3 Delicious DIY Ways to Use Nuts
Nuts may be the kind of food that are best and most commonly eaten as they are, perhaps lightly roasted and salted, but did you know that they are far more diverse in form than meets the eye? Nuts have truly evolved in recent years in stride with the rise in health concerns and the push towards a plant-based diet. Here are 5 sometimes unusual and unique ways to use nuts that keep you healthy and excited!
1. Nut Milk
Nut milk is easy to make yourself. Soak 1 cup of almonds overnight in water. The next day, drain and rinse the almonds and add them to a blender. Add 4 cups of filtered water and blend until the almonds are completely broken down. Strain through a cheese cloth to separate the pulp from the juice. Use the juice in place of regular milk in your favorite recipes!
2. Flourless Pie Crust
Nix the empty calories inherent in white flour and opt for a nut-based pie crust full of healthy fats and that nutty crunch and chew.
Flourless Pie Crust
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups almond/walnut/cashew meal
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 2/3 cup coconut oil
- 1/3 cup icy water
Directions
Combine the nut flour (you can use a food processor to make your own) and salt in a bowl. Stir in the coconut oil and mix until the mixture becomes course. Add the water a little at a time, mixing in between, until the mixture clumps to a door. Refrigerate until ready to use. Treat as any other pie crust and use it as a sub in your favorite pie dishes.
3. Nut Butter
Add 2 cups of nuts (roasted or raw) to a food processor and mix continuously until the mix becomes dusty. Use a spatula to push down the nuts clumped on the sides and mix again. Continue to mix, only stopping to scrape down the edges. Be patient. After 10-15 minutes, nut butter will form. You can add all sorts of flavors — vanilla, cinnamon, maple syrup, dried fruit, or chocolate — in a glass jar and use as you like. Enjoy!
Photo Credit: The Travelling Bum
Related on Organic Authority:
Sprouted Grains, Nuts and Seeds: Are they Healthier?
How to Use Hazelnuts, Macadamias, Pistachios and More Nut Recipes for Autumn
