Homemade Sunflower Seed Butter

Super simple. Smooth. Creamy and full of flavour.

We're talking sunbutter today! So let's get right to it!

I've been making my own nut butter's for sometime now. Natural peanut and almond butter are a staple in our house. I really don't know why it took me so long to add sunflower seed butter to the list. But, c'est la vie. It's quick and easy to make. So simple: so good. I really do love simple recipes that are healthy and tasty at the same time. This recipe is no exception to that.

If there's one thing you should know about me it's that I love nut and seed butters. I think it all started when I discovered Tosca Reno and the Eat Clean Diet. Now I like to create a lot of my own nut + seed butters, putting my own spin on them, making them as simple and healthy as possible. Here's some of my other recipes here, here and here to check out

This sunbutter:

Had no sugar, is high in Vitamins B6 and E, is nut-free, EASY to make, and very versatile.

Healthy fats, like those found in nut's and seeds, help make your hair, skin and nails look healthy, radiant and strong. And here's the clincher, you can't burn fat if you don't eat fat. The metabolic system depends on it.

Whether you have an allergy to nuts or not, you'll love this creamy deliciousness. Enjoy!

Sunflower Seed Butter vegan, gluten-free, nut-free, sugar-free | Makes about 1 cup

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Ingredients:

• 2 cups raw sunflower seeds
• 1/4 tsp sea salt

Directions:

1. Preheat your oven to 325˚F. Toast the sunflower seeds on a baking sheet, stirring once or twice to prevent burning, until fragrant and golden brown; about 10-15 minutes.
2. Remove from oven and let cool slightly; 3-5 minutes.
3. While the sunflower seeds are still warm, place them in a food processor and blend/puree until creamy and smooth; about 10 minutes. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed. Allow the machine to do it's thing and the consistency will get creamier as you go. Once the mixture begins to look smooth, add the sea salt, and pulse to incorporate.
4. Taste and add more sea salt if needed. Store in a sealed jar in the refrigerator for 2-3 weeks.

Nutritional Information:

Serving Size: 1 tbsp Calories: 86 Fat: 7g Saturated Fat: 0.6g Cholesterol: 0mg Sodium: 75mg Carbohydrates: 2.8g Sugar: 0g Fiber: 1.2g Protein: 3g

Apple Pie Steel Cut Oatmeal

I love looking forward to weekend mornings because it often means that we get to enjoy something different for breakfast. A bowl of cold cereal or a smoothie just isn't going to cut it. Enter a good old-fashioned bowl of hot steel-cut oats.

Steel-cut oatmeal is currently one of my favourite's to have on the weekend. I'm smitten with them. They fill the house with a mouth watering aroma, and this recipe in particular is reminiscent of a fresh baked apple pie!

This is a stove top version. In this recipe the oats get simmered with cinnamon and nutmeg. Apples get sauted with the same warming spices and a touch of succanat for that apple pie filling sweetness.

The fixings are what really turns a bland bowl of oats into something fantastic. And although oatmeal is already part of my weekday morning breakfast routine, this bowl with it's warming apple pie spices and cinnamon sugar apples makes for a lovely lazy weekend breakfast or brunch. Not to mention it's comforting on even the coldest of mornings.

I really love this bowl! It's thick, creamy, hot and full of apple pie flavour. I usually add a tablespoon or two of almond butter for healthy fats and extra protein. For these photos I sprinkled a bit of succanat over the oats, which I highly recommend.

Oats are a good source of fiber and will help keep you feeling fuller longer and oh so satisfied; just another thing to love about a great bowl of porridge.

Apple Pie Steel Cut Oatmeal vegan, gluten-free, vegetarian | serves 4

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Ingredients:

• 1 cup steel cut oats
• 3 cups water, plus extra for the apples
• 1 1/2 tsp cinnamon, divided
• 1/2 tsp nutmeg, divided
• 2 tbsp sucanat (or other unrefined sugar)
• 2 apples, cored and chopped

Directions:

1. Bring 3 cups of water to a boil; stir in the oats, 1 teaspoon of cinnamon and 1/4 tsp nutmeg. Return to a boil, stir, reduce heat and simmer uncovered for 20-25 minutes, stirring occasionally until the water is absorbed and oats are tender.
2. While the oats are cooking, prepare the apples. In a skillet over medium heat add the chopped apples, 1/2 tsp of cinnamon, 1/4 tsp nutmeg, and 2 tbsp sucanat, and just enough water to cover. Let the apples cook for 8-10 minutes until fork tender. If the pan gets too dry add a splash more water until they are softened and the water has cooked away. Remove from heat.
3. Spoon oats into bowls and divide cinnamon sugar apples between each one. Add any additional toppings if desired. Some of my favourties include: nut butters, granola, berries, maple syrup or honey, flaxseed, sliced bananas, milk, raisins and dried cranberries.

*Notes*

• Keep leftovers in the refrigerator for quick breakfasts. Oats can be made ahead of time. Just reheat with a little added milk or water, stir and serve! Leftover's will keep for up to one week.

Nutritional Information: (does not include additional toppings)

Serving Size: 1 cup cooked oats + about 1/2 cup apples Calories: 144 Fat: 1g Saturated Fat: 0g Cholesterol: 0mg Sodium: 9mg Carbohydrates: 31g Sugar: 14g Fiber: 5g Protein: 3g