There is a certain food that holds such a pleasant place in my heart, and I have to say I have attempted to wish it away a million times, but I just keep coming back to it: Peanut Butter.  Ooooo, the yummy, sticky, gooey, creaminess of peanut butter.  On ice cream…on chocolate…in shakes…by the spoonful.  There is no wrong way to eat some peanut butter.

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The problem I have today is that the majority of peanut butter brands on the shelf now contain all kinds of icky ingredients like high fructose corn syrup, sugar in significant amounts, oils, and a host of other not necessary things.  What happened to good old fashioned, straight peanut butter without all the added yuck?  Oh, that’s right, to get it the natural way we have to pay more money…does anyone else find it strange we pay more for less food manipulation?  Anyway….

Well, today I am going to show you how to make the MOST delicious homemade peanut butter in the comfort of your home, preferably with a VitaMix.  If you do not own a VitaMix or equivalent blender, proceed at your own risk.  I do not know the power of other motors, but the VitaMix is a definite pro at handling this recipe!  In fact, this is the item that sold my dear husband on our buying the VitaMix almost 8 years ago.  You see, my husband had HATED peanut butter all his life…with a vengeance.  For real…hated it!  He thought it was the nastiest thing.  I, on the other hand, grew up with a mother, older brother and twin sister who all shared a devout devotion to peanut butter, including my brother’s preference for dipping pretzels into it as a regular snack (Ok, so back then I did not know what healthy eating was really all about…can you blame me?)  The idea that my husband HATED peanut butter was insane to me…madness!  I mean, who hates peanut butter?

But I digress…so, we were at a store one day where there was a VitaMix display going on.  I had never seen one before and was fascinated by everything this amazing machine could do (“it slices, it dices, it washes itself, it’s the amazing VitaMix!!!!” :::haaarrrhhhh…the crowd goes wild:::).  My husband, ever the skeptic, was not quite as enamored.  He did not think we needed the machine…and then the salesman brought out the big guns.  He made fresh peanut butter.  I was in heaven :::dreamy eyed and everything::: but, of course, my husband was nonplussed, until I made him taste just a smidgen.  His eyes just lit up!  “THIS is peanut butter?!  Ok, now THAT is peanut butter!”  And so began our love relationship with the VitaMix…and we all lived happily ever after, the end.  =0)

Trim Healthy Mama Does Homemade: Peanut Butter

But seriously, enough about the amazing VitaMix (post for another day), back to homemade peanut butter.  First, it is SUPER simple, if you have a machine powerful enough to process it.  I know it can also be made in a food processor, but I do not vouch for the creamy, amazing texture that you get with the high powered blender.  And, total bonus, this is an absolute Trim Healthy Mama friendly version of peanut butter, because it has pretty much nothing in it but peanuts…and salt.  That is all!  Whoop!  So, now, the recipe, and picture show for your enjoyment:

What You Will Need:

• Preferably high-powered blender, or food processor…process with caution with anything else
• Container of Roasted, Salted Peanuts (whatever amount of salt you like…I buy the canisters of roasted peanuts from Costco, pictured above)
• A spoon, spatula, or ladle to devour it afterwards
• A container to keep it in, if you’re the kind to practice self-control in these things….

Directions:

1.  Pour about 4 cups of peanuts into machine.

2.  Turn on machine and quickly move from low to highest speed setting.  Tamper peanuts down to help press them into the blades.  You will hear the engine making deep whirring sounds and see the peanuts chopping and beginning to cream up.  After about a minute or so, you will notice the consistency change drastically to become more like crunchy peanut butter and the engine sound will change to a more deep, harsher sound.  Once this happens, just leave the tamper in the butter and let the machine do the rest.

3.  After about 2-3 minutes, the engine sound will change again to a higher pitched sound and you will see the creamy peanut butter running smoothly in the machine, creating the four hills in the corners of the VitaMix (may be different for other machines).  Now, you can go through the turning off of the machine (work backwards in speed until slowest, then turn off).

4.  Remove tamper and look at your beautiful peanut butter!

5.  If you are the kind to desire to store this…now’s the time to grab your spatula and begin pouring the butter in.  Make sure you scrape the sides really, really, really well.  Don’t miss any of that luscious goodness!  (In my house, them’d be fightin’ words….  When I make peanut butter, the crowds start a’comin’…)

6.  And there you have it!  Creamy, delicious, homemade peanut butter without all the added ingredients.  Nothing like making staples like this at home to help us stay healthy and happy.

Final Notes: If you want to make more to fill a container, or second batch, just follow the same procedures.  Once ready to clean your machine, remember that peanut butter is notoriously sticky, so expect it to be a bit more hands on with the cleaning.  VitaMix users can still get a good amount of it cleaned with the water/soap wash in the machine, but you will still want to give it a good scrub in the sink to make sure the blades and sides get completely cleaned of peanut butter.  Enjoy!

There’s no Wrong Way to Eat Peanut Butter…

What is your favorite way to enjoy peanut butter?  I’d love to hear your comments below!
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