creeeeamy buttery goodness
Butter. Simple butter. This is a staple ingredient that I CANNOT live without. After switching over to the "dairy free" lifestyle, I knew butter was going to be toughest to give up. AND I know there are a million-and-one butter alternatives. Trust me- I've done my fair share of research to find one that was organic and not loaded with a ton of preservatives, but literally no brand out there swung it!
After the many failed attempts of finding a fake butter that was almost like the real deal, but not packed with just oil & salt & weird ingredients, I was stumped. Now this is the constant battle I have with myself (and usually with my dad daily) when defending the vegetarian & vegan diet. Why eat something that tries to mimic the taste of something simple like a piece of steak, by substituting it with a fake version made up of chemicals and junk? I mean, yeah in today's world, Meat isn't exactly as "pure" as you think, but is it really worse than a fake meat alternative? This is why I steer clear of those fake chicken nuggets & "tofurky" to name a few. But don't get me wrong- I'm all about making veggie versions to taste like the 'real thing', but not if I'm going to be filling myself with ingredients that are just not pure & natural. And since I'm all about saving the animals, going back to the real thing is never an option. So I must avoid it all together, and figure out a way around these alternative options the industry is feeding us!
But now we get to dairy. I thought to myself, do I go back to eating regular butter where at least we know it's just cream & salt? OR do I eat a fake version made up of who knows what? I was really, REALLY stumped! What's worse for you?! That's when I said to my sister, "Why can't we just make our own?". At the time, it seemed impossible. BUT after much research- here it is! The best darn butter-less butter that tastes EXACTLY like the real deal. I kid you not. Shmear it on some toast, watch it melt, and you're in business. Another great classic from my fav new cookbook, "The Vegan Pantry" (ummmm, if you still haven't purchased it, do it NOW!). And don't freak when you see the ingredient Liquid Lecithin. It's a vegetable based product, that's healthy & great for your everyday diet. Some people even take this in tablet form once a day with their vitamins!
Give it a try & ENJOY! xx S.
| Vegan• Gluten Free |
I N G R E D I E N T S:
3/4 cup of refined Coconut oil, melted
1/4 cup of dairy free milk (I used my Almond Milk!)
2 Tbs of Grapeseed oil- or any neutral oil your have on hand
1/4 tsp of Sea Salt
1 tsp of Liquid Lecithin
"BUTTER": In a blender, pour in all of your ingredients & blend on low for 1 minute. Pour it into a container of your choice, and seal it tightly. Toss it in the fridge to harden & set. That's all! Just make sure to keep refrigerated to last for weeks (or the freezer for months!).
*Notes: This butter can do everything your regular dairy butter can. It melts, can be used in baking, or even lathered on a slice of freshly baked bread- like the photo above. That's how I prefer it most ;) And if you want it to act as salted butter, just add more salt! ENDLESS. POSSIBILITIES.