King of the Nut Butters (and a broken computer)

Hi all!  It's been awhile since I've shared delicious grub, and for that I am terribly sorry.  My computer died about a week ago (and was on the fritz for about a week or two before that), so I have been unable to blog all my delicious recipes :(  I took my computer to the apple genius bar to be "diagnosed".  $400 later my computer was off to the apple warehouse to be fixed and I was told it would be ready in 3-5 business days.  Yesterday, my dad gave me a loaner labtop that works, it's just super slow and freezes a lot.  No big deal.  It may take me two days to write this post :)

Before I get to the recipe I'm sharing, let me tell you the full broken computer story.  The closest apple store to me is in a mall (why can't it be in the food store?!), and I hate malls with a passion so it didn't improve my broken computer mood.  Actually, let me back up.  Before I went to get my computer looked at, I had to go to the DMV to get my licence renewed.  I hate the DMV much more than the mall.  Much more than just about everything.  And it didn't disappoint.  I got to the DMV at 11:50 am and my appointment for the genius bar was for 1:45 pm.   I assumed I built in plenty of time to make both (I brought my labtop with me just in case).  Wrong.  Apparently it takes a million years per person to get their photo snapped and new licence printed.  There was about 20 people in front of me and by the time 1:15 rolled around, only about 8 people had new licences.  Seriously?!  At that point I had to call my dad to have pick up my labtop from the DMV and bring it to the apple store, while I stood in the slowest line ever.  There was a woman three people in front of me who wanted her picture taken oven and over again.  She kept saying "Oh, let me put on a different shade of lipstick because I look washed out in that one." "Ah, I have a flyaway.  Hold on while I re-do my hair."  Your licence is not a head-shot.  It is not going to make the cover of any  magazine.  Just take one picture and get on your way!!!

Ok, rant over.  But last Wednesday was not the best day for me.  I wound getting my licence and making it over to the apple store just in time to hear that they were sending my computer out to be fixed for $400.  YAY!  But I should have seen that coming.  It was just that kind of day.  As soon as I got home form the mall, I immediately made myself a cup of strong, hot coffee and munched on some hemp protein bars.  They make everything better!

So bare with me the next few days.  I hope I will have my mac back soon, but 3-5 business days usually turns in to 7-10 for me.  I happen to have a nice stash of my hemp bars and raw brownies in the freezer just for that reason :)

Now, let me turn your attention to the king of all nut butters.  If you have been reading my blog for awhile now, you know nut butters are a huge staple in my diet.  I don't know why they aren't a food group on the pyramid/plate or whatever they are calling it these days.  Nut butters are amazing and make me smile.  Recently, I mentioned how I made a roasted cashew butter that may be my new favorite.  Well, yet again I have to bite my tongue.  I now know that the combination of almonds, cashews, and walnuts makes the most delectable nut butter hands down.

Why?  Each of the three nuts in this butter adds a distinct flavor and texture profile that when combined is simply perfection.  Roasty, toasty, buttery, rich, satisfying nut butter perfection. Cashews have a rich, buttery flavor although they make more of a spread than a butter because they have a low fat (and therefore oil) content.  That's where the nutty walnuts come in, giving this champion butter an extra indulgent and velvety smooth texture.  Almonds contribute a sweet nutty flavor and tie everything together.  But don't just take my word of it, make a batch and see for yourself.  Add it to smoothies, spread it on muffins, or simply eat it with a spoon.  It doesn't take much to understand why this combination nut butter reins supreme.


King of the Nut Butters

1 cup raw cashews
1 cup raw almonds
1 cup raw walnuts
pinch sea salt (optional)

Directions:
Preheat the oven to 375 F.  Roast the nuts for 10 minutes, stirring halfway through.

Add hot nuts to the base of a food processor and process until a smooth nut butter is formed.  This will take 10-12 minutes depending on your food processor.  Stop to scrape down the sides as necessary.  Store in an air-tight container in the fridge.

If you want a step-by-step guide to making nut butters, check out this post.