cashew and Brazil nuts ready to blend

I get tired of regular peanut butter sometimes. Fortunately, Trader Joe’s sells many different types of nut butters other than peanut. Their variety is so large that you can go weeks without repeating the same butter: almond, cashew, macadamia, soy, sunflower seed, peanut and then back to the first. One difficulty with TJ’s is that sometimes they will just stop carrying certain items. It’s sad because once you get hooked on something in particular it’s difficult to find a replacement for it. This recently happened with their cashew butter.

It was always tasty and they offered it at a reasonable price. I used it on baked goods, on carrot and celery sticks; and as a thickening agent for soups instead of using dairy. It lends soup a creamy, silky texture that’s very good. But mostly I use cashew butter at breakfast time to spread on bread. For health reasons, I have not used “real butter” in a long time. Unfortunately, it’s been weeks since I’ve last seen TJ’s cashew butter on the shelves at my local market. I have found something similar at other places but the steep hike in price puts me off trying it. So as an alternative, I decided to make my own. It turned out delicious! I could just sit and eat it directly from the container with a spoon all day.

Homemade Cashew and Brazil Nut Butter

8 oz raw cashew nuts
½ dozen raw Brazil nuts
5 tbsp Walnut oil
1 tbsp agave and maple syrup blend
pinch salt

Place all ingredients in a food processor.  Process until smooth.  For a runnier texture you’ll need to add more oil. This recipe will give you enough nut butter for about a week of breakfasts for two.

Why is cashew Brazil nut butter better than dairy butter or margarine?

There’s no cholesterol in the nut butter and it has healthy fats. Walnut oil contains high levels of omega 3, 6 and 9 oils. Brazil nuts are packed with protein, vitamin E, contain selenium (a powerful antioxidant) and are believed to aid on cancer prevention. Cashews also come packed with protein and high levels of copper, which is also a great antioxidant.

cashew Brazil nut butter ready to eat