Homemade Almond Butter With Your Vitamix
Homemade Almond Butter is healthy, delicious, and super simple to make. This recipe uses high-quality ingredients such as raw almonds, cacao powder and coconut sugar and take a few minutes to make in your Vitamix!
If you think making your very own homemade almond butter and homemade strawberry jam sounds too difficult, laborious or too intimidating, I am hear to tell you . . . my kids can make their own almond butter (which they add chocolate to) and preserves; so if they can do it, anyone can do it!
BECAUSE, HAVE YOU READ THE BACK OF YOUR SPREADS JARS LATELY?
Which leads me to ask this question? Are Almond Butter and Strawberry Jam considered condiments or spreads? I wanted to write, “have you read the back of your condiment jars lately”, but I reconsidered, because I don’t think these food items are actually considered condiments? Right?
Anyway, all you need are some almonds, a bit of honey and sugar, coconut oil and presto, in less than 30 minutes, you will have amazing almond butter and strawberry jam to use in your home. So much healthier and your kids will actually have fun eating these spreads because you all make them together!
Here is a tip from me: I add a bit of Almond Butter in my hot tea and in my Pumpkin Spice Latte! Trust me, it’s is delish! AND, I totally made my own Pumpkin Spice Syrup, right in my Vitamix!
Here are the instructions for these recipes. I begin by roasting the almonds in the oven. While the nuts are roasting, I wash, cut and begin making the strawberry jam.
HOMEMADE ALMOND BUTTER
INGREDIENTS
3 cups raw, unsalted almonds
OPTIONAL: 2 tbsp cocoa (this is what my kiddos add to their version)
1 tbsp honey
1 tsp coconut oil
OPTIONAL: 2 tsp chia seeds and 2 tsp hemp seeds
INSTRUCTIONS
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees
Spread 3 cups of raw almonds on a baking sheet and roast for 15 minutes.
Now, while my nuts are roasting in the oven, I prepare the jam. Really, all you need is 15 minutes to make this Homemade Strawberry Jam. This is refrigerator jam, and will last a few weeks in your fridge. If you are looking for a canning recipes for Strawberry Jam, I have a full recipe. Once you realize you can make your very own NUT BUTTER, there are so many different versions to try and create. Vitamix has a plethora of recipes available for various nut butters.
Allow the nuts to cool down prior to pouring into your Vitamix blender container (do not skip this step). Pour the cooled roasted almonds in your Vitamix and let it pulse for about 5-10 minutes until desired smoothness. {If you prefer, you can use blanched almonds instead}. Begin on a low speed and quickly turn your dial to a higher speed - I am usually between 6-7 on my dial for the Vitamix Explorian Series e310 Blender. Do not add the oil or honey until the nuts are creamy.
HOMEMADE STRAWBERRY JAM
INGREDIENTS
1 lb strawberries
2 tbsp coconut sugar (this can be eliminated if you don’t want the excess sugar)
2 tbsp maple syrup
2 tbsp juice a lemon
zest of 1 lemon
INSTRUCTIONS
Remove the stems from the strawberries and slice in half.
In a pot on low heat, add the strawberries, coconut sugar, maple syrup, lemon zest and lemon juice. Simmer for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Add the heated strawberries into your Vitamix and puree the fruit. I pulsed on setting 1, but I like a chunky jam (more like a preserve). If you like a jelly consistency, turn your dial up a bit to completely puree the strawberries.
Pour the jam into a jar and place in the refrigerator to cool. ENJOY!
I received this product for free from Moms Meet (momsmeet.com) to use and post my honest opinions. Compensation for this post was provided and this page may contain affiliate links.
Vitamix Personal Blending Cups
Two days a week, my daughters have to get up very early in the morning for String Orchestra practice. While my daughters are getting ready for practice/school, I make them smoothies to drink en route to practice. I really want my daughters to eat a homemade, nutritious breakfast during the week before (or whilst) rushing off to school. Vitamix has this amazing 48 oz Personal Cup Adapter for their Classic Vitamix models like the Vitamix Explorian Series e310 Blender. I am able to blend my daughters smoothies right in the cup, then unscrew the blade, pop the secure to-go lid, and they are able to drink right out of the Vitamix 48-oz Container Cup en route to orchestra. These personal Container Cups make practice mornings a little easier.
