Tuesday, October 18, 2011

Don't Pay For Peanut Butter, Make and Flavor Your Own!

Have you noticed that peanut butter prices have soared? And apparently they are going to start increasing even more pretty soon. Strangely, I haven't heard anything about actual peanut prices going up (have you?) so why not make your own peanut butter?! If you have a food processor it's much easier, but I'd be willing to bet (although I've never tried) that a Magic Bullet or blender would work just as well, it may just take longer.


Gina's Spicy Peanut Butter

Ingredients

16 ounces roasted, unsalted peanuts
2 tsp. cayenne pepper



Directions
Pour peanuts into food processor. Use the large chopping blade and turn the food processor on. Keep the processor running for about a minute, then turn off, take off the lid, and scrape the edges. Do this all again about 4-5 times, or until you have a peanut buttery consistency.



At this point you can add:

- Cayenne
- Cinnamon
- Pumpkin spice
- Chocolate powder
- Vanilla
- Any other ideas?

I chose to add cayenne (2 tsp);


Mix well to allow the cayenne to evenly distribute throughout the peanut butter.

And now we have some spicy peanut butter in our fridge! We've been adding it to PB&Js, granola, and I'm hoping to make some spicy peanut sauces with it soon.

I'm pretty sure cayenne has been shown to speed up metabolism. Who knows by how much, but hey, any help we can get is good (I should say natural help we can get)!


QUESTION: Have you ever made your own peanut butter? Will you stock up on peanut butter before the prices go even higher in November? Will you visit all local grocery stores and buy all the post-Halloween Reece's Peanut Butter Cups like Nick and I do every year? :)

14 comments :

  1. our food processor is TINY but I wonder if it would still work for this? Thanks for the great idea!

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  2. I make my own almond butter, I like playing with the different variations. However, I don't know why I haven't thought to make pumpkin spice flavor! I know what I'm doing today :)

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  3. I've never tried making my own. I still am on the unhealthy peanut butter bandwagon. I just love the creamy consistency...the organic kinds are very gritty.

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  4. I've never actually made my own PB but it looks simple enough; I love your spicy idea though. My sister is a hugeeee peanutbutter-phile so I need to let her know to stock up; I love PB but I only remember I love it when I'm eating it otherwise I can possibly live without it (or at least live with other nut butter substitutes)

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  5. I just heard about the peanut butter price hike!! this is bad news for my bank account, i can't live without it!

    thanks for sharing this great idea

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  6. I've made lots of nut butters...but for some reason, not peanut butter! I like the idea of adding spices and flavors too!

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  7. Oh no my beloved peanut butter!! It's crazy but I eat about 1-2 tbsp every day lol Guess our grocery budget is going up! Did you ever hear about pb being toxic? containing aflatoxin or something like that? I saw it referenced Dr. Weil, but I've never heard of that.
    I've never made my own because TJ's is so smooth and toasty, but I would like to get a vitamix and make some :)

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  8. I bought myself a BlendTec a couple months ago and have yet to make my own almond or peanut butter. Thank you for reminding me to do so, Gina. I love the green smoothies I've been making with it, but it's time to step my game up!

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  9. I have never made peanut butter, but I have made almond butter before. I love that you added cayenne to your peanut butter. I bet it'll be fantastic in a peanut sauce!

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  10. Interesting idea- I've never heard of spicy peanut butter, but I do like the idea of making my own! I might add pumpkin spice to mine, yum!

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  11. I grind my own...at Whole Foods. Love the cayenne addition though. I don't do Reeces but love PB and Co's Dark Chocolate Dreams choc PB. Insane. Also regarding Michael Pollan, he had said unlikely wheat had changed but went on to say how rice had, that was the contradiction (ha in case you were still wondering).

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  12. Absolutely hooked on Koeze brand for an all-natural NON-gritty peanut butter! But I must admit you certainly have intrigued me ;) maybe once we run out of the 4 jars we just stocked up on, haha.

    Great job! Love the creativity :)

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  13. oooh good idea with spicy pb! I LOVE my magic bullet even though she is the cheap kind- I would say that from what I've used it for, peanut butter would be easy to make ( harder to clean off the blade...but) using one of the better bullet/magic mixers.

    Funny story- I was traveling for work out west and stopped in the grocery store out there ( for work to see the store our Agent uses to buy groceries for our program) and I saw they had peanut butter makers. I made honey roasted peanuts peanut butter - to die for! I ate it post-spontaneous Appalachian Trail run. So clutch.

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  14. Ooooo! I love the sound of that spicy peanut butter! That's something I wouldn't have thought of doing! I love cayenne, though! And good for glucose!

    I have made my own nut butters a time or two, but I don't use much nut butter. I know, I'm like the anti-blogger. I like the stuff, but it's not my absolutely favorite or anything...I know, I'm crazy!

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