Yesterday, I awoke on a mission.
Luckily—for both my taste buds and dishware—this mission did not involve devising a microwaveable strawberry syrup.
Nor did it involve tackling the mound of writing projects that has kidnapped me from the blogosphere as of late. Though, perhaps, it should have. And, perhaps, I should not have just admitted to procrastinating those aforementioned projects when my employers read my blog. Lo siento :).
Well, no use in crying over spilled milk words…
Yesterday’s mission was of the nut butter nature.
And it was prompted by dos nut butter revelations.
Nut Butter Revelation #1: I currently have 13 open jars of nut butter residing in my pantry. As someone who once declared herself too anal to have more than one nut butter open at once, this revelation made me incredibly anxious. And the OCD-freak in me immediately decided that it was time to clear out some of those nut butters. Fear not. By clear out, I clearly mean consume.
Nut Butter Revelation #2: There is one buttah, in particular, that’s been occupying shelf space longer than the rest: cashew butter. If you recall, I first tried cashew butter back in November, and my sticky-mouthed verdict was, “meh.” Since then, I’ve dipped in for several “let’s give this another shot”-spoonfuls. But, time and again, the taste underwhelms me, and I deliberately neglect consumption. Clearly. Since five months after opening the jar, nearly three quarters remain. Not to sound like a guy, but I swear that’s never happened before.
And so, Mission Learn to Like Cashew Butter commenced.
The unusual suspects:
Cashew butter, cranberry pomegranate pepper jelly and hummus? For breakfast? I’ve tried to like cashew butter in all the conventional ways—atop granola, cereal, oats, straight up—so I figured it might take some stepping outside the breakfast box to convert my cashew butter-blocking taste buds.
The breakfast strategy:
Slather a toasted sandwich thin with cashew butter.
Add bountiful dollops of cranberry pomegranate pepper jelly and tahini hummus.
Spread.
Let those loco flavors meld.
Chomp.
And… enjoy!?
¡Sí! I looooooved this breakfast. Sure, the cashew butter got by with a little help from his jelly and hummus friends. But if Mission Learn to Like Cashew Butter calls for a little crazy flavor combining, I’m all for it.
Since I’d already gone down the hummus for breakfast path, I figured I’d wrap up my meal with a little manzana and Sabra duet.
Lunch wasn’t very mission-minded—but it was FANTASTIC.
Quesadilla with Boar’s Head Blazing Buffalo Chicken…
Melty fresh mozzarella…
and Frank!
The ‘cado and peppers were added for prettification/nutrification/they-were-on-their-last-leggification.
(The green fruta, though, is part of my ongoing mission to learn to like avocados. I know, I know. I’m the only person food blogger in the mundo who doesn’t love avocados. Much like with cashew butter, I find their taste really underwhelming. But they’re pretty fantastic for you—and I always have an abundance of ‘em en mi casa (and can’t watch food go bad… another OCD thang)—so I’m trying, people.)
I did get some cashews in at lunchtime—in non butter form—with a side of homemade trail mix.
Cashews, peanuts, almonds, walnuts, dark chocolate chunks, dried cherries, craisins and raisins—the lunch dessert of all lunch desserts en mi libro :).
Dinner kicked off with una ensalada enorme.
La mezcla: mounds of romaine, shrimpies, grilled onion, grilled portobello, oil-cured black olives, hard-boiled egg whites, salsa and cottage queso.
I’m in love with this Crate + Barrel bowl for its ability to host my massive ensaladas. Because eating out of mixing bowls makes for less-than-photogenic fotos…
Also pretty in love with this DELICIOUS duo.
To continue on with the day’s mission, I decided to try out another crazy cashew butter flavor combo in dinner parte dos.
Brown and wild rice con Soy Vay and cashew butter.
I’ve mentioned my hypothesis that Soy Vay makes everything taste better—and this crazy concoction confirmed it.
Teriyaki sauce + cashew butter? Success!
I wanted to make the cashew butter into a sauce, but I was out of milk. So, needless to say, there were some pretty sticky bites. I didn’t mind them :).
Dessert was Neapolitan ice cream revised, with cashew butter playing the chocolate role.
