Recipe

Homemade Peanut Butter

Accompanying article: Peanuts

Makes about ¾ cup.

While nuts and seeds are digestible raw, a peanut is a legume, and as with all legumes, it requires cooking to make it fully digestible and to bring out its flavor. Therefore, most peanuts are sold preroasted. If you buy raw, shelled peanuts, roast them by spreading them in a thin layer on a baking sheet and baking at 300°F for about 20 minutes. Stir a couple of times to ensure even roasting. For unshelled peanuts, roast them for about 25 minutes, then cool and shell. The advantage of self-roasting is heightened flavor and freshness.

You can also pan-toast shelled peanuts in a wok or a thin sauté pan. Stir constantly over high heat for a few minutes, until the peanuts become aromatic and start to turn color. Reduce the heat to low and continue stirring for 5 minutes, or until the peanuts are uniformly golden.

For a flavor boost, and to increase digestibility, add ¼ teaspoon cinnamon to your peanut butter.

1 cup roasted organic peanuts
1/4 teaspoon sea salt
1 tablespoon unrefined vegetable oil

Place the peanuts and salt in a food processor, blender, meat grinder or nut butter machine and process until the nuts are finely ground. Add the oil and continue processing until the peanut butter reaches your desired degree of smoothness, adding more oil if necessary. For chunky peanut butter, stir in 1/4 cup roasted, chopped peanuts. Store, tightly covered, in the refrigerator.

May you be well nourished,

Rebecca Wood