Brand Names please

[RawMagnolia]

I'm looking to get a nut butter... like almond or something, and I've already read here that Maranathon brand is not truly raw. So does anyone mind sharing some brands that are truly raw??

Also, how does one go about making their own nut butters??

Thanks,
Sandra

[Raw Faith]

There is a recipes floating around here; you may have to do a seach.
I buy my nut butter from the health food store.

[Shivananda]

This is my second time posting this reply, with no clue why the first one disappeared, so I'm not sure it will be as fresh and brilliant as the first time, but I'll try.
Grinding nuts and seeds inherently generates heat. Maranatha may not be perfect at it, but their products have the advantage of being widely available at health food stores, and they do seem to be very conscientious and straight up and do the best they can with keeping the batches small and the equipment cooled, and they tell the truth about what they do and don't do. I like their candor in stating the following:

"With over 20 years of producing nut butters, our professional suggestion for any strict raw food eater is this: Purchase a high quality food mill or food processor and conduct your own grinding trials to monitor the temperature of the finished product. With a smaller batch you may be able to better control the friction and heat produced during the grinding. We wish you every success in this process as this was how our business began over 20 years ago."

That said, I have seen Maranatha products being used in many raw food restaurants. Though a compromise, many seem to find it an acceptable compromise. And I've personally found that it's a big challenge trying to keep nut butter and tahini at rawsafe temperatures when making it at home, especially when trying to use a blender for the purpose. So I use my auger juicer, in small batches, with frequent cooling.

[RawMagnolia]

Thanks Shivananda... I really appreciate your post... b/c I have been making just such a comprimise lately (with the thoughts that at least it a lot better than some other things I could be consuming).

[Shivananda]

Thanks Shivananda... I really appreciate your post... b/c I have been making just such a comprimise lately (with the thoughts that at least it a lot better than some other things I could be consuming).Well yes, that really is the point. Unless you 100% grew every single thing you ate, etc. there would be no way to absolutely positively ensure that everything you ate was organic. I've seen studies that indicate that only about 80% of what is currently sold as organic actually is, and some of the rest is contaminated by overspray, etc. So do you drive yourself crazy... like some people obviously do... or do you do the best you can under YOUR circumstances with what YOU have to work with?

I vote to do the latter, joyfully and without angst. Stressing about doing it perfectly is toxic.

[sport]

I recently purchased sunflower butter from a raw internet site and have been having it on my crackers for breakfast. It is too thick and I can not spread it without breaking the crackers so on day two I decided to put some in a bowl and dilute it with lemmon juice (it also made it teastier). This morning I decided that when it is gone I can just make my own with soaked seeds and lemmon juice.

[Shivananda]

This morning I decided that when it is gone I can just make my own with soaked seeds and lemmon juice.
Yep, good idea. I don't bother trying to make sunflower butter, I just make pates out of soaked seeds and herbs and such. The recipe for Nomi Shannon's Sunny Pate is in Alissa's book, and I make it all the time.

[JMD]

I think there is a place in CA. called Rejuvative Foods that carries nut butters and raw delights like kim-chee and raw cultured veggies and they are in the refrigerated section of HFStores. They are RAW--so they claim ---but come with a HEFTY $$$tag...I believe Raw almond butter is $39.99 for a jar!! :eek:

[Guydiane]

I Usually get mine raw almond butter from the store where we can grind it fresh but my sis has ordered from this place.
ttp://www.rawganique.com/Food/raw-organic-almond-butter-tahini.htm

[Shivananda]

I Usually get mine raw almond butter from the store where we can grind it fresh
Two things... first, are they using raw or cooked almonds? Most use roasted, so the end product is not raw.

Second, how hot is the nut butter getting as it is ground? Don't assume it is staying under 118 degrees, and thus still raw. At the local Whole Foods it noticeably gets quite hot. I haven't checked it with a thermometer yet, but maybe I will this afternoon. :)

[shakti17]

Living Tree Community is good, I know because I used to be the almond butter girl!

www.livingtreecommunity.com

(i think)

I use Once Again Almond butter, it is the cheapest in my store, but also organic and very tasty i think