Maneuvering your way through what nuts you can eat and what nuts you can’t is a tricky talent on a lectin-limited diet. For one, nuts that are actually legumes – peanuts & cashews – are definitely “restricted.” Most tree nuts – walnuts, hazelnuts, pecans, and more – are accepted, but you gotta be careful, because certain people (such as myself) can be hyper-sensitive to some of these. Then, you’ve got nuts that are actually seeds, such as almonds, which are accepted on a lectin-limited diet, right?
Well, not exactly.
Almonds may be the trickiest to understand because they do contain lectins, but those lectins can be removed. Unbeknown to many for a long period of time, the skin of almonds actually contain lectins.I can personally attest to my sensitivity of this lectin – the moment I eat a couple spoonfuls of almond butter, I feel my stomach rumbling and my inside’s turning. While it’s not the worst pain in the world, I can tell that my body would rather have it “out of the building.”
Fortunately though, there’s more to the story – the peel of almonds can be removed to create whole, slivered, or blanched sliced almonds. Marcona almonds are a different breed of almonds grown primarily in Spain, which are usually sold blanched, thus making them lectin-free as well.
It’s also possible to blanch your own almonds by dropping raw almonds into boiling water for a minute, draining them, and then popping the skins off. However, the process is tedious, time consuming, and heck, I’d rather just buy blanched almonds from the store, as they’re not usually much more expensive than raw almonds.
Blanched almonds are sweeter, creamier in flavor, and often a little bit firmer than regular almonds, due to the added step of boiling and dehydrating them. Just like regular almonds, they can be transformed into a miraculous butter. What does that process look like, you ask? Simple! Pop them into a food processor with coconut oil and blend until they’re creamy!Okay, that may be a little over simplified because there are a few techniques that come in handy along the way, but it’s nothing that a 7 year old wouldn’t be able to figure out.
I’ve tried to make blanched almond butter without coconut oil, but no matter how long I blend the nuts, they just don’t break down into a smooth paste. With the addition of a small amount of coconut oil they’re able to form a thick & creamy butter – plus the coconut oil compliments the nuts’ subtle sweetness.
While it’s possible to make other lectin-free nut butters using pecans, pistachios, brazil nuts, or other tree nuts, blanched almonds are by far the most affordable option out of all of these. Plus, this butter is versatile, naturally sweet, sits well with people who are sensitive to tree nuts, AND you can make sugar-free cookie dough balls out of the stuff!
Who can refuse healthy cookie dough?
Other uses for this butter include: eating it by the spoonful, putting it into smoothies, swapping it for regular almond butter, spreading it onto toast, and turning it into creamy sauces.
Nutritionally speaking, two tablespoons or 1 oz of this butter (coconut oil included) contains about 175 calories, 15.75 grams of fat (2.5 of which are saturated), 6 grams of protein, 1 gram of sugar, 3 grams of fiber, and 6 grams of carbs. This butter adds a filling kick to whatever you’re eating, a dose of healthy fats, as well as a fair amount of fiber.
All in all, blanched almond butter is:
- Easy to make
- Requires only two ingredients
- A lectin-free alternative to cashew & almond butter
- Filling, subtly sweet, smooth, and creamy
- Keto-friendly, Plant Paradox-friendly, Vegan, and Paleo
We hope you guys enjoy this simple, every day pantry staple! If you like what your taste buds are tellin’ ya, leave behind a nice rating, share your thoughts with us in the comments, or show us your creations by tagging@noeggsorhamon Instagram.
Go Forth & Devour,
Ryan
How to Make Blanched Almond Butter
- Servings: 16 oz or 2 cups
- Difficulty: Easy
Blanched almonds & coconut oil are transformed into a creamy, sweet, and versatile nut butter that's filling, lectin-free, and rich in healthy fats!
Ingredients
- 16 oz (about 3 1/2 c) blanched slivered almonds
- 2 tbsp (28 g) virgin coconut oil
Directions
- Add blanched almonds and coconut oil to the bowl of a food processor. Blend on low speed for 10 minutes, stopping every 3 minutes to scrape down the sides with a spatula.
- After 10 minutes, blend on medium speed – still scraping down the sides every 3 minutes – until the mixture is smooth, thick, and creamy; about 5-10 more minutes.
- If your almonds haven’t broken down at that time, continue to blend until they become creamy; it could take another 10 minutes.
- Transfer nut butter to an airtight container, such as a 16 oz mason jar, and store at room temperature for up to a month. (You may be able to store it longer than that, but I’ve never had it last that long).
- Use in smoothies, sauces, in place of almond or cashew butter, or make sugar-free cookie dough balls out of it!
*The size of your food processor has an effect on the way the almonds are processed, as you need enough almonds for the blades to break them down into butter. Our food processor holds 8 cups, which is about standard sized. Any less almonds than 1 pound, then they wouldn’t likely break down into butter. If you have a 6 or 7 cup food processor, they may break down even quicker. If you have a larger food processor, you may need to add more almonds for the blades to have an effect.
*I’ve never tried this in a Vitamix, but if your Vitamix has the ability of making nut butters, then it should be able to work for this too.
