THE KINGDOM OF NUT BUTTERS

THE KINGDOM OF NUT BUTTERS

If this was my last day on Earth and I was given the chance to have one last meal before I lay myself on my deathbed it would be a spoonful of peanut butter. 

Maybe a nice slice of freshly toasted sourdough, peanut butter, then some banana and honey.

Maybe just a crisp sweet honeycrisp apple with a spoonful of peanut butter.

Or a perfect bowl of raisin walnut oatmeal topped with some luscious peanut butter.

It would be peanut butter. 

I love peanut butter. 

As so I thought, (as one does), why not for the Food for Thought fan girlies and guysies I give my  spiel on the nut butter kingdom. While peanut butter is my favorite-I ultimately consider myself to be a nut butter connoisseur. Ever since I was younger they have been my go to topping on my oatmeal, sandwich spread, favorite pairing with any fruit and so on. Nut butters are great. They are filling, nutty, sweet, protein and vitamin packed, and ultimately just delicious. There is absolutely no reason to hate on the nut butters, so let’s get into the review.

(My personal opinions only, but hopefully my great argumentation skills can convince a nut butter hater to convert on over to the other side)

Below I will give my review on the following nut butters: peanut, almond, cashew, hazelnut, and sunflower,) along with a recipe  you can add to your cooking repertoire.

Peanut Butter: In my opinion, this is the holy grail of all nut butters. Not only does it pack the most protein per serving (get those gains), but somehow, even with the crappiest of peanut butter brands, the stuff still tastes good. No matter if you are eating Erewhon’s 20 dollar jar of peanut butter, or Skippy's, 2 dollar jar a spoonful or two of this stuff will always leave you feeling satisfied and in a happier state (seriously there should be some study done of whether peanut butter increases serotonin levels). The natural saltiness from the peanuts mixed with their slightly roasted flavor  brings out a hint of a maple syrup type sweetness that truly makes for the perfect breakfast, snack, dessert, or even dipping sauce. Whether you are having it on top of pancakes, in a snickers bar, or with your favorite spring rolls peanut butter will do you no wrong. I give it an infinity/10. She will never fail me

Hard for me to choose one recipe but to have your peanut butter world shaken by these Salted Peanut Butter Oatmeal Blondies.

Almond Butter: A nut butter that is often overlooked sadly but should really be given more credit for all the work she does. While slightly pricier than its peanut cousin and a bit less protein, almond butter still remains one of my favorite butters of all time. No one can deny the smoothness that almond butter cultivates, its drizzle magic makes for the perfect oatmeal topping as it will do the job of covering your whole oatmeal bowl. Raw and unsalted, or roasted and salted almond butter gives a slightly mellower flavor when you are maybe craving something a bit more calm. Not to mention you can basically substitute for any peanut butter recipe and achieve an awesome flavor for my friends with peanut allergies, and did you know almonds have melatonin? Have trouble falling asleep? Maybe a spoonful of almond butter is your new midnight snack. I give our queen almond butter a solid 9.5/10.

Try this delicious Almond Butter Granola 

Hazelnut Butter (or you know, just Nutella): I really think I don’t have to say much with this one. What is there not to love? The flavor here is indescribable, the delicious combo of chocolate and hazelnuts creates a chemical reaction in everyone's brain and body of utter joy. My favorite way has to be a fresh crepe smothered with this Godly gift then topped with strawberries (best eaten walking through a foreign city with no utensils). However the palm oil does knock it down a few points. Nutella. Do better. Because let’s be honest, the off brand ones just don’t hit the same: 8.9/10.

These Nutella Croissants will change your life. 

Cashew Butter: Never heard of it? Don’t be ashamed, this one tends to hide in the back compared to all other nut butters (due to it’a insane price). However despite it being comparable to Erewhon’s peanut butter price, when my family and I like to splurge on this nut butter goodness, it truly never disappoints. It definitely has a more mild flavor compared to most nut butters so if peanut butter scares you maybe this is a good place to start. Its ultra creamy thick texture makes for the perfect pairing for banana toast, waffles, or pancakes. I personally think it goes great with blackberries especially because the bolder flavor of the blackberry compliments the light and airy flavor of the cashew butter. Cashew Butter is solid, and when you have a bit extra money in your bank account, it makes for the perfect treat in your pantry, I give her a 7.8/10.

Don’t be scared, this Cashew Bread is one of the best breads I have eaten, (and perfect for any gluten freers out there).

Sunflower Butter: Look out of all the nut butters, something about sunflower just does not hit the same. While it did carry me through this summer with my daily cinnamon raisin bagel topped with sunflower butter when I stayed on Fordham's campus.  The flavor compared to all the others slightly throws me off. Maybe it’s due to the fact that it is a seed not a nut, or a “replacement” for those allergic to peanut butter (which it will never beat), or maybe it’s just my taste buds. Something about it is slightly too salty for me, and the creaminess just does not compare to others. But hey, this little fella is doing the best it can, she gets the job done when she has to! 6/10

Try these Maple Sunflower Butter Glazed Carrots for a savory sweet twist.

Be bold. Be brave. Eat your Nut butters.