2 things . . .

1 – Can we just stop for a minute and talk about the fact that it’s June already.

And not just the beginning of June, the middle of June.

Already?!

Ummmm, how?!

Didn’t we just celebrate Christmas last week?

Seriously, 2018 slooooowwwww down!

2 – How is it the middle of June already and I’m only just sharing my first nut butter recipe for the year?!

Who even am I?!

You guys . . . when it comes to sharing new nut butter recipes I’ve been slacking but trust me, this recipe I’m sharing with you today more than makes up for it.

Promise.

Are you ready . . .

Allow me to introduce you to my latest love . . .

Chocolate hazelnut cashew butter.

You guys . . .

This nut butter  . . .

Next level deliciousness!

Not. Even. Kidding!

Decadent, rich, subtly sweet, seriously chocolaty, deliciously creamy, secretly healthy, buttery smooth, chocolate hazelnut-cashew butter . . . 

Honestly, I’m not even sure what more there is to say . . .

Cashews and hazelnuts are oven roasted then blended with a handful of almonds, a splash of vanilla, a sprinkling of cacao, a pinch of salt. So simple but so insanely delicious that it’s kind of ridiculous.

The way the subtle sweetness of hazelnut blends with those buttery cashews and the decadent, intense richness of cacao – swoon!

The neutral flavor profile of our golden little almonds help to cut through the richness of those stronger flavors and the end result is nothing short of perfection!

I love that you can really taste all the different layers of deliciousness in each and every decadent spoonful –  the subtly sweet hazelnuts, the buttery smooth cashews, those gloriously golden almonds, the gentle hum of vanilla, the decadent richness of cacao  . . .

I’m trying to find a way to describe the way it tastes but I’m struggling to find words to do it the justice it deserves. I mean, saying it’s outrageously delicious, even though it really, REALLY, is doesn’t even come close to doing it the justice it deserves.

It kind of reminds me of the delicious, gooey center of those dreamy lindt or ferrero rocher balls . . . but better. Smoother, richer and so much creamier.

This healthy, homemade chocolate hazelnut cashew butter really is edible awesomeness personified and I can not wait for you to taste it for yourself because I know that you, like me, are going to love, love, love it!

As always out healthy, homemade nut butter is made with just a handful of ingredients that I bet you have on hand already and it comes together in a matter of minutes.

No added sugars, no weird fillers or unpronounceable ingredients – just pure goodness baby!

It really is a little jar of heaven right here on earth.

It’s sugar free – dairy free – vegan – keto and paleo friendly but, most importantly it tastes like an absolute dream!

5 ingredients, 10 minutes in the making stop what you’re doing, this needs to happen now!

All natural, quick and easy, decadent, rich, subtly sweet, seriously chocolaty, deliciously creamy, secretly healthy, buttery smooth, chocolate hazelnut-cashew butter . . .

Make it. Eat it. Love, love, love it!

Chocolate Hazelnut Cashew Butter
{Sugar Free – Dairy Free – Gluten Free – Vegan – Keto & Paleo Friendly}
Makes approx 2 cups of all natural, quick and easy, decadent, rich, seriously chocolaty,   deliciously dreamy, secretly healthy, subtly sweet, buttery smooth chocolate hazelnut cashew butter

Ingredients –

1/2 cup of raw skinless hazelnuts

1/2 cup raw cashews

1 cup of raw almonds

1 heaping Tablespoon of cacao

1 Tablespoon of vanilla extract or 10-12 drops of Vanilla Cream Stevia – I use Sweet Leaf Stevia

1/2 teaspoon of salt flakes

1/2 teaspoon of instant espresso – optional but recommended – it helps to enhance the flavor and richness of the cacao

1 scoop of Vital proteins unflavored collagen peptides optional for an extra boost of protein and gut healing goodness

Method –

1 – Preheat your oven to 175’C (350’F)

2 – Line a large baking sheet with baking/parchment paper (or a non stick silpat mat) and pour your almonds and hazelnuts on, making sure they are spread evenly – aka not crowded.

3 – Roast your nuts for 10 minutes, until lightly roasted and slightly golden.

If you are unable to get skinless hazelnuts simply roast them on a separate tray and once they are roasted, place on a clean dry hand towel and fold it in half. Rub it gently between your hands and the skins should come loose. Once the hazelnuts have shed their skins, discard the skins and proceed with the recipe as normal.

4 – Pour your roasted nuts into the bowl of your food processor or blender and process until smooth and creamy (or your desired consistency). Initially they will grind down into a powder, give it a minute or two and the oils will extract and it will become deliciously, thick, rich and creamy. You may need to stop and scrape down the sides of the bowl occasionally.

5 – Once you have blended to your desired consistency, add your cacao, salt, vanilla along with the collagen and espresso, if using, then process until combined.

6 – Taste and adjust seasoning accordingly – add a little extra salt or more vanilla (or stevia)  if you feel the need and if you prefer a thinner consistency feel free to add a drizzle of coconut oil to thin it out.

7 – Store in an airtight container in the fridge. It should keep well for up to 2 weeks – if it lasts that long! (← seriously, good luck with that )

Enjoy xoxo

_________________________________________

Question of the day –

What are some of your favorite holiday treats and eats? Tell me . . . details please

Feel free to share recipes, or links to your fave recipes in the comments below or on the Facebook page and please for the love of all that is good in this world when you do make this creamy, dreamy vanilla hazelnut almond butter (or any of the recipes you find on this blog of mine) go ahead and snap a pic and share it either on the Facebook page, or tag me on twitter or Instagram. Sharing is caring remember.

Do it, do it You know you want to

__________________________________________

The post Healthy, Homemade Chocolate Hazelnut Cashew Butter {Sugar Free – Dairy Free – Gluten Free – Vegan – Keto – Paleo} first appeared on Better with Cake.

Turmeric and Ginger Spiced Almond Butter

Just when I thought my nut butter obsession couldn’t get any bigger this happens . . .

You guys . . .

This right here is like the superhero, golden child of the almond butter world!

