(On Cooking) #2 Almond Butter

Outgrown Allergies

I came up with a comical way to describe my dietary restrictions growing up, and would often use it to explain the extent to which my food choices were limited.

The conversation may have gone something like this. 

Friend: "What were you allergic to?"

Me: "Well... I was allergic to dairy. You know how people with dairy allergies drink soy milk?"

Friend: "Um... yeah?"

Me: "Well, I was allergic to soy, too."

Friend: "So what did you drink? Almond milk?"

Me: "Unfortunately, no. I was allergic to peanuts and tree nuts. I had to drink rice milk."

Friend: "Wow..." 

Having allergies growing up made getting essential nutrients difficult. In addition to dairy, soy, and peanuts/tree nuts, I was also allergic to eggs. I had other non-food allergies, like dust. My food allergies meant I had to be especially careful about what I ate, especially since my allergies were common ingredients in processed foods. 

My main concern was always getting enough protein in my diet. Dairy, nuts, and eggs are all fantastic, healthy sources of protein. I ended up having a carb-heavy diet, eating an inordinate amount of pasta to replenish my body from running around on the soccer field. Pasta is a notoriously simple carbohydrate; great for endurance athletes. However, endurance athletes also know how important protein is for muscle repair and growth.

After years of sitting at the peanut-free table, I began to outgrow my allergies. Soy came first when I was in elementary school, then eggs. I outgrew dairy for a brief period, then it flared up again, before outgrowing it permanently in middle school. Introducing eggs and dairy especially changed my options considerably. Peanuts/tree nuts became a "final boss" of sorts.

Allergy tests can be an excruciating experience, especially if you don't like the food. When I was in college, I finally took the test for peanuts/tree nuts. I was given increasingly large spoonfuls of peanut butter to eat. It was my first time trying it, and I was expecting it to be delicious, the way everyone talks about it. After my first, dime-sized sample, I realized I hated it. Imagine! All this time, I thought I was missing out on an amazing food. Nonetheless, I ate each spoonful reluctantly, not out of fear of anaphylaxis, but out of distaste. 

As it turns out, it wasn't peanut butter I was missing out on. It was almond butter. 

After passing my final allergy test and realizing I didn't like peanut butter, I decided to give tree nuts a chance. Nutella (hazelnuts) was heaven on earth, but it felt like I was cheating, that it wasn't really nut butter. Then, I started eating oatmeal regularly, and an online recipe I found suggested I add almond butter. So, I got a small container from Trader Joe's, and the rest is history. 

Now, I make my own almond butter from scratch. It is a fantastic spread on toast/bagel with jam, an addition to oatmeal, greek yogurt, or other breakfast bowls, or a textural addition to a protein smoothie. The opportunities are endless, and it is incredibly simple to make. Here is my recipe for almond butter. 

Homemade Almond Butter Recipe

Homemade almond butter

Ingredients:

• 3 cups of dry, salted almonds (about one bag if from Trader Joe's)

Equipment:

• Food processor (I use this one)
• Rimmed baking sheet
• Parchment paper
• Oven
• Wooden spoon
• 16 oz Mason Jar (for storage)

Steps:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
2. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Spread almonds evenly, ensuring there is no overlapping almonds.
3. Bake almonds on center oven rack for 10 minutes, or until fragrant.
4. Remove almonds from oven and let cool for 20 minutes.
5. Pour almonds into a food processor and alternate between "high" and "puree" cycles (or equivalent) until almond butter is finished. It should have a thin, spreadable consistency (drips from upside down spoon) but also maintain its shape (in upright spoon). Throughout this process, use wooden spoon to scrape the sides of the food processor if stuck—however, try to let the process happen naturally first. I find that the sides naturally get sucked into the mix with enough cycles.
6. Scoop almond butter into Mason Jar and refrigerate. Serve as a spread or protein-packed addition to yogurt, oatmeal, or other breakfast meals.