Almond butter breakfast ideas

Rich in protein, healthy fats, vitamin E, calcium, magnesium and much more – almonds are the full package. Eating them at breakfast time is a perfect start to the day, as they offer sustainable energy and that all-important dose of fibre that’ll get your gut going! If you don’t want to crunch your way through a handful of nuts first thing, though, don’t worry.

What is almond butter?

Almond butter is made from almonds which have been roast and blended with a little natural oil to make a thick, smooth paste. Almond butter is delicious in oats, smoothies and yoghurts – great if you prefer a smoother texture. Here are two ideas on how to use almond butter in your breakfast. They both include oats, with together with almond butter form a complete vegan protein. Use these as a starting point – the beauty of recipes such as these is that you can customise them as you want to reflect your unique tastes.

Vegan almond overnight oats

Ingredients

• 125ml dairy free milk (almond or oat milk both work well here)
• 45g rolled oats
• 1 tbsp chia seeds
• 1tsp maple syrup
• 1tbsp almond butter

Method

Step 1 Combine the ingredients in a bowl or jar. Leave a little of the almond butter, for topping at the end. Step 2 Mix the ingredients gently with a spoon until the oats and chia seeds are soaked. Top with the other 1/2tbsp almond butter. Step 3 Cover the bowl or seal the jar and leave overnight. This gives time for the oats and chia seeds to absorb the liquids and take on that cool, creamy texture. Step 4 Serve in the morning with fruit sprinkled on top. Sliced bananas, raspberries, blueberries or cubed sweet apples work well.

Almond butter protein smoothie

Ingredients

• 100ml milk (or alternative)
• 2tbsp Greek yoghurt (or dairy free alternative)
• ½ ripe banana
• 2 dates – we like medjools for their natural caramel flavour
• 1 scoop of vanilla whey protein (or dairy free alternative)
• ¼ teaspoon mixed spice
• 1tbsp almond butter
• Handful of ice

Method

Step 1 Add all of the ingredients into a blender, whizz until smooth. Step 2 Pour into a cup or bottle and go!

Almond butter and date energy balls

These are so easy to make! You could whip these up on a weekend and keep in the fridge all week, grabbing a couple of them every morning when you’re in a rush.

Ingredients

• 10 dates (medjools work best as they are softer and less fibrous than ordinary dates)
• 6 tablespoons of almond butter
• 4 tablespoons almonds, crushed using a pestle & mortar (or the flat edge of a knife and the heel of your hand)
• 55g oats

Method

Step 1 Add the dates to a food processor, blending for 1 minute or until a smooth paste forms. Step 2 Then add the rest of the ingredients and blend for a further minute. Step 3 Once the mixture is smooth and pliable, remove from the blender and mix in the crushed almonds. Step 4 Shape the mixture into balls about the size of the hollow of your palm. If the mixture is too sticky, add more oats. If it is too dry, add a dash more almond butter. Step 5 Once formed, pop them in the fridge where they should keep for a week. Shop Almond Butter Last updated: 12 May 2020 Sources https://www.livescience.com/51627-almonds-nutrition.html https://www.bhf.org.uk/informationsupport/heart-matters-magazine/nutrition/ask-the-expert/nuts-as-a-healthy-snack https://www.nutritional-insight.co.uk/almonds-health-an-update-on-the-science/