Buenisimo.
So, after un dia de cashew butter, am I convert? Not so much. On its own, I still think it’s really blah. Swimming in a delicious sea of White Chocolate Wonderful, Barney Butter and Naturally Nutty, cashew butter drowns.
However, I certainly discovered delicioso accomplices that make cashew butter consumption an enjoyable experiencia. What are your thoughts on cashew butter? Any suggestions for other flavor combos that’ll help me get through the jar more quickly? I’m on a mission here, people…
Happy humpdia!
Amor,
Sarah
THE FOODIE DIARIES 
Um… I want that breakfast. And that rice. I have never tried cashew butter, for reasons unknown. I love nut butters and I love cashews- why is there no cashew butter action in my life?
That quesadilla looks amazing too. Everytime I see the word ‘quesadilla’, I say it in my head like they do on Napolean Dynamite…hmm. Should I be worried about this?
Yay cottage cheese! Doing me proud, woman!
Those are definitely some new combos that i will have to try! The absolute best thing i have ever done with cashew butter is add 2 tbs. to 1 cup of almond milk, 2 tbs cocoa powder, and 2 cups of frozen mixed berries and blend. It was so creamy and delicious! I recommend you try this, if you get the chance 🙂 Your creations are wonderful though!
Your food combinations never cease to amaze me. The rice bowl sounds fantastic, and I’ve never had soy ve or cashew butter.
Great idea of hummus in the morning!
I totally agree with you on the cashew butter…I was so excited to try it, but it was nothing special! I have to admit, I wasn’t sure about the hummus/cashew butter mixture but maybe I’ll try it. Thanks for inspiring me to make new and interesting combinations 🙂
I have never tried cashew butter, but your food sure does look good especially the quesadilla!
Ohhh cashew butter, I am not a fan. I actually have a jar of nut butter that I need to use up, too. It’s good, but not outstanding like regular crunchy pb or Justin’s chocolate almond butter. I only have three jars open at the moment.
So, if I get a job in NYC and don’t have a place, can I crash witchoo while I search for one? Imagine the foodie concoctions….insane.
I MISS AND LOVE YOU!! xoxoxxo
Cashew butter is weird. I think it tastes better on things than as the “star.” I put cashew butter on a cinnamon omelet and it was pretty good. Oh! Mixed with quinoa and currants! THAT was tasty.
Never had cashew butter. It my opinion, everything is better with chocolate!
I hate avocados, too. You, me, and CCV. I think we’re the only bloggas who despise the stuff.
I just had an epiphany! How about grilling a portabello and smearing it with cashew butter? Maybe with some ketchup or sriracha (is that how you spell it?) on top? I dunno. But I think it’s worth a shot!
So I’ve been absent for the last 9 days, I know….gonna post tonight or tomorrow. PROB tomorrow in all honesty. Lots and lots going on…some good, some not…and dude, the unthinkable happened. The WF salad bar poisoned me. Which means I need to find another way to compulsively spend too much of my money and receive instant gratification of the foodie kind.
P.S. you NEED to try this. NEEEED to. yes, you need to sell your firstborn to get it, but daaaamn gurl.
http://www.rejuvenative.com/hempini-halvah.htm
and this
http://www.rejuvenative.com/catalog_pb.htm
Sweet Potato in a Jar ala Faith, Food and Fitness! Looks super-yummy!
I want to try cashew butter! Sounds like you’ve found some creative ways to use it…that I certainly wouldn’t have dreamed up 🙂
I love cashew butter – my mom was given it as part of a gift basket so I always have some at her place. Love all your delish nut butter uses… I am drooling over the food in this post!
I’m not an enormous fan, either. I get sick of the taste really easily. However, one thing I did was put cashew butter and tahini into a tortilla, add bacon and agave and smash it in my quesadilla maker. It was one heck of a meal. Good luck downing the whole jar…I only had a sample size and I barely got through it.