Not only is it insanely, and I mean I N S A N E L Y, delicious (think subtly sweet, velvety smooth, deliciously buttery and perfectly spiced with a gentle heart and belly warming hum of cinnamon and ginger) but, it’s also packs a serious and I mean S E R I O U S, nutritional punch thanks to the addition of our tantalizing, super food ingredient, turmeric.

I know, I know what you’re thinking . . . turmeric in almond butter  . . . Em, is that really necessary?!

I say, YES!!!!

Ok maybe it’s not totally necessary but, I guarantee that it is all kinds of delicious, seriously nutritious – one taste and you will be fully on board.

Trust me.

Have I ever steered you wrong?!

I wouldn’t do such a thing. Only the best of the best for my sweet, internet BFF (that’s you )

I honestly believe that this turmeric and ginger spiced, almond butter that we’re making today really is the best of the best.

I hate to toot my own horn but I really think I may have out done myself with this latest nut butter creation . . . it’s definitely next level! An absolute game changer. (toot, toot)

Plus, did you know that turmeric is rich in antioxidants, it’s a natural anti-inflammatory, it’s great for digestion and heart health, will help stabilize blood sugar, lower your risk of diabetes, improve brain function and boost your immunity! 

Just in case you need an excuses to eat more nut butter . . . all in the name of good health, I got you covered

For those of you who are concerned that this super hero, super spread may have a weird/funky, taste I assure you the turmeric goes completely undetected.

Apart from the coloring . . .

I’ll admit, it does have an “interesting” glow about it but, personally I kinda dig the 80’s, retro, neon, golden hue. Don’t you?!

Regardless of how you feel about it’s appearance, one taste and you will be head over heels in love with this all natural, anti-inflammatory, super-charged, super-hero, super-spread I just know it!

The addition of cinnamon and ginger adds a magical touch of perfectly spiced sweetness that marries so beautifully with our buttery almonds. It kinds of tastes like Christmas in a cup which is all kinds of awesome if you ask me.

I don’t know what it is, but there is something incredibly comforting about that combination of spices that warms me to the depths of my soul.

Would you just look at those pretty little flecks of vanilla bean and cinnamon

Ahhhh I just love it so much!!!

Honestly, I don’t know what else to say apart from please, please, puh-lease can you stop what you’re doing and go make it already?!

As always our healthy, homemade almond butter is made with no refined flours or sugars, using just a handful of ingredients that I bet you have on hand already.

No weird additives or unpronounceable ingredients – just almonds, vanilla, a sprinkling of heart warming spices and cheeky pinch of salt is all you need!

And, once you’ve roasted those golden delicious, nutrient rich almonds you’re divine little jar of edible awesomeness comes together in a matter of minutes!

Oh and FYI – this pretty little jar of turmeric and ginger spiced almond butter also happens to be naturally vegan, gluten free, dairy free, sugar free, keto, paleo friendly and 100 % whole30 compliant but, most importantly, it’s seriously delicious and you need it in your life, ASAP!

All natural, thick and creamy, subtly sweet, perfectly spiced, healthy, homemade, gloriously golden, turmeric and ginger spiced almond butter . . .

One taste of this super-charged, super-food, super-spread and life as you know it will be changed forever!

Make it. Eat it. Love, love, love it.

Turmeric and Ginger Spiced Almond Butter
{Vegan, Gluten Free & Paleo Friendly}

Makes approx 1 3/4 cups All natural, quick and easy, creamy, dreamy, velvety smooth, subtly sweet, perfectly spiced, gloriously golden, healthy, homemade, turmeric and ginger spiced almond butter

Ingredients –

2  cup of raw almonds

1 Tablespoon of vanilla extract or 10-12 drops of Vanilla Cream Stevia – I use Sweet Leaf Stevia

1 teaspoon of ground turmeric

1 teaspoon of ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon of ginger

1/2 teaspoon of salt flakes

1/8 teaspoon of ground black pepper – this is important as the chemical compound in the black pepper is what helps and enables the body to absorb all of those incredible nutrients in the turmeric! You can’t taste the pepper, promise.

1 scoop of vital proteins collagen peptides – optional

Method –

1 – Preheat your oven to 175’C (350’F)

2 – Line a large baking sheet with baking/parchment paper (or a non stick silpat mat) then add your almonds making sure they are spread evenly – aka not crowded.

3 – Roast your nuts for 7-10 minutes, until gloriously golden, deliciously fragrant and lightly toasted.

4 – Pour your golden, delicious roasted almonds into the bowl of your food processor or blender, add salt and process until smooth and creamy (or your desired consistency). Initially the almonds would grind down into a powder, give it a minute or two and the oils will extract and it will become deliciously, thick, rich and creamy. You may need to stop and scrape down the sides of the bowl occasionally.

5 – Once you have blended to your desired consistency add the vanilla and remainig spices and process until well combined.

Note – If you prefer a thinner/runnier nut butters feel free to add a drizzle of coconut oil (1 tablespoon at a time) to reach desired consistency.

7 – Store in an airtight container in the fridge. It should keep well for up to 2 weeks – but I highly doubt it will last that long! (← seriously, good luck with that )

Enjoy xoxo

_________________________________________

Question of the day –

Are you a fellow nut butter addict? What’s your fave flavor? Or brand? Or recipe? And your fave way to eat it?! Straight up by the spoonful, with fruit, on toast, on chocolate?! Tell me . . . details please

Feel free to share recipes, or links to your fave recipes in the comments below or on the Facebook page and please for the love of all that is good in this world when you do make your turmeric and ginger spiced almond butter (or any of the recipes you find on this blog of mine) go ahead and snap a pic and share it either on the Facebook page, or tag me on twitter or Instagram. Sharing is caring remember.

Do it, do it You know you want to

__________________________________________

The post Turmeric and Ginger Spiced Almond Butter {Vegan, Gluten Free, Sugar Free & Paleo Friendly} first appeared on Better with Cake.

Well, I’m pretty sure that homemade nut butter is mine.

You guys, I am so sorry for skipping out on you last week! I had my first (and hopefully last) ever real, deal migraine.

The migraine itself lasted a solid 2 days and let me tell you it knocked me off my feet!

And that post migraine hangover . . . that bad boy lingered on for a full week which, as you can imagine, was all kinds of awesome. Said no one, ever!

Ugh – so not cool, not cool at all!

