Why It’s A Smart Choice
Nut and seed butters are a great alternative to peanut butter. I love peanut butter and it does have nutritional benefits but it is high in omega 6 fatty acids. For most people the ratio of omega 6 to omega 3 in their diets is too high. This imbalance can lead to inflammation in the body.
So switch it up sometimes and try this nut butter!
Pecans for health!
Eating nuts on a daily basis can reduce a person’s risk of developing diabetes, and heart disease. Many components found in nuts (fibre, monounsaturated fats, anti-oxidants, phytonutrients, etc) are thought to contribute to keeping nut-eaters healthy.
This is an example of why it’s important to eat whole foods as much as possible instead of food extractions found in supplements. The components all work together to provide a health benefit!
What is vanilla powder & where can I find it?
Vanilla extract is made by placing crushed vanilla beans in a solution of alcohol and water. This draws out the flavour compounds from the bean into the solution. The whole thing is filtered and you are left with a concentrated vanilla flavoured solution.
In contrast, vanilla powder is made by pulverizing whole vanilla beans into a fine powder. The powder provides an advantage over the extract.
- The flavour is more concentrated. As such, you don’t need to use as much. In recipes calling for vanilla extract, you can use 1/4 the amount.
- The flavour compounds in the alcohol extract evaporate when heated. You can add the powder to your recipes, confident that you won’t be losing the flavour!
- The powder will not add liquid to your recipe. The pecan butter is runnier than other nut butters. I wanted to add a vanilla flavour but not make it even runnier!
Vanilla powder can be found in specialty stores. Or, even easier, you can order it online
If you give this recipe a go, let me know! Leave a comment, rate it, or snap a photo and tag it with #smartnutritionrecipes on Instagram! I’d love to see your creations! Knowing someone has enjoyed one of my recipes always makes my day brighter.
Vanilla & Toasted Pecan Butter
Ingredients
- 2 cups pecans
- 2 teaspoons vanilla powder
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Place the pecans in a single on a baking sheet.
- Toast in oven for 3-4 minutes. They will be done when you can start to smell the sweet aroma of toasted pecans and have turned a more golden colour.
- Keep an eye on the pecans as they turn quickly from toasted to burnt!
- Allow the pecans to cool to room temperature the place them, along with the vanilla powder, into a high powered blender or food processor.
- Follow your machine's instructions for processing nuts.
Notes
- This nut butter is runnier than most other recipes. If you'd like it to be thicker, try adding 1/4 cup of coconut oil.
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Thanks, for taking the time to answer. Yes, Makes perfect sense. I’m glad the recommendations have loosened up!
No problem!
And yes, the new recommendations make feeding babies a lot easier!
Hi Jessica,
Corinna sent me over this way… I am having fun looking over your site!
I have a six month old baby and am starting to give her solid foods in the last few days–just whatever we happen to be eating at the table (pre-chewed meat, avocados etc)–but nothing is really going down yet, which I expected.
I am curious about feeding her nut butters. Have the “rules” changed since I had my older children (8 and 10 years ago)? I never really followed the rules then but I do think I waited with nuts. However, I would love to feed my baby toasted pecan butter.
Thanks for your thoughts and for sharing such great info here!
Tricia
Hey Tricia!
Nice to “meet” you. I’ll have to thank Corinna for mentioning the blog to you!
In terms of allergies, the recommendations would have changed from 8-10 years ago. Now, once a baby starts solids between 4 and 6 months, there’s not need to avoid the top allergens such as nuts, peanuts, egg whites, seafood, etc. But, there are a few foods to avoid for safety reasons. As far as nut butters go, the texture is quite challenging for a 6 month old so it’s not recommended to feed it straight up or even spread onto toast or crackers. You could, however, mix it in with baby cereal or bake it into muffins, etc. Does that make sense?