Homemade Sunbutter

We've been avoiding peanuts and tree nuts in our house for almost 2 years since finding out about our son's allergy. The one thing that I was the saddest to part with was peanut butter.

An easy replacement for peanut butter is sunbutter (it does taste different...so it's not an exact replacement). The jars at the store are expensive, so for awhile now I've been making my own.

Even if you don't have a peanut allergy in the house, I'd still encourage you to try making this. It's a delicious addition to a snack. It goes well with apples, bananas, celery, crackers, toast (with or without jelly), and of course a sunbutter and jelly sandwich.

When I make a batch of this, it doesn't last long because my kids just eat it up!

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When I first started making this, I was going off of this recipe. I've adapted the proportions a bit, so I'm going to re-post it according to how I make it.

I buy my sunflower seeds from our local shop that sells mostly dried goods (The Pantry Shoppe). I buy them shelled and unsalted.

Also, all the recipes I've come across use a food processor for making sunbutter. If you make it in a blender and it works, comment and let us know.

Sunbutter

2 cups sunflower seeds (shelled and unsalted)
1 tsp salt
2 Tbsp honey
4 Tbsp olive oil

Toast the seeds:

Spread the sunflower seeds out onto a large baking sheet. Bake them in the oven at 275 for 20-25 minutes (you don't want them too toasted, or they will dry out too much). Let the seeds cool completely.

10 Minutes in the Food Processor:

Combine the seeds and salt in the food processor. Let it run for about 5 minutes, stopping to scrape the sides down as needed.

At this point, the oils in the seeds have started to come out and it gets thicker and moister. Now add in the honey.

Let it go longer, continuing to stop and mix it up if it builds up on the sides. After about 7 to 9 minutes from when you started, add in the olive oil. Let it run for another 2 or 3 minutes. It should be really creamy.

Store in a container in the fridge. It will thicken a little, but it shouldn't get completely solid (should still be spreadable).

Tahini

Our half-used jar of Tahini

Tahini is a paste made from ground sesame seeds, usually found in Middle Eastern dishes. It's very nutritious and can be used in a lot of ways.

From MindBodyGreen, here are
10 Reasons to Eat Tahini:

1. It’s rich in minerals such as phosphorus, lecithin, magnesium, potassium and iron. 
2. It's a good source of Methionine, which aids in liver detoxification. 
3. It’s one of the best sources of calcium out there. 
4. It’s high in vitamin E and vitamins B1, B2, B3, B5 and B15. 
5. Helps to promote healthy cell growth. 
6. Prevent anemia. 
7. Helps to maintain healthy skin and muscle tone. 
8. It has 20% complete protein, making it a higher protein source than most nuts. 
9. It's easy for your body to digest because of its high alkaline mineral content, which is great for assisting in weight loss. 
10. It is high in unsaturated fat (good fat!)

Here's what it says on our bottle of Tahini:

High in protein and other nutrients, it is a flavorful base for appetizer spreads, a topping for pasta or falafel, or an ingredient in soups and salad dressings. Tahini is also ideal for desserts and confections such as halva.

We've been using our jar to make hummus and salad dressing. I thought I'd share these delicious recipes...

(just to be aware, the jar is expensive...around $7. But you'll certainly get a lot of use out of it.)

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Homemade hummus on a yellow pepper

Hummus

(original recipe is from allrecipes.com: Hummus...this is very well reviewed. We modified it only slightly)

2 cups canned chickpeas (or cooked chickpeas*)
1/3 cup tahini
2 Tablespoons lemon juice
1-2 cloves of garlic (or a sprinkle of garlic power)
1 tsp salt
sprinkle of paprika
1/4 cup olive oil 

In a food processor, combine all ingredients except olive oil. As it's mixing, slowly pour in the olive oil until smooth. Keep refrigerated.

*Instead of a can, buy some dried chickpeas (much more cost effective and no added salt). Soak them in water overnight, boil them in water for about 45 minutes. 

Easy Ways to Spice Up Hummus 

Hummus is great with veggies (like carrots, broccoli, bell pepper, cherry tomatoes, celery), bread, crackers and chips.