You know what is all kinds of awesome and seriously cool?!

Apart from you, of course

Homemade nut butter!!!

And that’s exactly what we are going to make today.

Except we’re not just making any ol’ nut butter , no siree’ – not for my super awesome, crazy cool sweet invisible internet BFF’s  . . . you only get the best of the best!

And that’s exactly what we have here . . .

The best of the best for the best of the best.

Now, allow me to introduce you to my latest obsession . . .

Healthy, homemade roasted pistachio almond butter!!!!

Golden delicious, nutrient rich almonds and some pretty little pistachios are oven roasted and blended with a generous pinch of salt to bring you a creamy, dreamy. deliciously buttery, lightly salted nut butter that is so insanely delicious that life as you know it will be changed forever!

Ladies and gentlemen I am here to tell you that there is a brand new, seriously awesome, incredibly cool nut butter on the block and it’s about to rock your world!!!

3 ingredients, 10 minutes in the making and you guys . . . I can’t even!

I mean, roasted almonds on their own = awesome

Pretty little pistachios  (seriously how cute are they with their vibrant, green and purple exterior?!) = also, all kinds of awesome

So when those two, tasty little, worlds collide what you get is absolute, edible, awesomeness personified.

Ahhh you guys, I am so beyond excited about this delicious new collaboration. One taste and I know you are going to just love, love, love it as much as I do!

It’s thick and creamy, deliciously buttery, perfectly salted and simply divine!

What’s not to love?!

Would you just look at it?!

As always our healthy, homemade almond butter is made with no refined flours or sugars, using just a handful of real food ingredients that I bet you have on hand already.

No weird additives or unpronounceable ingredients – just almonds, pistachios, a cheeky pinch of salt and a whole lotta love is all you need!

And, once you’ve roasted those golden delicious, nutrient rich almonds and pretty little pistachios you’re divine little jar of edible awesomeness comes together in a matter of minutes!

So much to love I tell you, and love it you will!

Oh and FYI – this pretty little jar of salted, roasted pistachio almond butter also happens to be naturally vegan, gluten free, dairy free, paleo friendly and whole30 compliant but, most importantly, it’s seriously delicious and you need it in your life like, yesterday!

All natural, thick and creamy, deliciously dreamy, lightly salted, healthy, homemade, roasted pistachio almond butter . . .

Seriously, stop what you’re doing – this needs to happen NOW!

Make it. Eat it. Love, love, love it.

Roasted Pistachio Almond Butter
{Vegan, Gluten Free & Paleo Friendly}

Makes approx 2 1/2 cups All natural, quick and easy, creamy, dreamy, velvety smooth, lightly salted, healthy, homemade, roasted pistachio almond butter

Ingredients –

2  cup of raw almonds

1  cup of pistachios, shelled

1/2 (heaping) teaspoon of salt flakes

Method –

1 – Preheat your oven to 175’C (350’F)

2 – Line a large baking sheet with baking/parchment paper (or a non stick silpat mat) then add your almonds and pistachios, making sure they are spread evenly – aka not crowded.

3 – Roast your nuts for 7-10 minutes, until gloriously golden, deliciously fragrant and lightly toasted.

4 – Pour your golden, delicious roasted nuts into the bowl of your food processor or blender, add salt and process until smooth and creamy (or your desired consistency). Initially the almonds would grind down into a powder, give it a minute or two and the oils will extract and it will become deliciously, thick, rich and creamy. You may need to stop and scrape down the sides of the bowl occasionally.

5 – Once you have blended to your desired consistency have a cheeky taste test (or two) and adjust seasoning as needed.

Note – If you prefer a thinner consistency feel free to add a drizzle of coconut oil to thin it out.

7 – Store in an airtight container in the fridge. It should keep well for up to 2 weeks – but I highly doubt it will last that long! (← seriously, good luck with that )

Enjoy xoxo

_________________________________________

Question of the day –

Are you a fellow nut butter addict? What’s your fave flavor? Or brand? Or recipe? And your fave way to eat it?! Straight up by the spoonful, with fruit, on toast, on chocolate?! Tell me . . . details please

Feel free to share recipes, or links to your fave recipes in the comments below or on the Facebook page and please for the love of all that is good in this world when you do make your roasted pistachio almond butter (or any of the recipes you find on this blog of mine) go ahead and snap a pic and share it either on the Facebook page, or tag me on twitter or Instagram. Sharing is caring remember.

Do it, do it You know you want to

__________________________________________

The post Healthy, Homemade Salted Roasted Pistachio Almond Butter first appeared on Better with Cake.

Say hello to my latest love – Cashew Butter.

Well, salted vanilla cashew butter to be exact.

You guys, did you know about this?

Has cashew butter been a “thing” this whole time and I’v been so busy with my head stuck in a jar of almond or hazelnut butter that I didn’t notice?

Say it isn’t so?!

Not to worry, I’m here now and fully on board.

For those of you who, like me, are new to the wonder that is cashew butter let me get you all caught up . . .

It’s decadent and rich, thick and creamy, subtly sweet and simply divine.

I don’t know what it is exactly but, there is something about those little gems of golden goodness that seem to make this one of the thickest and creamiest of nut butters I have made . . . and I have made a looooooooooot of nut butter in my time!

And then there’s the taste;

The natural sweetness of those deliciously buttery cashews combined with a pinch of salt and a splash of vanilla makes this creamy, dreamy, humble looking nut butter an absolute taste sensation.

It kind of tastes like cookie dough!!!

Honestly, I don’t know why it hadn’t occurred to me to make cashew butter before.

I love, love, love cashews (who doesn’t?!) they are a  super handy, seriously delicious and so versatile. They can be used in both sweet or savoury dishes I mean, you can’t really go wrong with a good ol’ cashew!

And just in case you need a little more convincing to come join me on my little cashew butter making adventure,  there’s also the fact that cashews are loaded with nutritional value.

Did you know that cashews rich in good quality, heart healthy fats – I’m talking the kind that helps to lower the “bad” LDL-cholesterol while increasing “good” HDL cholesterol in the blood?!

Cashews also happen to be high in dietary fiber and essential vitamins, minerals and numerous other health-promoting phyto-chemicals that research shows helps to protect against numerous forms of disease such as heart disease, stroke, and even cancer?!