STRAWBERRY SMOOTHIE
INGREDIENTS
1 banana
½ cup Strawberries (or any fresh berry fruit you enjoy)
½ cup of Almond Milk (OR regular milk OR yogurt)
INSTRUCTIONS
In the Vitamix Personal Cup Adapter combine the banana, strawberries and almond milk and blend until smooth, adding more almond milk if needed. We vary this depending on what is in the fridge or what they want. The milk will make a smoother smoothie and the yogurt will make a bit thicker smoothie. How you personalize your smoothies is really what you like to drink. If you like a bit thicker, add more fruit and less milk or yogurt. If you like the smoothie to be super drinkable, all more milk. I make one smoothie per daughter in their own Personal Container Cups. Sometimes they like to add granola or fresh fruit on top before we leave.
Vitamix if offering this amazing deal right now: Save 15% on the Personal Cup Adapter with the purchase of a Classic Series Vitamix blender by using the promo code MMVITA2018. Offer ends December 31, 2018.
You can purchase your very own Vitamix Personal Cup Adapter directly from their website or visit Williams Sonoma, Sur La Table, Target, and Amazon.
I love these Vitamix Container Cups because I don’t have to make my daughters smoothies in the blender container to pour into individual cups and then have to clean a large blender container. I simply pulse their ingredients right in the container cups with the Personal Cup Adapter. All these container cups and the adapter are dishwasher safe, so once I arrive back home, I simply rinse and pop them in the dishwasher for the next day’s practice session. I have even made their smoothies the night before, popped the Container Cups in the refrigerator and given them a quick shake in the morning and they are all set for a smoothie ride.☺
OTHER USES FOR VITAMIX
PERSONAL CUP ADAPTER
The Vitamix blender is not only used for making Smoothies and Smoothie Bowls. The Vitamix blender is so versatile and once you begin using for a few of your recipes at home, you will realize how much easier the Vitamix blender makes your recipes and prep time pass much quicker.
I also made homemade gravy in the Vitamix Container Cup last week because I didn’t feel like standing over a hot stove and whisking everything together. I tossed in roasted shallots, roaster garlic and the hot drippings, added the roux and a bit butter and pulsed away on a very low setting. IT WAS SO SIMPLE! This was the first time I didn’t have lumps in my gravy!
BONUS RECIPE: I am including a recipe for homemade Chocolate Spread (AKA: Nutella) as well. My kiddos love this chocolate spread so much, but I didn’t have time to make any this past week. But I am including the recipe in case you would like to make your own.
HOMEMADE NUTELLA
INGREDIENTS
2 cups raw hazelnuts
2 tbsp coconut oil
2/3 cup coconut sugar
1/3 cup cacao powder
1 tsp vanilla extract
INSTRUCTIONS
Preheat the oven to 350
Pour the hazelnuts onto a baking sheet and roast for about 15 minutes.
Let the hazelnuts cool and pour into a kitchen towel and wrap them up (or they will be all over your kitchen ☺). Rub the outside of the towel to loosen the hazelnut skins, this does take a bit of time.
Pour the hazelnuts (leave the skins in the towel and shake into the trash bin) into your Vitamix and blend for 5 minutes. Begin the pulse slowly on a low setting. You will need to use your Vitamix Tamper Tool to push the nuts around and down a bit. Slowly increase the speed on your Vitamix as the nuts continue to become a more creamy consistency. Once the nuts are creamy, drizzle in the oil and pulse for 1-2 more minutes.
Then add the sugar, cacao and vanilla and continue to pulse (if you have stopped your Vitamix and restarted to add the ingredients, I suggest to begin on a low setting again and work your Vitamix up to a higher speed) until all the ingredients are fully incorporated.
Pour the Homemade Nutella into a jar. ENJOY!
