Homemade Almond Butter

I am a fan of almost every nut butter out there, unfortunately when bought from most stores they include a ton of stuff, not stuff I particularly want in my nut butter! I had a friend who began making her own almond butter and found it was very easy, affordable, and DELICIOUS! Check it out!

Ingredients:
2 cups raw almonds
2 tbsp coconut oil

Directions:
1.) Preheat the oven to 375
2.) Bake almonds for approximately 6-8 min
3.) Put in food processor for about 10-15 minutes...scraping down the sides in the middle! Your will be able to see the texture change into almond butter. .  

TIPS:
*If it's not becoming oily you didn't blend long enough! *I added some cinnamon the other day and it was amazing!! 
*Store in a tightly closed container in the refrigerator for maximum freshness 

I hope you enjoy this delicious almond butter as much as I have! 

It is great on an apple or slice of Ezekiel bread. 

Recipe Makeover - Pecan Crusted Salmon

I love salmon, unfortunately about a year and a half ago, I caught food poisoning from some delicious salmon I ate out at a restaurant. This led to my food aversion of salmon for quite some time and now I am still very particular on where I consume salmon. I prefer cooking it myself now, but it is at the top of my list for healthy and delicious dinners! I saw a recipe for pecan crusted salmon in a southern living magazine, and knew I had to figure out a healthier alternative to this recipe, because it was absolutely delicious! So...check out this awesome recipe makeover! By simply replacing the large amount of butter used with coconut oil/butter cuts the calories greatly and makes a crispy crust.

Ingredients:
1 large salmon fillet or 4 per portioned fillets
3/4 cup chopped pecans
1/2 tsp dill
2 cloves garlic, minced
3 tbsp coconut oil (the thick texture similar to butter is necessary)
Salt & pepper to taste

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 400
2. Pulse pecans, dill, garlic, and oil, making a paste like texture
3. Season salmon with salt and pepper, top heavily with thick mixture in the center of each fillet. 
4. Bake uncovered for 18-20 minutes, or until salmon is cooked through, flakes with a fork. 
5. Serve immediately, I prefer serving with asparagus and wild rice.

The paste can be made in advance to top salmon and pop in the oven approx 30 minutes before serving dinner. 

I hope you enjoy this dinner as much as my family does!