Chocolate Banana Hazelnut Butter

Who likes nutella?

I like nutella.  A lot.

Unfortunately, it's not exactly good for me.  At all.  Especially because I'm not a nutella on toast kind of girl.  Nope, I like my nutella pure... and on a spoon.

Because of it's far from healthful qualities I try to limit my nutella cumsumption to very rarely.  Sometimes, though, I crave a little bit of chocolate hazelnut action.  In comes homemade nut butter.

I've had my eye on this recipe for a while, and decided to finally make it a little while ago.  I was rather disappointed with the result though, because it did not taste like nutella.  Nor did it taste better in my opinion.  It wasn't that it was bad, it was just that it wasn't what I was looking for.

But, I did not give up.  Soon afterwards, I whipped up another batch of chocolate hazelnut butter, this time adding a twist of my own.  Banana.  I loved the sweetness it added, and although the resulting spread still didn't taste just like nutella, I loved how it did taste, and would not hesistate to make it again.

Chocolate Banana Hazelnut Butter

• 1 1/3 cup hazelnuts, roasted with skins removed (see notes on roasting here)
• 3 tbsp cocoa powder
• 1/2 large banana
• 1/3 cup milk (I used almond)
• pinch salt
• 1 tbsp powdered sugar (or more, taste to check)

Place hazelnuts in food processor (A vitamix should work too) and blend until they turn into a smooth butter.  This may take some time, and look like it will never happen, but just keep blending and you'll get there eventually.  Once smooth, add in add in banana and milk and process again until smooth.  Add in remainging ingredients and mix one more time until desired consistency is reached.  Transfer butter to a jar and store in fridge.  Your chocolate hazelnut butter may seem thin and drippy at first (which isn't necessarily a bad thing), but it will firm up once it's been in the fridge for a while.

If you've ever looked at the nutirition label on a jat of nutella, you probably know that there isn't much good to be found.  In just 2 tbsp or 37 grams, of the famed chocoalte hazelnut spread there are 200 calories, 11 grams fat, 32 grams carbs, and 21 grams sugar.  Yuck.

Not in this recipe though.  Here's the nutrition label for this one:

A very similar serving size, and yet there's less sugar, less fat, fewer carbs, fewer calories and more protein.  Oh yeah, and it also tastes reeeeaaaalllllly good.  How's that for a great deal?

(By that way, those nutrition facts are for 7 servings)

Revisited Recipe of the Day: 

Nutella Pudding

Easy Homemade Pumpkin Butter

So, yeah, more pumpkin.

What can I say?  I think I'm in love...

Just kidding.  I'm not that crazy.  I just happen to rarely use up the whole can of pumpkin in one recipe, causing me to make something different, causing me to eat it and, causing me to remember how amazing pumpkin is, causing me to open another can, causing the cycle to repeat itself.

Oh, wow.  It's only my second pumpkin post of the season and I'm already ranting like crazy.

That's probably because the two recipes that have been posted are just a few tiny little fraction of everything I've made.  Let's just say that the before mentioned cycle has been repeated, oh, I'd say around 4 times.  Perhaps that gives you a better idea of the amount of pumpkin dishes I've prepared.

You'd think I'd be tired of pumpkin by now, wouldn't you?

Definitely not the case.  I'm still going strong, and will probably get even stronger as soon as the really chilly weather rolls in.  In fact, I do believe that on the first truly fall morning, I'll be sure to spread some of this delicious pumpkin butter on my toast, and enjoy it with a big cup of steaming tea.  And then I'll probably make a good 12 more pumpkin desserts.

Mmmmm.  That day will certainly be a delicious one.

Super Easy Pumpkin Butter
(makes around 1 small jar, depending on how much you let the butter thicken)

• 1 cup pumpkin puree
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp allspice
• 1/4 tsp ginger
• pinch cloves
• 1-2 tbsp maple syrup (if you want a sweeter butter, use more)
• 3 tbsp apple cider vinegar

Mix all ingredients together in a small bowl.  Then, pour mixture into a small saucepan and bring to a boil over medium heat.  Reduce heat and simmer for 15-20 minutes, stirring often and scraping down sides to prevent sticking, until mixture has thickened into desired consistency.  I wanted my butter pretty thick so I let it simmer for a long time.  Remove from heat and allow to cool.  Store in an airtight container, or jar, in the fridge.  Some ideas on using your pumpkin butter include spreading it on toast, topping pancakes with it, stirring it into oatmeal, or just eating off a spoon.

The proof of how tasty this stuff is, is right in the pictures.  It tasted sooo amazing, that by the time I even got around to getting my camera out, the jar was more than half empty.  Yes, it's that yummy.  So good that even my shouts of "Don't eat that yet, I haven't taken pictures!" were ignored by my family members, as they dunked in their spoons.

Oh, well.  At least it proves that the recipe was a success.  A big success.  Try making it and I guarantee you, and your family members, won't be able to resist, either.

Revisited Recipe of the Day: 

Lemony Pound Cake