yogurt

Last week, I received a box of free samples of almond butter from Kristen at Blue Diamond (Thank you!!). Coming home to 4 new jars of almond butter was seriously like Christmas. Only a food blogger would be excited about receiving a box of almond butter, and I really really was! Included in the box was a jar each of home-style creamy, ready spread creamy, ready spread crunchy, and almond butter with honey (yummmm).
 
Because I don’t want the almond butter to go bad, I am only opening one jar at a time, but at the rate I am going, I will be able to review one a week! First up, the home-style creamy almond butter. One of the first things I notice, of course, is the marketing on the label. “Start your day the almond way!” with a list of bullets, the first being “Satisfies & sustains”. This just happens to be one of the reasons I love almond butter to begin with, in addition to its yumminess. A meal that includes almond butter tides me over far long than one without. Over the past few months as I have added it to smoothies, oatmeal, yogurt, toast, and even stir fries, I have noticed that I stay full longer, and for someone on the go, that is ideal! I first tried Blue Diamond home-style creamy on a piece of, what else, Nature’s Pride bread! I will say right now that some of my other beloved almond butters, and you know who you are, better watch out! Blue Diamond almond butter is VERY creamy with a lovely taste of roasty toasty almonds. It contains only almonds and sea salt, and I find that the addition of sea salt really balances out the flavor, especially when paired with something like strawberry preserves. Also, despite its being home-style rather than a ready spread, it does not have a huge amount of oil on the top to stir in which makes it a bit neater to serve. Since this first encounter with Blue Diamond homestyle almond butter, I have been eating it for breakfast daily in my new favorite combination: 0% Greek yogurt, 4 TBS of canned pumpkin mixed with fresh nutmeg and cinnamon, and 2 scoops of Blue Diamond almond butter. When whipped together with a spoon, this combination literally tastes like pumpkin cheesecake. Mix in some crushed graham crackers or granola and you have yourself a pie! It is perfectly delicious, healthy, filling, and seasonal. Now I am brainstorming all sorts of other combinations and recipes for all of the almond butter that I have. Next up will definitely be the almond butter with honey! I really wanted to open that one first but held off because I have a sneaking suspicion that I am going to love it. If you see Blue Diamond almond butter in the store, definitely give it a try!