Sunbutter

Like many others, I've been trying to cut back on processed food. My husband Sam is allergic to nuts but he can eat Skippy brand peanut butter without a problem usually (it makes him itchy sometimes, but it's not life-threatening). He loves pb&j's and peanut butter cookies, but my thought is, if Skippy is so processed that someone allergic to nuts isn't allergic to it anymore, maybe it's a bit too processed. So I've been thinking about sunflower seed butter, but it's expensive at the store. So I set out to make my own. I don't have in process pics but there are some great ones at Peas and Thank You. I don't have a food processor either, or a high-powered blender, but my trusty ol' Oster did the job. Mine doesn't have any added oil but I did add a bit of salt and just a hint of honey (or agave, or maple syrup, or just sugar).

Ingredients:

• 1.5 cups roasted sunflower seeds
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp honey or other sweetener

Directions:

1. Add the seeds and the salt to your blender and start blending.
2. When the mixture gets stuck and isn't moving through the blender, stop and push it around (I did this with a butter knife).
3. The seeds will get ground up and then will start getting a bit clumpy.
4. At this point, I stopped the blender and did some errands, because the blender was getting overheated.
5. Then blend some more, still stopping a lot to push things around. It will start getting really smooth.
6. Add the sweetener and blend some more. It should get smooth and creamy. If it never gets smooth, add a tablespoon or 2 of a neutral tasting oil.
7. Transfer to a jar and use like you would peanut butter. Enjoy!

Thanks, Trina!

A few days ago I found out that I won a blog giveaway. I've never won anything like this before (neither had my husband until last October when he won a Whole Foods giftcard at the Texas State Veggie Fair). Anyway, I was super duper excited to be getting such an amazing box of goodies from Trina at Your Vegan Mom, and even more excited when the package showed up my doorstep this afternoon! 

I had some of the Sweetriot chocolate while perusing the 4 cookbooks she included. There's also The China Study, which I've been wanting to read, delicious-looking homemade brownies, some homemade coconut cake body scrub that smells wonderful, coupons for Quorn products and Tribe hummus, and a sweet little note.

I've been sewing today (that's something I do a lot-- I'll be re-launching my etsy shop soon), and soon I'll workout and make some lentil tacos for dinner from a recipe I've had my eye on over at Runner's World, and wait for my awesome husband to get back from work. All in all, I'd say it's been a really great day.