





Before roasting
After

Nutty about
peanut butter?
Make your own!
Many conventional peanut butters are loaded with refined or powdered sugar, confectioner’s sugar and oil... YECH!
It’s very easy to make your own nut butter, and you can even use seeds so the kids can take it to school. Delish!
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Buy a cup or two of raw, unsalted and un-roasted nuts or seeds: cashew (the closest tasting to peanuts), almonds, even pumpkin or sunflower seeds are great!
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Spread in a pan and bake (or ‘roast’) in the oven for 10-15 minutes until golden
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Cool completely and mix in the food processor until creamy (about 8 minutes). Don’t give up, it will work! Just scrape the sides and keep processing... and do NOT add oil!
Try these varieties:
• Cocoa powder and maple syrup or honey, for a healthy
“chocolate spread” option
• Banana or apple chunks and re-puréed
• Raisins or dried currants
• Vanilla and honey
Kids will love these! And adults too, of course. Have fun and send us your nut butter photos!
Here's how:
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Preheat oven to 350°C
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Spread the cashew nuts (or whichever you choose to make) on a cookie sheet, and place in the oven for about 12 minutes until they turn golden. Best way to check if they're ready is by biting into one and seeing the inside: it should be cream colour, not white (note: seeds like sesame, pumpkin and sunflower will not take as long - about 5 to 7 minutes - do not allow for them to get too brown or they will get bitter!)
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Remove from oven and allow to cool completely. This step is very important! If they're warm when you process them in the food processor they may get bitter
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Once cooled, place in the food processor and process for about 8 minutes, turning off occasionally to scrape off the sides.
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It may take some time for the nuts and seeds to release their natural oils and become creamy, but IT WILL WORK! Don't give up, and DO NOT add any oil or water. The mixture will get warm as it processes, not to worry! This is normal.
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Once the nut butter is creamy, place in a glass container with a tight lid and refrigerate. At this point you may also choose to add other ingredients to make varieties.
Read Kids Naturally article about peanuts:
Are you allergic to peanuts or what's been done to them?
We highly recommend using another nut, like cashew or almond. They are a healthier option!
Cashew butter is the closest tasting to peanuts... you'll love 'em!
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