Well you do now  

So, what do you say we go ahead and make ourselves some cashew butter?

I’m so excited, you guys are going to love this!

Just like all the great loves nut butters that have come before it, our creamy, dreamy vanilla cashew butter is all natural, made with no refined flours or sugars and is vegan, gluten free, refined sugar free and paleo friendly!

It also happens to be super quick and easy to prepare, coming together in a matter of minutes and, it’s made with just 3 simple ingredients that I bet you have on hand already.

All you need to get this in on this decadent and rich, creamy, dreamy, healthy, homemade deliciously indulgent, vanilla spiked cashew butter is simply – cashews, a pinch of salt and a splash of vanilla – that’s it!

No hidden sugars or unpronounceable additives, just good stuff.

So much to love I tell you, here’s how we make it . . .

We start off by giving our golden, delicious, nutrient rich cashews a quick little toastin’ in the oven – toasting your cashews before blending helps to give your nut butter and incredible rich and totally decadent depth of flavour so although I say it’s totally optional I beg you, please don’t skip this step people, 5-10 minutes will make the world of difference to the flavour of your cashew butter, trust me – it’s absolutely, 100% worth the few extra minutes.

Now, once our cashews are nicely toasted, and your house smells like heaven, all you have to do it pop them into your food processor or blender, add a cheeky pinch of salt and a splash of vanilla then blendy, mcblend,  boomshakalocka – done.

Initially your cashews will get all chunky, then after a minute or two they will break down into a fine looking flour, then the real magic happens, the heat and friction from all that blending will extract the natural oils from our beloved cashews and in mere minutes, you will witness one of the most beautiful transformations of all time as your golden, delicious cashews are whipped into a smooth and creamy, deliciously dreamy nut butter right before your pretty little eyes . . .

Now, depending on the kind of blender or food processor you have (and how smooth you like you nut butter to be) this can take anywhere between 5-15 mins.

For me and my magnificent magimix it took about 10 mins and that included stopping to snap a few pics along the way. Keep in mind I like my nut butter to be super smooth and extra creamy. No chunks for this gal but, that’s the beautiful thing about making your own nut butter, it’s totally customisable so do what you feel.

So if you, like me, want super smooth, extra creamy cashew butter – just blendy mcblend for a few extra minutes and you have yourself some all natural, extra creamy, velvety smooth vanilla spiked cashew butter, just the way you like it!

But, if you want a more chunky cashew butter just pulse your cashews for a second or two, then take out a couple of Tablespoons of those extra chunky. crispy, crunchy, slightly chunky cashew pieces and set them aside while you blend, blend, blend the rest of those babies.

Then, once you have reached your desired consistency, stir through those chunky monkeys that you set aside earlier and there you have it – healthy, homemade, extra chunky cashew butter for the win!

Once your nut butter is ready it will be a little warm and a slightly runny from all the blending but once it cools, those natural oils will start to solidify and it will firm up into that thick and creamy consistency we all know and love.

And let me tell you, this cashew butter gets super thick . . . I’m talking seriously thick . . .

Thicker than any almond, peanut or hazelnut butter I have known . . .

And when I say seriously thick I mean it,

I’m talking stick to the roof of your mouth thick, which is awesome because it really helps you savour each and every subtly sweet, deliciously buttery, vanilla spiked spoonful.

And trust me when I say, this is something you are going to want to savour –

Decadent and rich, seriously creamy, deliciously dreamy, lightly toasted, buttery cashews that have been blended with a pinch of salt and infused with a subtly sweet hum of vanilla . . .

Would you just look at those delicious little flecks of vanilla!

One taste and you’ll agree that this salted vanilla cashew butter is just so divine you will never want it to end.

Now, once your cashew butter is ready – feel free to go ahead and use it as you would, business as usual – dive head first into the jar and eat your way out . . . or you be a little more refined and get yourself a spoon, do what you feel

And, I’m not saying that you have to, ( ← but I strongly suggest that you do) . . . grab yourself a piece of your favourite, good quality dark chocolate then add a generous spoonful of your freshly made, creamy, dreamy, velvety smooth, vanilla spiked cashew butter and lose yourself in the deliciousness that you just created.

You can thank me later

All natural, quick and easy, deliciously indulgent, thick and creamy, subtly sweet, lightly salted, vanilla spiked, healthy, homemade cashew butter . . .

Make it. Eat it, Love, love, love it.

Salted Vanilla Cashew Butter {Vegan, Gluten free & Paleo Friendly}
Makes approx 1 1/2 heaping cups of all natural, creamy, dreamy, vanilla spiked, healthy homemade cashew butter

Ingredients –

2 cups of raw cashews

1 Tablespoon of vanilla bean extract

1/2 teaspoon of salt flakes

Method –

1 – Preheat your oven to 175’C (350’F)

2 – Line a large baking sheet with baking/parchment paper (or a non stick silpat mat) and pour on your cashews, take care not to over crowd them.

3 – Roast your cashews for approx 10 mins, until slightly golden and lightly toasted. Watch them as they can catch and burn quickly – do not get distracted!

4 – Pour your toasted cashews into the bowl of your food processor or blender, add salt and process until smooth and creamy (or your desired consistency). Initially the cashews would grind down into a fine looking flour, give it a minute or two and the oils will extract and it will become deliciously, thick, rich and creamy. You may need to stop and scrape down the sides of the bowl occasionally.

5 – Once you have blended to your desired consistency, add your vanilla then process again just to combine.

6 – Taste and adjust seasoning accordingly – add a little extra salt or more vanilla if you feel the need and if you prefer a thinner consistency feel free to add a drizzle of coconut oil to thin it out.

7 – Store in an airtight container in the fridge. It should keep well for up to 2 weeks – if it lasts that long! (← seriously, good luck with that )

Enjoy xoxo

_________________________________________

Question of the day –

Are you a fellow nut butter addict? What’s your fave flavour? Or brand? Or recipe? And your fave way to eat it?! Straight up by the spoonful, with fruit, on chocolate?! Tell me, tell me . . . details please

Feel free to share recipes or leave links to recipes in the comments belowand please for the love of all that is good in this world when you do make your salted vanilla cashew butter (or any of the recipes you find on this blog of mine) go ahead and snap a pic and share it either on the Facebook page, or tag me on twitter or Instagram. Sharing is caring remember.

