HOMEMADE ALMOND SPREAD

‘Hi my name is Brooke and I have a problem with nut spread’. No joke I can actually polish off a jar of this within 2-3 days, I’m sure I could manage it in just one if my life depended on it.

Yes nut spreads are a great alternative to your convential / commercial peanut butter. They are also very high in energy so it is best not to over indulge in these as the additional calories can then impact your weight loss/maintenance goals. It also becomes expensive if you are buying a couple of jars every week (guilty).

Almond spread.jpg

Natural nut butters/spreads such as almond spread have a far better nutritional profile when compared to your commercial brands. There is no added sugar, salt, sweeteners and they are much higher in vitamin E, zinc and protein. It can be used in place of peanut paste on toast or crackers but is also fantastic as a snack added to veggie sticks, baking, smoothies or even on its own! The health benefits are plentiful, but do be mindful that it’s full of nuts, which provide fat as their main macronutrient when consumed. Fat yields more energy than carbohydrates and protein, so when consumed do so in moderation and one-two tablespoons per day would be the recommended serving size.

Recently I have started making my own nut butter and I can’t believe I didn’t do it sooner! This really is so simple takes just minutes to whip up a fresh batch of homemade almond spread.

 

WHAT YOU NEED:

  • 250g almonds – normal, roasted, or even activated.

  • High speed blender (I use a thermomix)

METHOD:

  • Place almonds into your blender / thermomix

  • Blitz on speed 9 for 40 seconds, scrape down the sides once time is up – then repeat this step

  • Scrape sides of mixing bowl, then blitz on speed 6.5 for 40 seconds – repeat this step twice.

  • By the time you’ve blitzed the nut mix these 4-5 times it should be at a consistency that resembles store bought almond spread. If you like it a little runnier continue blitzing a few more times.

  • Optional to add 1 teaspoon of coconut oil or almond oil to the mix whilst blitzing to reach a smoother consistency.

  • Transfer your nut spread mix into a glass jar and store either in the fridge or room temperature & try to make it last the week!

I personally prefer to use roasted almonds for my nut butter as it adds a great flavour and makes for a creamier consistency. You can either roast yourself in the oven of buy them roasted in a packet. Activating your almonds also gives the added bonus of assisting with the digestion and absorption of nutrients from your nut spread because the process of activation reduces the effects of phytates in nuts.

Once you start making this quick and easy spread you wont purchase the store-bought varieties again! I am now a little bit addicted to whipping this up in my thermomix and trying new varieties – stay tuned for the recipe for my BFN nutella spread, delicious!

Be sure to tag me in your variations @balancefitnessandnutrition #balancefitnessnutrition #striveforbalance 

Brooke x