A delicious recipe for nut butter from macadamias.
I have recently been looking to reduce the amount of money we spend on food and I decided a pantry audit would help me to:
- Check what I have available to use
- Determine what needs to be re-stocked
- Clean out items that need to be discarded
- Find inspiration for new recipes
- Recall favorite recipes that I have not made for some time
As a result of my pantry audit, I found NUTS, lots of nuts.
Almonds, pistachio, macadamia, hazelnuts, peanuts, walnuts, and pine nuts, plus a stash of pecans in the fridge!
Last year my eldest son commenced kindergarten and this year he started primary school. Each of these has a ban on nuts. No food with nuts present are permitted on the school premises. I believe this is common in many Australian schools and kindergartens now. The purpose of the ban is to protect children who have a nut allergy from an adverse reaction and I am very happy to abide by this rule. If one of my children suffered an allergy I would expect others to be vigilant and responsible in an environment where such a rule applies.
For this reason I have been avoiding baking with nuts – almost entirely. My boys have been missing out on the wonderful health benefits of nuts.
To use up some of my lovely nut supply I set about creating a nut bar that I thought they would enjoy as an after school treat. I used a banana to bind the mixture instead of butter and sweetened it with just a little honey. It tasted delicious… but unfortunately the boys did not think so.
A failed taste test with my kids is a definite fail as my boys will generally eat most things put in front of them!
The next thing I decided to try with the kids was a nut butter. Friends introduced us to Macadamia nut butter a number of years ago but I have found it to be very expensive to purchase and it is also difficult to find in our local stores. So I set about making a macadamia nut butter all of my own and found it was so easy to do.
In fact, the most difficult part of making this recipe was the enforced break I took after my little 600 watt food processor started smoking – literally! Oh, and having the self control to not lick the spatula when scraping the sides of the processor. Once you start it is difficult to stop!
This nut butter tastes fabulous on crusty warm bread, added to baking – muffins, cakes, pancakes, added to milkshakes or juices and mixed through plain yoghurt.
Macadamia Nut Butter Recipe
A few hints and tips before you start;
- The time that this process takes to complete will depend on your food processor. I processed this amount in two batches and allowed the machine to rest part way through.
- When you commence processing, the nuts first turn to a powdery mixture, then it begins to clump, becoming smoother until it finally attains a buttery texture.
Calories
Fat
Carbs
Protein
Save RecipeIngredients
- 1/2 cup macadamia nuts
- 1 cup of almonds - whole
- 1/2 cup pistachio nuts (unsalted)
- 1 and 1/2 tablespoons of maple syrup
Instructions
- Add the nuts to a food processor and process for at least 15 minutes, until the mixture becomes smooth and buttery.
- Use a rubber spatula to push the nuts down the sides of the machine as required.
- Once the mixture is thick and buttery, stir through the maple syrup and scoop into a jar.
- Store in a cool location (not the fridge as it will be too difficult to spread).
Have you tried making nut butter before?
Kyrstie Barcak is a mum to two boys aged 6 and 3 years. She writes about the fresh produce grown in their family garden and the seasonal menus
that result at A Fresh Legacy-Grow Fresh Cook Fresh. Kyrstie is passionate about cooking fresh meals for her family and friends. She supports local farmers and producers when there is not enough to collect from her garden and likes to make her family’s food from scratch.
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