Do it, do it You know you want to

__________________________________________

The post Salted Vanilla Cashew Butter {Vegan, Gluten free & Paleo Friendly} first appeared on Better with Cake.

Chocolate Espresso Hazelnut Almond butter

Decadent, rich, subtly sweet, intensely chocolaty, seriously creamy, deliciously dreamy, hazelnut-almond butter that has a divine little hint of espresso.

Oh

My

Nut butter

You guys, I am so very much in love with this recipe that I don’t even know where to begin!

Like really, I’m lost for words  . . .

So, I’m thinking I shouldn’t even bother trying to make small talk, let’s just make the nut butter already!

As always our homemade nut butter is super quick and easy to prepare made with just a handful of ingredients that I bet you have on hand already.

It s all natural made with no refined flours or sugars – sweetened simply with a splash of vanilla and a touch of cacao, so it’s naturally vegan, dairy free, gluten free and Paleo friendly

It’s thick and creamy, decadent, rich, subtly sweet, seriously chocolaty and oh so easy to make.

Here’s how we do it –

Start off by giving our golden, delicious almonds and hazelnuts a quick roast in the oven – toasting our nuts before we blend our butter helps to give it a more decadent and rich depth of flavor – please don’t skip this step. Yes it’s an extra 5-10 minutes but, trust me – it’s absolutely, 100% worth it!

Now, once our nuts are toasted, and your house smells like heaven, all you have to do is toss them into your food processor or blender and you’re pretty much done!

Initially your nuts will get all chunky, then after a minute or two they will break down into a fine looking flour, then the real magic happens, the heat and friction from all that blending will extract the natural oils from our almonds and hazelnuts and in a matter of minutes,

you will witness one of the most beautiful transformations of all time as your almonds and hazelnuts are whipped into a creamy, dreamy golden, delicious nut butter right before your pretty little eyes . . .

Once that’s done we simply add a splash of vanilla, a dash of cacao, sprinkling of espresso a  and a cheeky pinch of salt – give it one final blendy mcblend and boomshaklocka – done!

Decadent, rich, delicious creamy, seriously chocolaty, espresso infused and simply divine!!

I love that you can really taste all the different layers of deliciousness in each and every decadent spoonful –  the subtly sweet hazelnuts, the buttery roasted almonds, the sweet hum of vanilla, the decadent richness of cacao and that gentle yet angelic hum of espresso.

It’s heaven in a jar I tell you

I feel like I should warn you though, with no added sugars our healthy, homemade espresso infused chocolate hazelnut almond butter is nowhere near as sweet as your store bought chocolate hazelnut spreads.

Give it a taste and if you want to sweeten things up a little add some stevia or maple syrup to taste but, I personally prefer the more subtle sweetness of our homemade version.

Do what you feel though, make it your own.

Once you have your little pot of deliciousness go ahead and use it as you would, business as usual – dive head first into the jar and eat your way out . . . or you be a little more refined and get yourself a spoon . . .

Do what you feel, no judgement here just do yourself a favor and make it, asap!

All natural, quick and easy, decadent, rich, subtly sweet, intensely chocolaty, seriously creamy, deliciously dreamy, hazelnut-almond butter that has a divine little hint of espresso..

I can’t even deal, just do it already!

Make it. Eat it. Love, love, love it.

Chocolate-Espresso Hazelnut Almond Butter {Vegan, Gluten free & Paleo Friendly}
Makes approx 1 1/2 heaping cups of all natural, creamy, dreamy, subtly sweet, seriously chocolaty, espresso infused,  healthy homemade hazelnut-almond butter

Ingredients –

1 cup of raw almonds

1 cup of raw skinless hazelnuts*

1 Tablespoon of cacao

1 Tablespoon of vanilla bean extract

1 teaspoon of instant espresso granules

1/2 teaspoon of salt flakes

Method –

1 – Preheat your oven to 175’C (350’F)

2 – Line a large baking sheet with baking/parchment paper (or a non stick silpat mat) and pour your almonds and hazelnuts on, making sure they are spread evenly – aka not crowded.

3 – Roast your nuts for 10 mins, until lightly roasted and slightly golden.

*If you are unable to get skinless hazelnuts simply roast them on a separate tray and once they are roasted, place on a clean dry hand towel and fold it in half. Rub it gently between your hands and the skins should come loose. Once the hazelnuts have shed their skins, discard the skins and proceed with the recipe as normal.

4 – Pour your roasted almonds and hazelnuts into the bowl of your food processor or blender and process until smooth and creamy (or your desired consistency). Initially the almonds would grind down into a powder, give it a minute or two and the oils will extract and it will become deliciously, thick, rich and creamy. You may need to stop and scrape down the sides of the bowl occasionally.

5 – Once you have blended to your desired consistency, add your salt, cacao, espresso and vanilla then process until combined.

6 – Taste and adjust seasoning accordingly – add a little extra salt or more vanilla/cacao or even a touch of stevia or some maple syrup if you feel the need and if you prefer a thinner consistency feel free to add a drizzle of coconut oil to thin it out.

7 – Store in an airtight container in the fridge. It should keep well for up to 2 weeks – if it lasts that long! (← seriously, good luck with that )

Enjoy xoxo

_________________________________________

Question of the day –

Are you a fellow nut butter addict? What’s your fave flavor? Or brand? Or recipe? And your fave way to eat it?! Straight up by the spoonful, with fruit, on toast, on chocolate?! Tell me . . . details please

Feel free to share recipes, or links to your fave recipes in the comments below or on the Facebook page and please for the love of all that is good in this world when you do make these chocolate espresso hazelnut-almond butter (or any of the recipes you find on this blog of mine) go ahead and snap a pic and share it either on the Facebook page, or tag me on twitter or Instagram. Sharing is caring remember.

Do it, do it You know you want to

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The post Chocolate Espresso Hazelnut-Almond Butter {Vegan, Gluten Free, Paleo Friendly} first appeared on Better with Cake.

