Pecan Butter

I'm a nut butter freak.  Deal with it.  It's one of my top 5 foods in the world I couldn't live without. Let's see...kale, sweet potatoes, dark chocolate, nut butter, eggs ( I don't count coffee as a food, but if you do then I have 6 foods I can't live without).  Strangely enough I went most of the summer with limited amounts of nut butter; I probably only made it once or twice!  This cooler weather has kicked my cravings into overdrive and I have been making my staples like crazy, as well as a bunch of new varieties.  

Now I'm a bit of a purist when it comes to my nut butter.  I like it to contain nuts, and that's just about it.  Don't give me that chocolate almond butter fancy stuff, or maple cinnamon variety.   I'm not saying it's bad, just that most of the time I would rather have it plain (yes, every now and then it's necessary to add copious amounts of cacao powder and maple syrup). In this butter I did add a touch of coconut oil and Himalayan sea salt to bring out the natural sweetness of the pecans and enhance the overall creamy, nutty flavor.  Oh, and some almonds to add a depth of flavor.  I've been playing around with mixing and matching nuts to find the perfect balance.  While I usually add cashews as a more neutral nut that adds an extra yum factor to my butters, I found almonds paired perfectly with pecans, really bringing out pecans rich buttery flavor.  In all seriousness, this pecan butter is f**king good so make it and let the snacking begin!


Pecan Butter

3 cups raw pecans
1 cup raw almonds
1-2 Tbsp extra virgin coconut oil
pinch Himalayan sea salt

Directions:
Roast the nuts at 350 F for 15-20 minutes, or until fragrant and golden brown.  Stir every 5 minutes or so to ensure even roasting.

Add the nuts to the base of a high speed blender (or food processor) along with the coconut oil. Starting on the lowest setting, blend the nuts until a creamy, smooth butter forms.  Add the salt and blend to incorporate.  Store in a air-tight container in the fridge.