Almond/flax butter

1 1/2 cups toasted whole almonds

1 cup raw whole almonds

¼ cup flax oil

¼ cup canola, sunflower or vegetable oil (your choice)

1 pinch sea salt

2 heaping Tbsp flax (or ground flax)

Add all ingredients to food processer and pulse until you reach desired smoothness. 

Store in the refrigerator.

Just a couple of points to note:

• The flax oil does add a grassy flavour. If you don’t like it, skip it and use all veg oil instead.
• I use very little salt in my nut butters.  For how we eat or use it most often, we don’t like it very salty.  Commercial peanut butters have trained people to think it needs to be salty/sweet.  We prefer it not to be. If you’re transitioning kids off of commercial peanut butters, you might want to try adding a pinch or two of sugar to your first couple of batches, until they’re used to it.
• It’s been said time and time again, but letting kids participate in making something really DOES work to encourage them to try and like something.  This was the case for my daughter.  She now refuses to take anything with store-bought peanut butter, telling people she prefers her own better.
• I add the flax seeds for no particular reason other than I put it in pretty much everything I have an opportunity to.  I joke with my friends that “cooking with flax” is a hobby of mine.  I do think it helps to thicken the almond butter and add a little body.
• Remember that the almond butter will thicken up a little, when it’s refrigerated and cool.