And the nut butter obsession continues . . .

Remember last week I was telling you how all I wanted to do was sit and eat all of the nut butters in all of the land?

I really wasn’t kidding.

Recently someone asked me what my favorite flavor of almond butter was . . .

Tough question . . .

Seriously . . .

For me it’s a tie between vanilla and maple . . .

But, it’s a tough call!

I mean, how does one make such a decision?!

It’s like asking a parent if they have a favorite child!

Ok, well, maybe not exactly like that but . . . pretty close

I guess it really just depends on the day, what mood I’m in and what I have within arms reach available at the time . . . sooooo many variables to take into account, but seriously, it’s a tough, tough call!

And then I thought, well, why should I have to decide?!

Why not merge my 2 great loves into one big ol’ batch of creamy, dreamy deliciousness?!

Genius right?! Why did I not think of this before?

Quick and easy, creamy, dreamy, maple-vanilla almond butter for the win!

And oh my deliciousness, you guys, talk about a winner!

Seriously though, I can’t stop, or should I say, won’t stop dipping my spoon into that big ol’ jar of deliciousness.

And you know what? I’m so not sorry about it.

Not even one little bit!

Do you guys know how good almonds are for you?

Those golden little gems are packed with nutrients. Not only are they high in protein and heart healthy fats  but they are also rich in magnesium, potassium and vitamin E.

All good things, right?

And because we are leaving the skins on our almonds that delicious little jar of healthy, homemade maple-vanilla almond butter also happens to be high in fiber.

So, not only does this maple-vanilla almond butter taste all kinds of delicious but, it’s also got some nutritional benefits to it too.

Ahh so much to love

One taste of this maple-vanilla almond butter and you will be as I love with it as I am.

Just you wait –

Delicious, nutritious almonds are oven roasted and combined with a splash of vanilla and a drizzle of maple syrup then blended into a creamy, dreamy, subtly sweet, velvety smooth oblivion.

The subtle sweetness of the maple syrup and vanilla combined with those deliciously golden, lightly toasted almonds and that cheeky little pinch of salt is absolute perfection!

It’s got that seriously satiating, salty-sweet thang going on and I just know you are going to love, love, love it!

This maple-vanilla almond butter is the stuff dreams are made of! Well my dreams anyway.

Not only is our creamy, dreamy maple-vanilla almond butter insanely, and I mean I-N-S-A-N-E-L-Y, delicious but, it also happens to be all natural made with just 4 ingredients that I bet you have on hand already – Almonds, vanilla, maple syrup and a cheeky little pinch of salt. That’s it!

No hidden nasties in this jar of deliciousness, just pure goodness baby.

It also happens to be super quick and easy to prepare coming together in a matter of minutes. I had my nut butter ready to devour in well under 20 mins, and that includes stopping to take progress pics along the way!

And then there’s taste . . . seriously you guys this maple-vanilla almond butter is so ridiculously delicious that I can not even find the words (or take good enough pictures) to do it the justice it deserves.

Seriously life-changing!

It’s deliciously creamy and seriously dreamy with a subtly sweet hum of maple-vanilla decadence that is nothing short of divine!

It also happens to be naturally, vegan, dairy free, gluten free, grain free and paleo friendly

So here’s what we’re going to do –

Start off by giving our nutrient rich, golden, delicious almonds a quick little roast in the oven – this is totally optional but,  toasting our almonds before we blend helps to give our nut butter an incredibly rich and totally decadent depth of flavor so although I say it’s optional, please don’t skip this step. Yes it’s an extra 5-10 minutes but, trust me – it’s absolutely, 100% worth it!

Now, once our almonds are nicely toasted, and your house smells like heaven, all you have to do it toss them into your food processor or blender, add that cheeky pinch of salt and blendy, mcblend – you’re pretty much done!

Initially your almonds will get all chunky, then after a minute or two they will break down into a fine looking flour, then the real magic happens, the heat and friction from all that blending will extract the natural oils from our almonds and in mere minutes, you will witness one of the most beautiful transformations of all time as your golden, delicious roasted almonds are whipped into a creamy, dreamy golden, delicious, nutrient rich almond butter right before your pretty little eyes . . .

Next up we add in our splash of vanilla and a drizzle of maple syrup, give it one final little whizz-a-roo and boomshaklocka – done!

So easy right?!

You know what else I love about making your own nut butter?!

It’s totally customizable.

So if you, like me, prefer your nut butter super smooth and extra creamy – just blend for a few extra minutes and you will have yourself some extra creamy, seriously dreamy, velvety smooth almond butter, just the way you like it!

Or, if you prefer to have yourself some extra chunky almond butter, no problem. Simply pulse your almonds for a second or two, then take out a couple of Tablespoons of those extra chunky. crispy, crunchy oven roasted almond pieces and set them aside while you blend, blend, blend the rest of those babies. Then, once you have reached your desired consistency, stir through those chunky monkeys and there you have it! Extra chunky almond butter for the win!

Once your almond butter is ready it will be slightly warm and a little runny from all that blending, you will be tempted to grab a straw and drink up that golden deliciousness, you’re only human after all.

Try to refrain from drinking the entire batch in just one sitting because once it cools, the natural oils will start to solidify and your healthy, home-made, personalized almond butter will firm up and set into that thick and creamy, seriously dreamy, stick to the roof of your mouth, consistency that we all know and love.

Thick, rich, creamy, dreamy, golden, delicious and simply divine!!

Feel free to go ahead and use it as you would, business as usual – dive head first into the jar and eat your way out . . . or you be a little more refined and get yourself a spoon, do what you feel, no judgement here

And I’m not saying that you have to but, I strongly suggest that you do . . . grab yourself a big ol’ block chunk of your fave dark chocolate, add a generous dollop of your freshly made, creamy, dreamy, golden, delicious, maple-vanilla almond butter . . .

and maybe drizzle over an extra cheeky, teeny, tiny little bit more vanilla and lose yourself in the deliciousness that you just created.

Yep, not sorry, not even a little bit

All natural, quick and easy, creamy, dreamy, golden, delicious healthy, homemade maple-vanilla almond butter . . .

