Homemade Peanut Butter

When I was younger my mom would occasionally buy almond butter. My brother and I would watch in amazement as mom set the clear plastic cup under the machine at the store and with the push of a button the cup would fill with the almond butter. It was amazing to see the whole almonds change into paste. It was mom's special treat with her special crackers. As a child I didn't understand why mama got special treats and we didn't. Of course we got special treats... just in those moments as a child you don't see it that way.

Being a mama now I understand what it's like to have those special treats. Mr. Sideline Chef once brought home a bag of smoked almonds from a smokehouse he visited while working on the road. It was so thoughtful of him and I wanted to make them last. I would ration them out for itty bitty since he takes after me and could eat an entire can of nuts in one sitting, especially cashews. If I wanted some of those smoked almonds while he was awake I'd sneak into the kitchen and as quietly as could be I'd open the bag and pull out a handful.

Typing this almost makes me feel selfish.

If itty bitty wants or needs anything he always comes first. If he really wanted I would have given the bag of almonds to him but he was happy with his portion and I got to have my special treat that was bought with me in mind.

Nuts have been making an appearance on every shopping list since starting the Flat Belly Diet because of the healthy fats they contain. Peanut butter is another food item that is always in this house. Mr. Sideline Chef requires it for his cheese sandwiches. You read that right. Itty bitty loves "pean-fur san"(dwiches) as well. They are a part of his lunch rotation.

I was giddy when I saw a recipe for homemade Peanut Butter in the Flat Belly Diet Cookbook. While making Old-Fashioned Peanut Soup (recipe tomorrow) I ran out of peanut butter that I had bought from the store. I only had about a tablespoon left and then I remembered the recipe was in the cookbook and I had all of the ingredients to make it homemade instead.

3 ingredients. A food processor. That's it folks! Don't think I can ever buy it from the store again. It's cheaper to make it at home as well. That's a big plus.

The taste of homemade Peanut Butter is unlike the store bought stuff. Much more of a nutty taste, fresh, and I know exactly what went into it. Amazingly simple to make.

Homemade Peanut Butter

Flat Belly Diet Cookbook

Makes about 1 cup



Stars of the Show:

• 2 cups shelled, roasted peanuts
• 1 tbsp peanut oil
• 1 tsp salt (optional) - My peanuts were unsalted so I added the salt.

And Action:

Process all ingredients in a food processor until smooth or to your desired texture. Make sure to use a rubber spatula to scrape down the sides on occasion. Transfer to a jar and keep in the fridge.