With Mother’s Day quickly approaching, we turned to blogger and yoga teacher extraordinaire Victoria a.k.a. Almonds & Asana to help us brainstorm ideas for DIY gifts for mom. Since Victoria is a foodie and loves trying out new recipe’s for simple, approachable at home food she thought what would be better than an array of nut butters.
These simple recipes can be adapted based on taste preferences, food preferences, or really what you have on hand. The best part is, they each take just 2 ingredients and 1 piece of kitchen equipment - a blender or food processor.
Additionally, since this is a gift, Victoria added in a cute way to dress the final product up with items you can easily find at a Target, World Market, or craft store!
For the below recipes Victoria made 3 different varieties:
- Sea Salt & Almond
- Maple Coconut Cashew
- Chocolate Hazelnut
- 2 cups each of 3 different types of raw OR dry roasted unsalted nuts - note that 2 cups of nuts will yield 1 cup of nut butter so just make sure to double the ingredients for however much you want to have made in total
- 1/2 Tbsp salt for the Almond Blend
- 2 Tbsp Maple Syrup (or honey!) for the Cashew Blend
- 2 Tbsp Coconut Oil (melted) for the Cashew Blend
- 1/4 cup of Milk Chocolate (melted) for the Hazelnut Blend
How To:
1. If using raw nuts, place the nuts on a baking sheet and pop in the oven at 350 for 10-12 minutes. If you are using hazelnuts, once you take them out use a clean towel and gently rub off the skins (don’t fear if some skin is left on the nuts!)
2. For each combination, add the nuts to the blender or food processor and let them blend for at least 8 minutes, occasionally stopping to push down the edges. It could take longer so be patient! For the Cashew & Almond Butter I added 3 Tbsp of warm water halfway through to help loosen and blend.
3. Once the nuts are a buttery consistency, add in your flavorings and blend for another 30 seconds.
4. Pack into small mason jars with lids. Place in a cute basket and decorate with ribbon.
5. Make sure mom knows to store the nut butters in the fridge, they should last for about 3 weeks!
About Almonds & Asana
Almonds & Asana is a lifestyle blog focused on healthful recipes, yoga tips, and ways to live a more mindful and engaged life. The goal is to add purpose into everything from the food we select, to the exercises we put our bodies through, to the products we choose to buy and surround ourselves with. This blog is the ultimate guide to living a balanced life through my personal experiences, making it part guide part journey.
