Avoid all the additives in commercial peanut butter and make your own in seconds!
INGREDIENTS:
1 cup roasted peanuts (salted or unsalted)
pinch sea salt (optional)
METHOD:
- Place peanuts and salt (if using) into a food processor.
- Blend until crushed then continue on medium-high for 30 seconds or so.
- Remove some of the chopped nuts for later (if making crunchy peanut butter).
- Larger batches take longer, so blend until the remaining nuts become smooth. At this stage, the peanut oil will begin to appear on the surface. Taste and add extra salt if you like. You now have smooth peanut butter!
- Stir the remaining chopped nuts back into the peanut butter to make crunchy peanut butter!
NOTES:
- Keep an eye on your food processor motor – if it gets warm, turn off and wait to cool down before using again, or refer to your manual.
- Smaller batches are quicker and better – large batches may spoil before being used up.
- You can use other nuts too – try almonds, walnuts, cashews, pecans, or a combination. Sunflower seeds also work well as a nut-free butter.
- Add spices such as ground cinnamon, curry powder, smoked paprika or cayenne pepper.
- Try peanuts, a teaspoon of honey and a sprinkle of Chinese five spice.
- A little honey or maple syrup is nice, too.
- Store peanut butter in an airtight jar, in the refrigerator and use up within 8 weeks.
- Serve with apple slices or celery.
- Make satay sauce: combine equal amounts of peanut butter, soy sauce, chilli sauce and milk in a heat proof bowl or saucepan. Heat until sauce consistency and toss through your favourite stir fry or marinate chicken pieces for barbecues.
- Find your peanut butter is too hard in the fridge? Add 2 tablespoons of your favourite oil (i.e. extra virgin olive oil) to the peanut butter before putting into a jar and refrigerating.