Make it. Eat it. Love, love, love it

Healthy, Homemade Maple-Vanilla Almond Butter {Vegan, Dairy free & Paleo Friendly}
Makes approx 1 1/2 heaping cups of all natural, creamy, dreamy, maple-icious, vanilla infused, healthy homemade almond butter

Ingredients –

2 cups of raw almonds

1 Tablespoon of vanilla bean extract

1 Tablespoon of Maple Syrup

1/2 teaspoon of salt flakes

Method –

1 – Preheat your oven to 175’C (350’F)

2 – Line a large baking sheet with baking/parchment paper (or a non stick silpat mat) and pour your almonds on, making sure they are spread evenly – aka not crowded.

3 – Roast your almonds for 10 mins, until lightly roasted and slightly golden.

4 – Pour your roasted almonds into the bowl of your food processor or blender, add salt and process until smooth and creamy (or your desired consistency). Initially the almonds would grind down into a powder, give it a minute or two and the oils will extract and it will become deliciously, thick, rich and creamy. You may need to stop and scrap down the sides of the bowl occasionally.

5 – Once you have blended to your desired consistency, add your vanilla and maple syrup and process again just to combine.

6 – Taste and adjust seasoning accordingly – add a little extra salt or more vanilla if you feel the need and if you prefer a thinner consistency feel free to add a drizzle of coconut oil to thin it out.

7 – Store in an airtight container in the fridge. It should keep well for up to 2 weeks – if it lasts that long! (← seriously, good luck with that )

Enjoy xoxo

_________________________________________

Question of the day –

Are you a fellow nut butter addict? What’s your fave flavour? Or brand? Or recipe? And your fave way to eat it?! Straight up by the spoonful, with fruit, on toast, on chocolate?! Tell me . . . details please

Feel free to share recipes or leave links to recipes in the comments below and if you make this recipe make sure you snap a pic and share it either on the Facebook page or tag me on Instagram or twitter – sharing is caring people

_________________________________________

The post Healthy, Homemade Maple-Vanilla Almond Butter {Vegan, Dairy free & Paleo Friendly} first appeared on Better with Cake.

Oh you guys I am soooooo excited to share this recipe with you today!

Although, in the interest of full disclosure, this recipe was created out of pure self indulgence.

You see, lately it seems all I want to do is –

1 – Eat obscene amounts of nut butter. Not one specific type of nut butter either, I’ll take whatever I can get my hands on. Good ol’ fashioned peanut butter, creamy, dreamy,  almond butter, plain, flavored, store-bought, homemade. You name it, I’ll take it, it’s all good. And –

2 – Play with my spiralizer. I can not get enough. It just never gets old.

Ever.

Clearly I am very easily entertained but, talk about making food fun!

A quick little side note – if you don’t have a spiralizer never fear, you can still make these super awesome, crazy cool, insanely delicious veggie wraps. You could simply grate your veggies on a good ol’ fashion box grater or, you could use your trusty ol’ veggie peeler to create yourself some long and luscious veggie ribbons

Either way you guys are going to want to get in on this!

Not only do these lettuce wraps pack a serious flavor punch but, they also happen to be all natural, made with just a handful of real food ingredients that I bet you have on hand already and they come together in a matter of minutes, no cooking required!

They also happen to be naturally dairy free, gluten free, vegan and depending on what kind of nut butter you use they could also be paleo friendly so everybody wins!

And oh.

My.

deliciousness.

You guys!!!

This spicy peanut dressing is seriously to die for, and it is so simple to make!

A couple of tablespoons of peanut butter (nut butter of choice) a splash of tamari to bring out those Asian flavors, a drizzle of maple syrup for some subtle sweetness, a clove of garlic because garlic is always a good idea,

a squeeze of lime for a little zesty freshness then just before serving throw in some red chilli and boomshakalock – done!

Minimum effort with maximum flavor is what I’m all about baby!

And this peanut dressing (or sauce?!) delivers an absolute flavor bomb!

Punchy, Asian inspired, peanut butter flavors with a hint of sweetness and a cheeky kick of heat!

Don’t you just wanna dive head first into this little bowl of awesome-sauce and eat your way out?!

As much as you want to try to restrain yourself because trust me, the end result is worth waiting for and you are sooooo close to serving up.

All that’s left to do it coat your veggies in that awesome dressing, pile it onto your cool crisp lettuce leaves, sprinkle over some fresh coriander, a little extra chilli if you’re feeling feisty, which clearly I am, throw on some buttery cashews for a little extra crunch and you are ready to rock and roll.

And eat of course

You may be wondering – “Em, why bother making this into lettuce wraps?”

And to that I say, good question sweet invisible internet friend of mine. Let me explain . . .

Initially I made this recipe minus the lettuce wraps but, I wasn’t entirely happy with it. Something was missing, I felt like it needed a little extra freshness.

Enter the lettuce leaf.

The cool, crisp, freshness that the lettuce leaves bring to the dish is just so perfect. They really help to balance out the punchy flavors of our incredible dressing as well as being a nice way to cool off following that cheeky kick of heat.

And this way you don’t have to bother getting out any extra cutlery, which at the end of the day means less washing up. You’re welcome

Plus sometimes it’s just fun to get in there and get your hands dirty.

Just make sure you save a little of that dressing to drizzle over at the end, not only does it look all kinds of pretty but it’s also happens to make it all kinds of delicious.

Trust me. Would I steer you wrong?!

And you know you want in on this ↑

All natural, quick and easy, light, fresh, crisp, crunchy, sweet and  spicy, healthy, homemade nutty, rainbow lettuce wraps

So much deliciousness I can hardly stand it!

Make them. Eat them. Love, love, love them.

Raw Rainbow Spicy Peanut Lettuce Wraps
Makes 1-2 serves of all natural, light, fresh, crispy, crunchy, spicy, sweet, seriously nutty, rainbow lettuce wraps

Ingredients –

For the salad –

1 large zucchini, spiralized – if you don’t have a spiralizer you can just use a vegetable peeler to slice/peel your zucchini into ribbons, just make sure you stop once you reach the seeds.

1 large carrot, spiralized – if you don’t have a spiralizer you can just use a vegetable peeler to slice/peel your carrot into ribbons.

