There are some people who have serious peanut butter addictions- I am this way about almond butter. Or just generally almonds. I'm pretty sure if you search the word "almond" on this site, the majority of food-related posts will probably pop up.

I've found a way to put it in baked goods, protein bars, any type of fruit/yogurt bowl, and the best of all is smoothies. One of my favorite snacks is a plain banana with almond butter, and this is a frozenly delicious version of that. Whenever I'm fixin' for dessert involving something cold and sweet, this is my favorite go-to. It is also so filling, so sometimes I'll do this for breakfast and add a bit of protein powder or maca powder in there.

Everyone has different preferences with their nut butters- I personally like raw, organic, smooth almond butter. My favorites are from Once Again and MaraNatha (update- just discovered Once Again actually heats their almonds to slightly above 115º so they are changing their label from "raw" to "lightly toasted"). I like the consistency and the taste is the most pure since both brands don't add any salt or oils. I usuallyprefer the raw nut butter over roasted for the taste, but also the roasting process tends to kill off the natural enzymes in the nuts that aid in digestion. I have yet to try making my own almond butter at home, but perhaps that will be one of my next conquests...

Simple Almond-Butter Banana Smoothie

*makes 16-oz smoothie

Ingredients

1 Banana (frozen makes for better smoothie texture)

2 cups Almond milk (this is the one instance I prefer store bought because it tends to be thinner and this smoothie is thick enough for me as it is. Use homemade almond milk, and this feels like a rich milkshake if you prefer!

2 tbsp Raw Organic Smooth or Crunchy Almond Butter

Optional: Cacao nibs for a chocolatey hint

Recipe

1. Place all ingredients in a blender, and blend until smooth. 

Such a complicated recipe, isn't it?

Looking for more smoothies?