Portable Breakfast #1 (On-the-Go)

Did you figure out what my third kitchen experiment was yesterday?

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I made homemade almond butter! Roasted Maple Cinnamon Almond Butter by the fabulous Ashley. 🙂

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I’ve had a bag of roasted almonds sitting in my pantry for literally months. I got them awhile back with good intentions of making almond butter with them, but finally decided to go for it yesterday.

The recipe was super easy to follow with plenty of good tips. I followed all of them and ended up using about 1/2 tbsp of safflower oil. I also doubled the recipe because my bag was about 2 cups worth anyways. I’m glad I made as much as I did because I was able to give some to my friend Megan!

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I think I almost messed up the recipe. I didn’t quite process the full 15 minutes recommended by Ashley. It looks really buttery around minute 10, so I thought I was done. Whoops. Note large air bubbles because my almond butter was so thick.

It actually has a really nice texture. It was much more easy to spread than the other nut butters I usually use.

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Needless to say, I was extra excited about breakfast today!

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Just look at that delicious homemade almond butter goodness. The creamy texture, the golden hue…nommmm!

And by the way, I’m not sure if that sounds intimidating…you know…the whole homemade almond butter thing. But I assure it, it is easier than you think! Not only is homemade almond butter easy, but the flavor is waaaay better than store-bought stuff. I may never go back!

Thanks Ashley for the fab recipe!

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I also decided to take some more photos of my pink salted caramels now that I have daylight to work with.

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I think these will make pretty awesome Christmas presents. I just need to get the recipe down better.

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Also, I’m already thinking of flavor variations. Rosemary caramels anyone? Chai tea caramels? Chocolate covered caramels?

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The possibilities are endless! And with my wild imagination, I’m sure I’ll come up with something delicious.

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And since you can’t tell the salt is pink from any of the previous photos…here’s an up close of just the salt. I think it’s pretty awesome that there is a salt out there that is pink. I at least believe that this is natural and not dyed. Ok, just checked the salt container and the only ingredient is “sea salt.” So I’m thinking it is natural. 🙂

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Now on to what you (or at least I’m thinking a lot of you) were waiting for…

Portable Breakfast #1 – Nut Butter Toast

This week on The Chic Life, I am featuring five portable breakfasts you can eat on the go (for those mornings when you think you don’t have time to eat or are just pressed for time).

Perhaps my personal favorite of the group is today’s – nut butter toast. Why nut butter and not just peanut butter? Well, if you don’t know there are TONS of types of nut butters out there: peanut butter, almond butter, cashew butter, sunflower butter (ok, I think this one is technically a seed, but it’s sort of the same thing), hazelnut butter…the list goes on!

Nut butter toast makes a healthful and filling breakfast if you do it right. I always shoot for whole grains as the base and a protein-packed nut butter for the topping.

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The preparation is quick and easy: Toast a piece of good whole grain bread. I prefer Great Harvest because they bake it fresh every day with natural ingredients (and a short list of them too!) and they grind their own wheat. Plus they add in great ingredients like nuts and flaxseeds, depending on which loaf you buy.

Slice the bread in half and add nut butter of choice. I usually go for Barney Butter, but since I had homemade almond butter (see above) begging to be enjoyed, I used my fresh roasted maple cinnamon almond butter. You can use any toppings like what you may use for Power Toast if you want to add in extra healthy ingredients like chia seeds, hemp seeds, etc.

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Fold your bread into a nut butter toast sandwich. By preparing your toast this way, it will be less likely to make a mess and you will be able to wrap your toast in a paper towel, which is easier to transport.

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I like to wrap my AB toast in a paper towel to help keep crumbs out of my car and for an easy cleanup.

I mean, all you’ll really need to clean after this is your knife for spreading the PB and this paper towel. And on a busy morning, easy clean-up is a must. You could probably use a cloth napkin if you want to be extra-green. :mrgreen:

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That’s it! You’re ready to go! Grab your bags and your breakfast and head out for the day.

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Enjoy your toast in the car (or on public transportation, etc.).

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A couple side notes…I suggest putting a large napkin or dish towel on your lap in case any crumbs or nut butter spills to keep the mess out of your car and off your clothes.

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You probably will also want to bring some water or coffee with you to enjoy with your breakfast. Drinking water first thing in the morning will get your daily hydration kicked off in the right direction, too.

Easy, right? If you have 5 minutes, you can have this for breakfast. Isn’t that better than going to work or out to run errands on an empty stomach?

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I brought some of my pink salted caramels into work today. They are not going as quickly as my dough ball experiments (btw think I have 1 more batch before they’re perfect!) have been.

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I had a bit of a rough morning but a tall soy gingerbread latte helped turn things around. Happy Starbucks Monday! 🙂

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My day was also turned around after a fun-filled Zumba class! I co-led Aaja Soniye tonight and was loving how enthusiastic and happy all the participants were. It reminded me of why I wanted to be an instructor. And class made me appreciate even more that my shoulder is finally feeling better and I’m able to get back into workouts. Hooray! Not only did I have a really great time, but I also got an amazing all-over cardio workout in. Score!

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Check back tomorrow for Portable Breakfast #2!

Reader question: Have you ever made your own nut butter? What did you think about it?

15 thoughts on “Portable Breakfast #1 (On-the-Go)”

  1. I’ve never attempted by own nut butter but it’s something I’ve always wanted to try.
    Love the portable breakfast but for some reason, my bowls of yogurt and fruit and cereal never seem to transport well.

    Reply
  2. Just ate some of the nut butter a few minutes ago!! I looks perfect and is definitely thick…no oily mess 🙂 Thanks for the shout out!! I looooove caramels..mmmmm You look so pretty in pink.

    Reply

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