Loudermilk - Nut butters: 30 nut butter recipes and creative ways to use them

nut butters 30 NUT BUTTER RECIPES AND CREATIVE WAYS TO USE THEMMary Loudermilk STERLING and the distinctive Sterling logo are registered trademarks of Sterling Publishing Co., Inc. Text 2015 by Mary Loudermilk All photos 2015 by Mary Loudermilk, except the following: v, 9: Charlotte Lowrie/ImageBrief.com; vi: Nichon Glerum/ImageBrief.com; xii: Melpomenem/iStock All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means (including electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise) without prior written permission from the publisher. ISBN 978-1-4549-1635-2 For information about custom editions, special sales, and premium and corporate purchases, please contact Sterling Special Sales at 800-805-5489 or specialsales@sterlingpublishing.com. Cover Design by Elizabeth Mihaltse Cover Photo Charlotte Lowrie/ImageBrief.com www.sterlingpublishing.com introduction When I started making nut butters in my own kitchen, I was surprised at how easy it was. Not only that, I was surprised at how many other people were blown away by the idea! With the growing popularity of nuts and the health benefits they provide, I found it curious that no book (to my knowledge) existed specifically about nut butters.

You can find a plethora of books based on peanut butter, and recipes using peanut butter, but not much information on butters made from other nuts. Sure, the concept is easygrind up the nuts, add flavors and spices, and youre donehowever, I found most people I talked to still didnt believe how easy it was. With that in mind, the concept for this book was created. Looking at many of the successful diets in recent years, the majority have a unifying element: nuts are allowed, or even encouraged. I find myself regularly reading new studies indicating health benefits, including weight loss, of a diet including nuts. Weve been scared of high-calorie and high-fat foods for a long timebut science is refuting this idea with a renewed emphasis on healthy fats and oils.

Finally, an endorsement to eat nuts! Many of the recipes in this book are simple. Many are just a nut plus chocolate, or a nut plus a spice such as chili powder or ginger. Some are little more creative and might leave you thinking, What would I ever do with this? Thus the second half of this book was born: a specific recipe in which to use each nut butter in this book. Most of these nut butters are delicious straight off of a spoon, but I find it much more interesting to incorporate the nut butters into my cooking. The great thing about most of the recipes in this book is that they are completely interchangeable. Maybe you dont like macadamia nuts, or cashews (as I thought was my story before making ).

Sub in a different nut and see what happens. Maybe you like your nut butters sweeteradd a teaspoon of sugar! Maybe you like them extra saltyadd more salt! The recipes are so easily customizable, the sky is the limit when it comes to making nut butters. As for the real recipes, youll find a lot of them are interchangeable as well. The would be delicious with any of the sweeter nut butters, as would the Chocolate Bourbon Hazelnut Butter Milkshake, Chocolate Almond Butter Slab Pie, or Chocolate Pecan Butter No-Bake Chewy Granola Bars. Try the Spicy Macadamia Butter Hummus with Bacon Pistachio Butter, or the Bacon Pistachio Butter Frosting with Cherry Coconut Butter. Try any combination that sounds good to you, keeping an eye on fat content and adjusting recipes (especially baked goods) as needed.

As I neared completion of this book, the ideas for more recipes kept flooding in. Granola, stuffed French toast, pudding, Popsicles, cinnamon rollsshould I keep going? The possibilities are endless, so let your imagination lead you to new flavors, combinations, and creations. Keep experimenting, and let me know what you find! nuts health information and comparison Despite having high fat and calorie content, nuts are increasingly being accepted as a healthy part of our diets. People who incorporate nuts into their diet feel full longer and end up losing more weight than those without nuts in their diet. Nuts are also credited with having high levels of healthy fats, proteins, and vitamins, and studies are finding that nuts may decrease the risk of heart disease. almonds Being on the lower end of the fat and calorie scale, almonds are a great choice for a healthy way to incorporate nuts into your diet.

Almonds have more calcium than any other nut and are a great source of fiber. Theyre also high in vitamins E and B, helping to bolster your immune system. pecans Pecans are higher in fat content than most nuts, except for macadamia nuts. The USDA rated pecans as the number one tree nut for its high levels of antioxidants, not to mention more than nineteen vitamins and minerals. peanuts Peanuts have the fourth highest fat content, making them a wonderful nut to make into a butter. The good news is that peanuts are high in monounsaturated fatthe same fat responsible for the praise of the Mediterranean diet, emphasized for heart heath.

Peanuts are also high in folate, a necessity for brain health, and especially important for vegetarians and pregnant women. macadamia nuts Macadamia nuts have the highest level of fat, resulting in a smooth, buttery taste. Like peanuts, macadamia nuts have high levels of monounsaturated fatty acidsa key for heart health. Macadamia nuts are actually on par with the levels of monounsaturated fat in the highest-quality olive oil. cashews Cashews, aside from having the heart-healthy benefits of other nuts, are high in iron, magnesium, and copper. pistachios As part of the cashew family, pistachios are also high in copper, magnesium, and B vitaminsall of which help boost your immune system! As with cashews, high levels of monounsaturated fat make this nut a heart-healthy option. walnuts In addition to heart-healthy monounsaturated fat, walnuts boast high levels of omega-3 fatty acids. walnuts In addition to heart-healthy monounsaturated fat, walnuts boast high levels of omega-3 fatty acids.

Omega-3 fatty acids protect against blood clots, heart disease, arthritis, and even depression. hazelnuts Hazelnuts, or filberts, are high in levels of vitamin E and seleniumkey ingredients in anti-aging products. Vitamin E is especially good for red and white blood cell production. coconut With the lowest fat content of all the nuts listed here, coconut is a tasty lower-calorie option. Coconut is high in lauric acid, an anti-viral, anti-fungal, anti-bacterial acid credited with immune-boosting qualities. pine nuts A relatively fatty seed with slightly less fat than pecans, the pine nut is high in vitamins E and K. pine nuts A relatively fatty seed with slightly less fat than pecans, the pine nut is high in vitamins E and K.

Pine nuts are one of the strongest sources for manganese, a key mineral for immune health. Pine nuts also have high levels of oleic acid, a healthy fat known to reduce cholesterol levels. sunflower seeds Sunflower seeds are high in selenium, folate, and vitamin E. Selenium is an antioxidant thought to have powerful anti-cancer and anti-aging benefits. Folate, especially important for pregnant or nursing mothers, is essential for red blood cell production and bone health. As with the other nuts on this list, sunflower seeds are full of healthy fats and many antioxidants.