Truth be told, I am cheap. I know, shocking! I live on a budget (who doesn't these days) and splurging on flavored peanut butters is just not a priority. I have seen different brands in the stores that incorporate flavors in different nut butters and since I had a bad of roasted peanuts (in the shell) sitting in my pantry (and no peanut butter), I figured it was time to put those peanuts to some good use! I kept putting it off because I had to shell the nuts, but when I finally pulled the bag out of the pantry, I had no problem getting to work.
It's funny how a huge bag of peanuts turned out to be just shy of two cups of actually peanuts. I guess that will slow you down if you are just eating the nuts.
A must have for ease in the kitchen is a food processor! I love mine. I am not sure how I ever lived without it. Seriously, this thing makes chopping, mixing and pureeing so easy. I have this one and I absolutely love it!
Now, back to the peanut butter...It takes a little while to get it to a creamy state, but I like making it at home because you have so many options from flavors, to smooth or crunchy...you decide.
This got super creamy, but when I added the maple syrup, it turned into an almost candy consistency. I wanted it to smooth out a little more, so I added some almond milk. I have done this before with other nut butters I made and I love the velvety texture it becomes. This did not disappoint! It has a real peanut flavor that is kissed with a subtle maple flavor. This stuff is all real with no flavorings and no funky oils! Oh, and half the price of the expensive ones!!!
Maple Peanut Butter
(makes about 1 1/2 cups)
2 cups roasted peanuts
3 TBSP real maple syrup
6 TBSP almond milk
Puree the peanuts until smooth, add the rest of the ingredients a little at a time and continue to puree until smooth. (If you add more almond milk, this turns into an tasty icing or heat a little with a little almond milk and use as a sauce on pancakes or ice cream.)
Fun food fact...did you know that peanuts are actually a bean related to chickpeas and lentils. I should have known since I have such a love affair with the almighty chickpea and have recently fallen for lentils!
Labels: beans, dips, gluten free |
That looks really yummy!