Friday night is family movie night at our house. We love snuggling on the couch with the kids to watch a great movie...talking animals, spies, superheroes...the stuff I never fully appreciated before becoming a parent. Popcorn was always part of our watching experience before we went paleo. I've been seeking a satisfying substitute for months. Something crunchy, nutty, sweet, and salty. The obvious answer would be apples and almond butter. But the raw organic almond butters, while great in recipes, do not have enough flavor for me to consider it a treat. I love Jason's Maple Almond Butter, but that's a cheat that I'm trying to avoid. So I decided to create my own paleo almond butter. It's sweetened with dates and has just a touch of sea salt. Try it...it totally tastes like you're cheating, but you're not!
Ingredients
1 cup raw organic creamy almond butter (warm it and mix to soften, if needed)
1/2 cup dates
1 Tbsp coconut oil, liquified
1/4 tsp sea salt
Preparation
 |
Consistency of dates before
adding almond butter, etc. |
- Pulse dates in a food processor until finely chopped.
- Add almond butter, coconut oil, and salt; process until smooth.
- Enjoy with your favorite dippers (apples, bananas, pears, etc.).
I thought the kale chips you made for the superbowl were a good popcorn substitute. Salty and crunchy.
ReplyDeleteI love that you showed what the dates should look like when processed...sometimes they end up gummy if you process too much.
ReplyDeleteThe kale chips are a great sub, Mike. Thanks for reminding me of that! I guess I don't think of them because I don't always keep kale on hand. Now that summer is on the way, our CSA keeps us well stocked with kale. I'll have to post that recipe. Yum! We always have apples and almond butter on hand though so this dip is a quick way to satisfy my cravings.
ReplyDeleteGood point, Mom. Dates can be tricky. If you process them to the point in the picture, then add the rest of the ingredients, they blend to an almost smooth consistency. Also, I find if the dates are cool, they process a little better. It's also important to check that all the pits are out. I almost broke my food processor when a date pit lodged into the blade!
ReplyDeleteWhat can you use instead of the coconut oil? My son is allergic to it and I'm just not sure what to use as a substitute. Thanks!
ReplyDeleteHi, Teri! Give it a try with almond or another nut oil like macadamia. It should work fine! I'd love to hear back from you to see how it turns out.
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