oh pecan butter my delightful amigo! You are a delight with roasted orange veggies (sweet spud and pumpkin) and absolutely sing when paired with fresh blueberries. Apples and Pears turn into indulgent treats when dipped in your creaminess. Oh, and when married with cashews and coconut oil, you create a new sensation of orgasmic reality. Also a beauty of the monounsaturated fat front. In pecans I trust.