I just made Classic Peanut Butter and it is the best PB I have ever had! I can’t believe I haven’t done this sooner, but now I am all in, thanks to this great little book: DIY Nut Milks, Nut Butters & More!
Written by blogger Melissa King of MyWholeFoodLife.com, this book is fantastic and inspiring. It’s not about being vegan or plant-based but about DIY and eating clean which happens to be vegan and plant-based (duh!). The subtitle, “From Almonds to Walnuts,” says it all. There are recipes using all different nuts and seeds for milks, butters, smoothies, treats and ice creams.
Melissa’s style is really appealing and so is the book itself. It’s little which makes it unique compared to all of the other books on my shelf. The fonts are easy on the eye, there are lots of pictures and the recipes are laid out really nicely. In the intro, Melissa explains why nuts are healthy – they are high in fiber, sugar and cholesterol free, contain lots of minerals and vitamins and are high in protein. And she offers plenty of helpful tips and equipment suggestions.
I have been making my own nut milks for years now, but I always thought it was too hard to make nut butters (except for the time I made chocolate hazelnut spread.) I thought regularly making them would burn out my Vitamix. But actually, Melissa suggests using a food processor, which I did, my Hamilton Beach Scraper Food Processor, and the results are perfect. I poured 2 cups of peanuts (not roasted) into the bowl of the processor and turned it on. Two minutes later, peanut butter. See?
I am planning to make Melissa’s Maple Vanilla Almond Butter and Chunky Banana Walnut Spread. And how about no bake Brownie Bars, PB Chocolate Chip Donuts and Banana Macadamia Ice Cream? Yes, please.
All I can say is, this is a great little book and if you are scared to make your own milks and butters, this book is for you. And then, after you raise your game, you can take your kitchen creativity to a new level with the rest of the recipes!