Have you ever roasted almonds?
A simple act, a transformation of a crude fatty substance to that of
synesthetic scents of warm
nutty aromas fill your senses until you take that first bite
mastication commences
one after another, you sense the delicate skins separate
notes of toasted monounsaturated fat
notes of nutrition, hints of quality
Making my own almond butter creates a further connectedness with my food. I am the one choosing the raw almonds, roasting them myself, then processing them into the smooth, creamy substance to be slathered on everything.
The ultimate would be to pick and shell my own almonds directly from a tree, but that option is off limits at the moment.
Perhaps some may see this as a form of control, and I suppose it actually is.
I want to be responsible for providing myself with the food I choose to consume.
I’ve never really had desires for people to do tasks for me, and surely not when it comes to my food.
I am happy to prepare, delighted to cook
The next step would be to completely harvest everything with my own hands
but until then, I know what was put into my food, what the cooking temperature was, if the oxidation rate was minimized
it’s immediate, it’s understanding
I feel that my connection with food is spiritual.
I understand what and when my body needs to be replenished with nourishment
It’s a craving that can be traced back to certain macro or micronutrients
Again, it’s understanding.
~~~
Homemade nut butters are unparalleled in my opinion. I haven’t tasted a store-bought almond butter that ever tasted this good. I generally buy my almond butter from Ward’s and it’s been great.
but now that I’ve experienced what I’ve never imagined, I don’t want to go back.
Only until you get a grasp of what’s better do you realize what you’ve been missing out on.
The overall smooth texture of roasted almonds, deeper you will sense the fine, crushed consistency.
Quite feasible
can be made crunchy too
Ingredients:
raw or roasted almonds
food processor
Directions:
1. If using raw almonds, roast for about 10-15 minutes at 350, or until they start to slightly brown. You’ll notice the aromas.
2. Let cool
3. Place roasted almonds in food processor and process for a few minutes until a smooth, creamy butter has been achieved. Time will vary based on your food processor.
You probably/may need to scrape down the sides intermittently.
It’ll start to turn into a crushed consistency then transform into a beautiful, silky nut butter.
Add more whole roasted almonds at the end and pulse a few times if you want a chunky texture.
4. Store in an air-tight container in the fridge, as air speeds up the oxidation rate making the ground nut butter more susceptible to rancidity.
5. Savor
I top mine with some cacao nibs, to complement the nutty almond flavor with hints of bitter cocoa.
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