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Tahini Salad Dressing

(idea based off of a Rachael Ray recipe...but drastically simplified)

1/4 cup tahini
2 Tbsp soy sauce
drizzle of vegetable oil
sprinkle of lemon juice
sprinkle of white sugar

Mix together. Easily double or triple to keep on hand in the fridge.

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Broccoli and Cabbage Salad

Mix together:

- fresh broccoli
- red cabbage
- sesame seeds

(cashews and/or raisins would also be good)

Top with Tahini Dressing listed above.

Nut-free Granola Bars

I'm still looking to expand my "bag" of homemade snacks for the kids and I knew they would love granola bars (especially since we never buy them because of Noah's nut allergy).

I actually have never made granola bars before today and I was surprised at how easy it was. I found a nut-free recipe on allrecipes.com (called "Playgroup Granola Bars"). I followed it exactly except I didn't have any wheat germ. They are yummy.

When they came out of the oven, the edges were getting a nice golden-brown. They were still a little soft and the piece I took out was falling apart, but as they cooled they were fine to stay together as "bars."

I'm looking forward to trying them again with different dried fruits and maybe some chocolate chips :)

Chickpea Crunch

A week ago, I was poking around the internet looking for new snack ideas for the kids. I'm trying to break them - especially Noah - out of the crackers and raisins rut.

I wanted something nutritious, easy to prepare, and fun for them to eat. I found an idea on the Parenting magazine website. It's basically toasting chickpeas in the oven. We happen to have some, so I gave it a try.

We all loved them and they are so easy to make. Erin thought they tasted like popcorn.

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Read a little more about chickpeas and why they are so healthy for you. They're a great source of fiber, protein and iron.

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Chickpea Crunch

1 can of chickpeas (garbanzo beans)
olive oil
salt

Preheat the oven to 400.

Drain and rinse a can of chickpeas. Pat them dry with a paper towel.

In a mixing bowl, coat them with olive oil and sprinkle with salt. Put them on a greased baking sheet and bake for about 30 minutes. Stir them every 10 minutes to avoid burning.

They will continue to get crispier as they cool.

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Note: The second batch I made, I didn't let them get crispy enough coming out of the oven. So the next day they were a little soggy.

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Another option - which adds a layer of preparation - is using dry beans instead of buying them from a can. It's much cheaper, and the cans can have added salt (and maybe other things).

I just got done doing a batch that way and unfortunately, they didn't taste as good. BUT I'm not giving up...next time I'll just add some additional seasoning for more flavor.

If you want to do it this way:

1. Take as many beans as you want to use and soak them in water overnight - about 12 hours (don't add any salt to the water).
   
2. Put them in a pot - with a fresh batch of water - and cook them for 45min to an hour (bring to a boil and then simmer).
   
3. When they're done, drain the water, pat them dry and continue with the above recipe.

Happy snacking!

DIY: Homemade Crackers

As I further my quest to rid my family of highly processed foods kept around the house, I finally decided to tackle a staple around here: crackers. My children love crackers.

I went searching for something super easy to throw together that I wouldn't mind making about once a week (or however long a batch would last). I came across this recipe at allrecipes.com. I followed it exactly, but there were 2 major issues with it: they were bland and since the crackers are cut apart after baking, the outside ones get crispy but the inside ones stay soft.

After making some tweaks with each batch, I finally got them right on my fourth try. They are mild in flavor, so there is plenty of room to spice them up when we need to. But they do taste great, and my kids love them.

Whole Wheat Garlic Parmesan Crackers

1 3/4 cup whole wheat four
1 1/2 cup all-purpose four
2 tsp salt
2 Tbsp brown sugar
2 Tbsp Parmesan cheese
1 tsp garlic powder
1/3 cup olive oil
1 cup water

Preheat oven to 350.

In a medium bowl, combine dry ingredients. Add olive oil and water. Ball up the dough.

On a flat floured surface - I do mine on parchment paper - roll out the dough (I do about a third at a time). Roll it out thin, but not so thin that you can't transfer it to the baking sheet.

Using a knife or pizza cutter, cut the dough into squares.* Try to make them all roughly the same size so they cook evenly.

