Who doesn’t love nut butter? Okay actually I shouldn’t say that, because.. I’ve been there. I’m very back and forth, going through a jar in a week, then not eating it for a few weeks. But I always return to it (throwback to the first time I made it!!)

When I was a kid, I was the same way. Peanut Butter was my JAM. On a spoon or on a sandwich (can you say uncrustables?! loved),, but only to a certain degree. You know how people normally put the PB on both sides of the bread? Yeah, no. Not here. Jelly/fruit on both sides. Oh, I also used to hate almonds.

Annnnyways, as I’ve gotten older, I started to try new foods. Almond butter was nota first love. But- sprouted almonds were! I first tried them in the bulk section of WF. They are the same price as regular almonds, but at the time, I had heard that “sprouted” foods were better for you. Besides that, I loved them because they were “lighter” tasting & not as heavy. They kind of puff up, which makes them less dense. They also easily split into halves, which I think is funner to eat

The lowdown on sprouting almonds:
– the almonds are soaked in water for several hours, then dehydrated

The lowdown on sprouted almonds:
– sprouting increases the bioavailability of the minerals and nutrients in the nut. this means that it allows your body to absorbs the nutrients and use them better
– sprouting activates enzymes in the nut. nuts contain enzyme inhibitors, which block or denature metabolic and digestive enzymes.
– sprouting removes some of these inhibitors and improves overall nut digestion
– sprouting neutralizes some phytic acid, thus improving mineral absorption. phytic acid, over time, can bind to and block the absorption of calcium, magnesium, copper, iron and zinc.
– sprouted almonds are particularly high in B vitamins. they also contain good amounts of vitamin E, potassium and calcium.

More sources:
– http://foodmatters.tv/articles-1/the-benefits-of-soaking-nuts-and-seeds
– http://www.livingintentions.com/learn/ (the brand sold at WF)
– https://nuts.com/nuts/almonds/sprouted.html
– http://www.livestrong.com/article/401461-nutritional-facts-on-sprouted-almonds/

The process is super simple! Just about 5 ingredients, a bit of arm work, and you’ve got buttah!

(recipe)

Steeping the ginger in the jar you’re going to store the butter in helps to infuse the flavor in the jar. Once, I used an old pickled ginger jar to store homemade AB in, and it tasted amaaazing.

Plus, it’s so much cheaper! I discovered (the hard way), that I only like raw & crunchy AB. Not roasted, not raw creamy. It’s only made and sold by MaraNatha (which is SO GOOD but SO $$$$), and TJ’s, which is cheaper but seems to unreliable if it’s in stock. Save some $$ this way!

Now while the nut butter game may be up and down, I’ve had a long time love affair with ginger. That’s not going anywhere.

~Masala Girl
how are you with nut/seed butters? I tried sunbutter about a year ago and love it!
ginger- love or hate? favorite spice? besides ginger, I also love cinnamon!