Copy LinkThursday Tasting at 3: Spreading the Nut Butter Love
Nuts are fantastic for our health. Bite-size nutritional powerhouses, they are packed with heart-healthy fats, fibre, protein, vitamins, and minerals. With this in mind, this week’s Thursday Tasting at 3 will be looking at a fantastic variant on the single nut… Nut Butter! We love nut butters at Ardkeen Quality Food Store and carry a wide range including some of the best Irish Artisan produced nut butters available like Fiona's Nutterly Nutritious Almond Butter, Hazelnut Dark Chocolate Spread from the Burren Chocolatiers and The Soul of Crete Tahini which is lovingly produced at the foothills of Mount Leinster.
A dense paste made by crushing nuts, nut butters are really versatile so can be used in a variety of ways to make everything from sandwiches (see that Tahini toast!), cakes (think no bake nut butter cheesecake), dressings (add to any regular dressing) and savoury sauces. Also, an excellent snack if you start to flag during the day, since it provides a quick hit of protein.
Studies show that people who eat nuts benefit from lower cholesterol levels, are satisfied with fewer calories, have increased protection against cancer and better muscle and bone mass with aging. Even though they are high in fat, nuts contain mono and polyunsaturated fats that have been shown in multiple large-scale studies to lower cholesterol and protect against heart disease. Consuming just one ounce of nuts in place of an equal amount of carbohydrate calories has been shown to increase overall health and reduce the risk of heart disease.
The nuts used in making nut butter can be roasted or raw. Roasted nuts tend to create a product with a richer, more intense flavour, while raw nuts result in a milder flavour. Creamy nut butter is much more spreadable, with an even texture which is akin to that of the butter made from cow's milk.
In addition to being made from tree nuts like almonds, walnuts, cashews, hazelnuts, nut butter can also be made from oil-rich seeds like sunflower seeds, sesame seeds (tahini), and pumpkin seeds. Each type has a distinct flavour and nutritional profile, most tend to be high in fats and protein, with a very rich, creamy flavour.
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Meridian Crunchy Peanut Butter 1kg
We roast organic peanuts in their natural skins, then crush them for a perfect crunchy texture.
Uses: try on crackers and crumpets, add to cakes and bakes as part of a varied and balanced diet and healthy lifestyle.
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Meridian Crunchy Peanut Butter 280g
with a pinch of sea salt.
We roast peanuts in their natural skins, then crush them with a touch of sea salt for a perfect crunchy texture.
Try on crackers and crumpets, add to shakes, cakes and bakes as part of a varied and balanced diet and healthy lifestyle.
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Meridian Dark Tahini 270g
Whole sesame seeds are roasted then ground into a creamy paste.
Try as a dip, in sauces salads and hummus as part of a varied and balanced diet and healthy lifestyle.
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Meridian Organic Crunchy Peanut Butter 280g
We roast organic peanuts in their natural skins, then crush them for a perfect crunchy texture.
Try on crackers and crumpets, add to shakes, cakes and bakes as part of a varied and balanced diet and healthy lifestyle.
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Meridian Organic Smooth Peanut Butter with a Pinch of Sea Salt 280g
Organic smooth peanut butter with a pinch of sea salt is a good source of energy and crammed with peanuts. Peanuts are naturally a source of protein (25% of their calories come from protein) and are perfect for maintaining a healthy diet. Meridian roast the whole peanut in their natural skins, then grind them down with a touch of sea salt until almost (but not quite) smooth.
Delicious on toast, crackers and crumpets or add to shakes, cakes and bakes.
This vegan peanut butter is naturally gluten free, dairy free and does not contain any added sugar or sweeteners (like Xylitol).
These nut and seed butters are made without palm oil because we care about the environmental impact it can have. We’re proud that all our range have been certified palm oil free by POFCAP.
Oil separation is natural and can simply be stirred back in.
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Meridian Smooth Cashew Butter 170g
This smooth cashew butter is made using 96% cashews and a dash of sunflower oil. The cashews are roasted, then ground to produce a perfectly smooth texture. Cashews are technically not a nut but the seed of the cashew apple, a tree that grows in tropical climates in South America, India and Africa.
Delicious spread on crackers and crumpets or added to cakes or bakes.
This cashew butter contains no added sugar or salt and is suitable for vegans.
Our nut and seed butters are made without palm oil because we care about the environmental impact it can have. We’re proud that all our range have been certified palm oil free by POFCAP.
Oil separation is natural and can simply be stirred back in.
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Meridian Smooth Peanut Butter 280g
Richer Roast smooth peanut butter is made using only blanched hi-oleic peanuts and is perfect for nut butter connoisseurs looking for a more intense taste. Our peanuts, sourced from Argentina, have been roasted for longer to deliver a richer, more complex flavour than traditional peanut butters.
The great news is that the Richer Roast peanut butter will also aid a healthy lifestyle as hi-oleic peanuts contain up to 30% more ‘healthy’ fats than traditional peanut butters*.
It makes a delicious addition when added into smoothies and cakes, generously stirred into porridge and ice cream or simply spread on toast. Why not try our delicious Vegan Rocky Road recipe for an indulgent treat.
Each delicious jar is certified Palm Oil free and made with 100% nuts.
*Replacing saturated fats in the diet with unsaturated fats contributes to the maintenance of normal blood cholesterol levels. Oleic is an unsaturated fat.
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