Transfer the squares to an ungreased baking sheet (they can be placed close together). Sprinkle with salt.

Bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until they start to get crispy. They will continue to get more crispy as they cool.

* I plan on trying to find a square cookie cutter to see if it makes it easier and faster to cut them out.

Make your own Popcorn

As usual, there are two reasons why making your own popcorn is better than buying microwave popcorn: it's cheaper and healthier.

Sean and I have been making our own for a while now. A post on Facebook prompted us to try it. We will never again go back.

The cost.

Here is a basic cost comparison between the two.

Examples of Microwave popcorn bought from Walmart (prices given on their website):

Orville Reddenbacher's "Movie Theater Butter" 10 pack - $5.18
Act II "Butter Lovers" 12 pack - $3.98

$.52 - .33 per bag

Homemade Popcorn Ingredients (per bag):

Popcorn - $.05
Brown Bag - $.02
Butter - $.13
Salt - $virtually_nothing

$.20 per bag

So not an earth-shattering difference, but cheaper none the less.

The ingredients.

When I went to foodfacts.com to get an ingredient list on microwave popcorn, I was surprised at how few ingredients they actually contain. Here's one example:

Act II "Butter Lover's"
Corn Popping, Palm Oil, Salt, Contains less than 2% of Flavors Natural & Artificial, Colors Added, TBHQ, Citric Acid

The obvious: It contains artificial flavors and colors that you won't get if you make it yourself. And I can almost guarantee you won't put as much salt and butter (well, oil in their case) on it as they do. So right there you're making yours a lot healthier.

The less obvious: What is TBHQ? On the foodfacts website, it's marked as a "controversial" ingredient. I did some minor research and quickly realized this is a preservative that I personally want to stay away from (even though the FDA says it's okay for me to have it in small doses...btw, a large does will kill you).

Article from naturalnews.com:

TBHQ - Why this preservative should be avoided

TBHQ is used in many foods...as well as in cosmetic and baby skincare products, varnish, lacquers and resins. It is used in the stabilization process of explosive compounds. The risks and side-effects of this preservative product far outweigh the benefit of it being used as a highly unsafe preservative ingredient.

Tertiary Butylhydroquinone, or TBHQ...is in fact a chemical preservative which is a form of butane. It is used in foodstuffs to delay the onset of rancidness and greatly extends the storage life of foods.

 A form of BUTANE...no thanks, I'll save that for my lighter fluid. 

Homemade Popcorn

1/4 cup kernels
small amount of vegetable oil
1 brown lunch bag
2 tbsp melted butter
sprinkle of salt

In a small bowl, coat kernels in oil. Put kernels into brown bag and fold top over. Microwave on high for 2 to 2 1/2 minutes (until pops are 2 seconds apart...you know the drill).

Melt butter and pour over popcorn. Salt. Enjoy!

Oatmeal Muffins

I love making quick breads: banana bread, zucchini bread, pumpkin bread (from a real pumpkin, not from a can), apple/carrot bread, etc. I have found a recipe that makes excellent bread - either as muffins or a loaf. I now use this as my base and then add whichever fruit/vegetable that I have on hand. And I love the texture that the oatmeal adds.

Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Zucchini Muffin

Oatmeal Muffins

1 stick butter (melted)
1 cup white sugar
2 eggs
1/4 cup milk
1 tsp vanilla
1 cup whole wheat flour
1 cup Old Fashioned oats
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
1 tsp cinnamon
2 mashed bananas OR 1 cup shredded zucchini OR 1 cup pureed pumpkin
optional: chocolate chips (raisins maybe?)

Preheat oven to 350.

With mixer, combine butter and sugar. Add eggs, milk and vanilla. Mix dry ingredients together and add to the wet ingredients.

Stir in bananas/zucchini/pumpkin (and chocolate chips if you're adding them).

For muffins: grease muffin tin, should make 12 muffins. Bake for 25 minutes or until knife comes out clean.

For a loaf: grease loaf pan. Fill 2/3 full. Bake for an hour or until knife comes out clean. I usually have some left over batter and am able to make an additional 6 or 7 muffins.

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see my Update on Oatmeal Muffins