Prompt decision making is one of those skills that eludes me especially when it comes to food. I might be twenty years old but choosing between the falafel and the curry on a menu presents as impossible a conundrum as splitting the atom. Luckily for me I have family members who are equally unable to choose one dish from the menu and therefore are more than willing to share. This week I decided to make nut butter however in a suitably indecisive fashion I couldn’t decide between making cashew butter, hazelnut butter or classic almond butter. Considering that my food processor needs at least two cups of any nut to make I nut butter I simply couldn’t justify making all three. So in my decision making adverse nature I realized that if I made a mix I would avoid having to choose. The result? Quite possibly the best nut butter ever! It has the creaminess of cashew butter, the Nutella like flavor of hazelnut butter, the rich taste of almond butter all topped off with a sweet hint of vanilla. Whoever said that indecisiveness is a flaw clearly hasn’t tried my vanilla mixed nut butter!
Vanilla’s characteristic aroma comes from the antioxidant vanillin. Initial studies suggest that this antioxidant may have anti-inflammatory properties however studies are not conclusive. In addition recent animal studies illustrate that vanillin has cholesterol lowering powers which may help reduce high levels of cholesterol.
- 2 cup mixed nuts (I used cashews, almonds and hazelnuts in even amounts)
- Seeds scraped from half a vanilla pod
- Pinch of sea salt
- Spread the nuts on a baking tray and place them in an oven at 180 C/ 350 F for 10-12 minutes. (Keep an eye on them as they burn easily!)
- Remove the nuts from the oven and allow them to cool.
- Gently rub the skins off the hazelnuts. (The skins won't come off all of them and these ones are best enjoyed hot from the oven)
- Place the nuts in the food processor and blend for 10 - 15 minutes.
- The nuts should be a smooth glossy butter by now.
- Add in the seeds scraped from half of the vanilla pod and a sprinkle of sea salt.
- Blend quickly to incorporate the vanilla and salt.
- Enjoy straight from the blender with a spoon!
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