Just keep blending, Just keep blending... Making homemade Almond Butter!

 After seeing how expensive almond butter can be at the store, I decided to try to make my own. I was definitely set on it after I read at Detoxinista.com how EASY it is! (You can read about the nutritional benefits of almond butter in this little article here.)

I started with raw almonds from Trader Joe's. I hear you can also use roasted almonds, or roast them yourself at 350-degrees for 10 minutes. I might try this next time since I think it would begin to break them down and make the process faster.

All you have to do is put a cup or two in the food processor for a while and let it do all the work!!
**WARNING: They make a HUGE clattering noise the first few seconds of blending!!! (WOW, did it make all of us jump!!!)**

The instructions I read said they'd only need to be blended 10 minutes, but mine took 30... Perhaps because I kept stopping to take blogging pictures?

I also had to keep stopping it to knock the sides down. I started counting so I could tell you how many times I had to scrape the sides, but I stopped around 6 after 15-minutes or so... Let's just say I had to do it a lot.

After about 20 minutes it finally started sticking together...

Then clumping...

And finally blending...

After 30-minutes on-the-dot it became creamy!

I let it go another minute or two to get it nice and smooth...

It looks like there might still be lumps or bits of nut, but when you pinch it between your fingers it is smooth and pasty.

I started with 2-cups of raw nuts and ended up with about a cup of nut butter. I'll be using it in smoothies and baking. I'm particularly excited to use it in this Grain Free & Gluten Free muffin recipe!