It’s national Nutella Day!!
This may have been my greatest idea yet. Are you ready for it?
In eating healthier and avoiding bad fats, you always need to make sure you including lots of delicious good fats, like homemade almond butter, avocados, and coconut oil in your diet. I am not exaggerating when I say I make homemade nut butter at least once a week. I don’t know what happens. One moment, the jar is full, and a few days later, it has disappeared!
So I went to go make my normal weekly raw almond butter, but then saw hazelnuts, and thought, mmmm, homemade Nutella! But it got better. Then I saw 2 ripe bananas that needed to be dealt with. Usually I just cut these up and freeze them (my favorite snack!), but today, a genius idea came into my mind.
With wanting to make a healthy version of nutella (yes, sorry but nutella has some unnecessary ingredients), I decided to make my own version free of any sugar, and use bananas to sweeten instead!
And guess what? Just turns out that when doing this, I cut the calories waaay down as well!
What you’re about to see below is what I would like to call “Not-tella”. What kind of name is that you may ask? Well, this is surely not that name brand Nutella (in a good way!).
Normal Nutella Ingredients from greatest to least: SUGAR, OIL, hazelnuts, cocoa, skim milk, whey, soy emulsifier, and artificial flavor. SAY WHAT?! hazelnuts is the only the THIRD most prominent ingredient?! and 200 calories per 2 tablespoons?
My healthy version? so much better. About only 80 calories per 2 tablespoons! And yes, hazelnuts is certainly the most prominent ingredient here! Absolutely no sugar added!!
I think I died and tasted a bit of heaven when licking the spoon the first time. I could eat this whole batch. But I won’t. Let’s just hope it makes it through the week 🙂
I also used this banana technique with some almonds a little while back instead of hazelnuts, one with and one without cocoa powder in it. This I would like to call Healthy Chocolate Banana Bread Butter and Banana Nut Muffin Butter. Why? Well, it’s a nut butter, it has bananas, and tastes like a delicious, creamy butter version of banana bread!
If you try one thing tomorrow, this must be it. You will be SO thankful you did.
Chocolate Banana Bread Butter (healthier chocolate almond butter)
- 2 cups Hazelnuts (or almonds for other variety!)
- 1 very large, [u]very ripe[/u] Banana
- 4 tablespoons Cocoa Powder
- 2 teaspoons Vanilla Extract
- Optional: add raw stevia/honey for a more sweet taste if desired, or add more ripe banana!
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Spread hazelnuts on baking sheet and bake for about 10 minutes or until fragrant
- Place nuts into food processor and blend until nuts release natural oils and a smooth butter forms (this will take some time, about 5-10 minutes, be patient!)
- Once blended into butter, add in 1 large ripe banana and vanilla.
- Blend again and add in cocoa powder.
- Blend once more. Enjoy!
- Makes about 1.5 cups. Keep refrigerated.
For Banana Nut Variety: Leave out cocoa powder. Add 1/4 cup chopped almonds after all blending is done (for a banana NUT muffin taste!)
For Chocolate Banana Bread: Add 3 tablespoons Cocoa Powder and use almonds instead of hazelnuts!
Blend the nuts into butter first
Add chopped banana and blend
Banana Nut Muffin Butter Variety!
Banana Health Benefits:
1)High in potassium which prevents muscle cramping
2)counteracts calcium loss
3)Helps overcome depression because of Tryptophan
4)Heightens your mood, relieve PMS, and cause relaxation
5)High in B6 which prevents swelling and aids in weight loss
6)Rich in pectin which aids in digestion
7)High in fiber
8)Makes you more alert
Hazelnut Benefits:
1) Rich in healthy unsaturated fats that are good for your heart and lowering cholesterol
2) High in magnesium, an important mineral that regulates calcium in muscles and prevents soreness, cramps and fatigue
3) Contains alpha-tocopherol type of vitamin E which decreases risks of some cancers
4) Rich in vitamin E which protects your skin from harmful UV rays
5) Helps bone and joint health because of the high Magnesium content
6) Rich in vitamin B6 which amino acids require and is vital for your nervous system functioning
7) High in manganese, an enzyme acitvator and catalyst in synthesis of fatty acids and cholesterol. This aids in protein and carbohydrate metabolism.
8) Rich in not only B6, but B1(thiamin),B2(riboflavin), B3(niacin), B5(pantothenic acid), and B9(folic acid). B vitamins play an important role in breaking down proteins, fats, and carbohydrates and providing us energy. B vitamins are also known to decrease anxiety, depression and stress levels.
Almond Healthy Benefits:
1)Relief from respiratory disorders
2)Aids in hair, skin and dental care
3)Improves digestion
4)Can relieve coughs
5)Good for those with diabetes
6)Heart Healthy