It’s a butter that can help you lose weight. Sounds nuts, right? Well, two things you need to know at the outset about almond butter is that:
- It contains no butter
- It may be creamy and delicious but it’s also great for weight loss.
Almond butter, a paste with almond, salt and oil (see recipe below), contains vitamins, minerals and good fats. It’s high on protein, and can help lower cholesterol. Most importantly, because almonds are nutrient dense, even a spoonful can give you a huge energy boost that lasts through the day.
One of the reasons why nutritionists are recommending almond butter over other spreads like peanut butter, etc today is because its fat content is more heart healthy and it doesn’t contain too much salt as well. But it does contain a good amount of fat, so make sure you don’t have more than a tablespoon a day (One tablespoon = 99-100 calories).
The easiest way to eat almond butter is to spread it on a piece of whole wheat bread, biscuit, raw vegetable sticks or fruit. It is also a healthy addition to a chocolate or fruit smoothie, giving it a creamier texture, thicker consistency and nuttier flavor. Almond butter also goes well with soups made of pumpkin and carrot.
In India, ready-to-eat almond butter isn’t easily available. But there’s a quick and simple way to make it at home. Check out our recipe:
Almond Butter
Ingredients
2 cups almonds, roasted
1 tbsp olive oil
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Salt to taste
Method
- Almond butter tastes best when the almonds are roasted, so either buy roasted almonds or roast them at home. If you choose the latter option, preheat the oven to 150 degrees centigrade, spread the almonds on a baking sheet and roast for 20 minutes. Stir them around to ensure the nuts roast evenly. Cool before blitzing.
- To make the butter, blend all the ingredients together, adding salt to taste, for about 5-10 minutes or until you get a smooth and creamy texture. Honey, chocolate, vanilla essence and cinnamon are some other flavours you can add as they all pair well. Store in a closed jar.