I used to be a bit “underwhelmed” myself when it came to avocados, until I had some really good guac. Now, I eat them at least once a week and I usually use them to make lazy-girl guac which means I use a minimal amount of ingredients – sometimes only the juice of half a lime. If I happen to have a jalapeno on hand or some red onion, I’ll throw that in too. It really compliments a turkey, chicken, or veggie sandwich and is also really good on a salad with corn and black beans. Yum!
omg i love the uses for cashew butter!!! I tried some a while back and thought eh too, but this time i got the fresh made roasted cashew butter at WF and it’s AWESOME! i totally want to try the CB and hummus combo…very interesting!!!
I love cashew butter!! It’s my absolute favorite nut butter I’ve tried. I think it tastes like icing…I think you’d beg to differ.
Really, I just love it on top of oatmeal or cereal. I tried it once in PB and J. I actually wasnt a fan of that.
wow AMAZING BREAKFAST! you are one brave chica and i LOVE it ❤ cashew butter-i love!! on top of oats, obviously.. haha 🙂 I do like it with apples too!
oooh cashew butter. i bet it would be great with some noodles and soy sauce.
I, too, have the vast majority of my shelfspace devoted to nut butters. (My boyfriend’s brother looked in there and said, “Who even eats this stuff?” Uh, me!) I love cashew butter, but neglect it a lot in favor of almond and peanut. But I am SERIOUSLY jealous of your Naturally Nutty.
Cashew butter + chocolate is fantastic, as are cashew butter “oreos” with cookies. Nom.
Omg I looove cashew butter! One of the best ways I’ve used it was dip for: sweet potatoes, cut in half moons and cooked in the oven (like in the snackface blog :D) and you just dip those in straight cashew butter. Or dip them in cashew butter mixed with plain hummus=amaaaaazement.
I love your blog btw 🙂
its also very good in oatmeal with canned pumpkin, plain greek yogurt, cinnamon and vanilla…just tried that one 🙂
I’ve never had cashew butter, but I totally agree with you on the avocados! I think they taste like plastic, but like you, I find myself trying to love them. They’re not so bad doused in salt and Frank’s! Your quesadilla looked amazing, by the way! 🙂
Amanda
Never tried cashew butter but I don’t think I would like it either! But I am glad you are mixing it with other foods so it doesn’t go to waste!
Oooh, I’m intrigued because cashew butter and avocados are two of my favorite foods! Cashew Butter (to me) is scrumptious right outta the jar, but it could be amazing as part of a vegetable stir fry or an Asian-style chicken and broccoli dish…good luck!
would have NEVE combined the cashew butter with hummuys but after you described it ad the picstures it looks SO good!! i have never tried cashew butter, I have tried macademia nut butter and the verdict was not great, I was not a fan and gave the jar to my dad who loves all nuts of any kind. Next time I will def experiment!!
i LOVE bowl/plates that what I call them. They have an indentation like a bowl but wide and shallow like a plate, they are the best for salads and I need to get some more in my life!
Cashew Butter changed my life. Seriously. Go to One Lucky Duck and get their chocolate cookie with cashew butter on top and your life will be complete! Although not your bank account–they run about $8. Worth it though! haha
i have never tried cashew buttah. but quite frankly, cashew is not my fave nut so there is no motivation for me to give it a shot. yay for writing projects – and i STILL need that update woman. hit me up!
oh man that is some food porn if i do say so myself. 😉 all that cashew butter looks to die for! never tried it before, but that’s going to be changing asap
I love buffalo chicken breast in sandwiches! So good!
I have to say that I LOOVE your blog. I check it every day without fail (is that weird?), and am always entertained by your amazing humor, writing style, and most importantly, food!
I was also inspired by your rollercoaster ride with cashew butter, since I am experiencing similar growing pains with my newly-discovered almond butter. Any recommendations on how to spruce it up a bit would be greatly appreciated!
I was quite underwhelmed by the taste of cashew butter too. But it does make some great stir-fry sauce or dip for steamed veggies. Just follow one of those peanut-butter sauce recipes and sub PB with cashew butter. It may include hot water, soy sauce, lemon juice/vinegar, honey, and some fresh or powdered garlic & ginger. I like to add some cayenne pepper too! It goes particularly well with brocoli, mushroom, and asparagus.. Good luck!
hola chica! so. I just started a recipe blog myself mainly because, like you, I got so inspired from following so many others blogs! Yours is one of my faves 🙂 I definitely just spent wayy too long going through it and writing down some ideas to try!