1/2 cup purple cabbage, finely sliced

1 small red chilli, finely sliced

For the dressing –

2 Tablespoons of Peanut butter (or nut butter of choice)

1 teaspoon of tamari (could sub coconut aminos or soy sauce if you prefer)

1 teaspoon of maple syrup

1 clove of garlic, minced

A squeeze of lime juice (approx 1/2 tsp)

Salt and pepper to taste

For Serving –

2-4 Baby cos or butter lettuce

1 Tablespoon of raw cashews, roughly chopped

1 Tablespoon of coriander, roughly chopped

Extra chilli if you’re feeling feisty

Method –

1 – Place your salad ingredients into a large bowl and set aside.

2 – In a small bowl or jug, place dressing ingredients and stir to combine. Taste and adjust seasonings accordingly.

3 – Pour 3/4 of your dressing over your salad mix and stir to combine. The sauce is very thick and I found the best way to ensure every strand of that salad gets coated in that glorious nutty dressing was to get in there and use my hands. Was it messy, yep but sooooo worth it!

4 – To serve, place a heaping spoonful of your salad mix into your prepared lettuce leaves, top with chopped cashews, coriander, extra chilli (if using) and finish with a drizzle of the left over dressing.

Enjoy xo

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Question of the day –

Tell me, are you a fellow nut butter addict lover?!  What’s your favorite way to eat it?

Feel free to share recipes, or links to recipes in the comments below or on the Facebook page and please for the love of all that is good in this world when you do make this pudding (or any of the recipes you find on this blog of mine) go ahead and snap a pic and share it either on the Facebook page, or tag me on twitter or Instagram. Sharing is caring remember.

Do it, do it You know you want to

__________________________________________

The post Raw Rainbow Spicy Peanut Lettuce Wraps first appeared on Better with Cake.

Holiday treat number four . . .

Are you ready for this?

I know I sure am!

You guys, I am so excited to share today’s recipe with you . . . Like so ridiculously excited it’s not even funny.

Why am I so excited about today’s recipe?!

It could be because holiday treat number 4 includes an ingredient that I hold dear to my heart . . .

Peanut butter baby!

Holiday treat number 4, you got it – peanut butter cups.

Usually I make my Reese’s copycat Peanut Butter Cup recipe but, this year I wanted to mix things up a little . . .

This year, sweet invisible internet friend of mine, we are making not just any ol’ peanut butter cups . . . this year we are making ourselves some all natural, secretly healthy, maple-vanilla dark chocolate peanut butter cups!

Ane I don’t mind saying that these babies are nothing short of divine!

Words can not express how in love I am with these, tasty little dark chocolate, maple-vanilla infused, peanut butter stuffed bites of deliciousness.

So quick and easy to prepare but boy are they special!

Reese’s who?!

Seriously!

Would you just look at that smooth and creamy, dreamy peanut butter studded with delicious little flecks of vanilla 

Want. Need. Must have!!!!!!

Not only do our maple vanilla peanut butter cups taste way better than those good ol’ Reese’s (sorry but it’s true) they also happen to be way better for you.

Not that anyone would ever know – I won’t tell if you won’t

Our maple-vanilla {dark chocolate} peanut butter cups are all natural made with no refined flours or sugars, just 4 simple, real food ingredients!

They are sweetened naturally with just a splash of vanilla and a drizzle of that divine, liquid gold – maple syrup.

These maple-vanilla peanut butter cups aren’t as sweet as their traditional cousins, they are subtly sweet with a hint of vanilla which allows the peanut butter to take centre stage. As well it should #peanutbutterforlife 

Our subtly sweet, maple-vanilla infused peanut butter mixture is stuffed into a dark and delicious (antioxidant rich) dark chocolate shell . . .

You guys . . .

I can’t even . . .

When you bite into these dark and delicious, dreamy little peanut butter cups you get a crisp, cool crack of decadent, rich dark chocolate followed by a light and creamy, seriously smooth, subtly sweet, maple-vanilla infused peanut butter explosion!

Mind-blowingly delicious!

If you are not a fan of peanut butter we can no longer be friends, kidding . . . kinda  you could use your fave nut butter – paleo friends these would be all kinds of awesome with almond butter #justsayin – doooooo it!

These babies have been tried and tested . . .

seriously savoured . . .

and given the little lady’s stamp of approval . . .

All natural, secretly healthy, 4 ingredient dark and delicious, maple-vanilla infused, dark chocolate, peanut butter stuffed bites of deliciousness.

You need these in your life, like yesterday!

Merry Christmas indeed

Make them. Eat them. Love, love, love them.

Maple Vanilla {Dark Chocolate} Peanut Butter Cups
Makes approx 16, dark and delicious, creamy, dreamy, maple, vanilla infused peanut butter cups

Ingredients –

1/2 cup of dark chocolate chips

1/4 cup of peanut butter (Paleo friends can sub almond butter or nut butter of choice – 4 Tbsp of PB2 mixed with just enough water to make a thick PB consistency will also work )

1 teaspoon of maple syrup

1 teaspoon of vanilla extract

A pinch of salt

Method –

1 – Melt chocolate using your preferred method (I like to do mine on a plate over a pot of gently simmering water)

2 – Use a small teaspoon to drizzle some melted chocolate into a chocolate mould (or can use mini paper or silicone cupcake/muffin cases if you prefer) and spread to coat evenly.

3 – Place in the freezer for 5 mins to set

While your chocolate is setting –

4 – In a small bowl combine peanut butter, vanilla, maple syrup and salt then stir until well combined.

5 – Once your chocolate cups are set, remove from the fridge/freezer then spoon a little of your creamy, dreamy, maple, vanilla peanut butter filling into your little chocolate cup. Use the back of your spoon to smooth and evenly spread your dreamy peanut butter filling into your chocolate cup.

6 – Spoon over a little more melted chocolate and gently spread to ensure all of the creamy dreamy filling is covered then pop those bad boys back in the freezer for 5 mins to set.

7 – Store in the fridge in an airtight container (if they even get that far?!) or in the freezer for up to 3 months (←yeah good luck with that ;))

Enjoy xoxo
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The post Maple-Vanilla {Dark Chocolate} Peanut Butter Cups first appeared on Better with Cake.