We don't eat a lot of nut butters but we always have some around for a quick snack with a banana or corn thin. And we use them in dressings, sauces and different recipes.

One thing that has always struck me about the nut butters is their cost. They aren't cheap. I experience mild sticker shock when I see this little 365g bottle costing $14. So when I discovered that I could make my own with the nuts I buy at wholesale, I thought I'd give it a try.

Join me to hear more.

We find we save 25%-30% on the cost of nut butters when we make our own. All the nuts but peanuts, that is. There it's about breakeven, so the commercial producers must be getting their peanuts really cheap.

Beyond the cost savings though, I enjoy making it for a number of reasons. The first is that I love creating with food. So it's fun just to make it. I can combine different nuts and seeds to get "custom" blends. And I can make it crunchy or smooth, thick or runny, roasted or raw, depending on my interest at the time. Lots of variety.

From a nutritional standpoint, when made fresh, the delicate unsaturated fats that begin to oxidize when processed haven't oxidized as much, so it's more like eating the whole food in its natural state.

Plus, we keep it in the fridge and make just enough to last a month or so, which means it's always eaten fresh. This also means that the oil never separates and needs to be stirred back in.

Nuts are also a good source of protein. So if you're looking to add some protein to a meal this can help. 2 tablespoons of almond butter contains 7 grams of protein, which is the same protein in 2 1/2 cups of cooked kale.

And, although there are lots of brands that use only nuts as the sole ingredient, when you make yours at home, you're sure there's no added sugar, salt, oil, emulsifiers or preservatives that can be found in some commercial brands.

There are lots of ways to use nut butters. As a snack we like them spread on a rice cake or corn thin. Or even straight onto a banana or slices of apple as well as celery or even a carrot.

They're a wonderful addition to a smoothie that adds creaminess, protein, healthy fats and satiety.

We also use them in our recipes for Thai-style sauces, peanut sauces for noodles, salad dressings and an African peanut stew.

And don't forget the baking. They are a great addition to cookies (think peanut butter cookies), brownies, energy balls and granola bars.

Also, a small side benefit is that there is less packaging waste because we store ours in glass jars that we reuse.

So, we're loving it. But keep in mind, nut butters are calorie-dense foods, even though they’re nutritious. 2 tablespoons contains 190 calories, so they work best as part of meals rather than endless spoonful snacking — which is admittedly tempting with fresh homemade batches.

Give it a try and let us know what you think.

To your Amazing Health,

Bill and Connie

Homemade Nut Butter

You can use any nut: almonds, cashews, walnuts, peanuts or just about any other nut or seed. And you can make it raw or roasted. The raw has a little more nutritional value but not much. It’s definitely a taste preference, which means roasted for us.

We usually start with 1½ - 2 cups of nuts. This can be adjusted to any amount depending on how long you plan to keep it around. We like to make just enough for 4-6 weeks, so it’s always fresh.

Roasted Nut Butter

If starting with raw nuts, preheat oven to 350º. If you’re starting with roasted nuts, they should be dry roasted, not in oil, and you can skip this first step of roasting.

1½ - 2 cups nuts

Spread the nuts out evenly on a baking sheet.

Bake for 7 minutes, tossing halfway through.

Let them sit for 10 minutes so they’re not hot, but still warm (blending them while slightly warm will help blend them more easily).

Blend in a food processor. This will require some patience. You’ll want to scrape the edges and the bottom of the food processor several times before reaching a smooth consistency. The longer you blend it, the smoother it gets.

Custom Blends:

Instead of using just one type of nut, try blending several:

Almond and walnut

Peanuts and sesame

Cashews and pecans

And you can add flavourings like cinnamon or cacao, even a pinch of chipotle or a bit of coconut. A classic is Hazelnuts and cacao (think Nutella).