I’ve never had cashew butter, but I’ve always wanted to try it
I just found your blog – I love it!
I haven’t had cashew butter in a while but I remember feeling very similarly about it. I think it took me a while to get through!
I could never eat an avocado straight. I love to put them in salads, wraps and sandwiches. It adds a nice, different texture to the meal.
I don’t LOVE avocados either.
As for cashew butter, cashews are one of my least favorite nuts, so I’ve never had cashew butter – good luck finishing off your jar, it’s good you are finishing rather than chuckin’ in the garbage.
CHICA, COME BACK SOON PLEASEEE!! I miss yo face (and food) !
You better be posting this summer because then I’ll actually be able to re-create your amazing foodie creations, like whoa!
I need that teriyaki sauce, trail mix, breakfast sammie and quesadilla like now–and all together 😉
avocados are fantastic in wraps and salads! maybe if you try to mix it — make guacamole it would taste better?
wow, i’ve never even heard of cashew butter. Sounds interesting though! I might have to try it out soon.
Glad you and C.B. could work out your issues. 😉
You don’t like avocados?!!! Avocados are the staple of my life! That and goat cheese. Yum!
Haha! I could never really get used to cashew butter…or almond butter, or brazil nut butter (eww!). Maybe I should try adding other flavors that I like to them, lol.
That salad looks incredible! You should submit the recipe to Recipe4Living.com!
I’m not a cashew butter fan either! Maybe blending it into a smoothie?!
P.S I loveee your blog!
I thought I had tried cashew butter……..but after reading this, maybe I haven’t!? I think I would remember if it was blah. Oh well, now I am nervous to waste money on it!!
HAPPY WEDNESDAY LC LOVAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH
Oh that does look like a breakfast success!
Not going to lie, Cashew Butter just doesn’t sound appealing. I like your combinations though, I would have done the same 🙂
Where arrrrrre you? Don’t disappear again!
Where’d you go? We miss you so? Seems like you’ve been gone forever.
I’ve never tried cashew butter, but it sounds good!
Cashew butter, you say? I guess I’ll have to try it.
And your quesadilla looks fantastic. I’m a sucker for melted cheese.
Interesting, I’ve never tried cashew butter. Your combos aren’t something I’d ever think of but sounds like they tasted pretty darn good!
Where are you????
i’m currently on a “mission to like strawberry jelly” as we have 8 pots in the fridge after i demanded my mum buy it..only to find out i don’t actually like it!! i’ll need to spice up the combo’s i use it in i think!
some delicious looking pics!!
xx
Donde esta? So sad!
i really like reading your blog and have thoroughly missed updates. are you coming back to blogland??
I have tried cashew butter and I didn’t like it. I let my dad eat the rest, too bad I didn’t try it with hummus, i guess! 😉
I REALLY miss your blogging; I hope you’re taking a break for outstanding reasons 😉
YUM! Everything looks delicious!
are you ever coming back to the blogging world??
I’ve never tried cashew butter before but I am now curious! So glad you found diff ways to eat it and enjoy it!
i don’t mean to sound bossy but CAN YOU PLEASE START BLOGGING AGAIN?!!? this is an all-out desesperado plea. i miss your sassiness
haha!
it can be so hard to switch from favorite nut butters. I have such a hard time straying from my beloved peanut butter!
cashews are actually very helpful in regulating mood so perhaps that can motivate you. I love the whole nuts more than the cashew butter.
Hi I just found your blog and wanted to tell you that I’m a fan! I want to go out and buy some laughing cow cheese so I can make these delicious sounding savoury oats you speak of. I love all the creative ways you use grains– I might have to buy some canned pumpkin soon as well.
I love all of your missions to learn to like certain foods. I wrote today about my mission to learn to like tomatoes; it’s so much harder than you’d think!
Have you ever tried mixing your cashew butter to create your own little butter or topping? Maybe blended with coconut milk? I’ve never done this, but I do that with butters that aren’t sweet or interesting enough for me and I’ve found that it works pretty well.