Sweet Spreads.

I have one thing to say: TGIF. This has been a long week, and I look forward to at least a few pockets of rest this weekend!

A few years ago, a friend of mine saw a nutritionist who recommended that she start her day with two slices of whole grain toast spread with either peanut butter or nutella; the idea was to combine the complex carbs with the fats from the spread. Looking back on this, I commend the nutritionist on that advice: complex carbs + healthy fats are indeed a wonderful way to start the day! If it were me doling out the wisdom, though, I’d suggest the following two upgrades:

1) Almond butter > Peanut butter

2) Chocolate Coconut spread >  Nutella

Why suggestion #1? Simple: peanuts are frequent GMO crops. They also tend to be mucous forming, which is bad news for those of us with touchy digestion. They’re certainly not a terrible thing to eat — peanut butter here and there is fine — but as a general rule, almond butter is a cleaner and more optimal choice.

#2? Well, let’s take a peek at a Nutella label:

Ingredients: Sugar, modified palm oil, hazelnuts, cocoa, skim milk, reduced mineral whey (from milk), soy lecithin: an emulsifier, vanillan: an artificial flavor

So the hazelnuts and cocoa are lovely. But sugar and palm oil as the first two ingredients? That volume of sweetness, not to mention the dairy, leave me less than impressed. So the question becomes, how can we replicate nutella without the sugar and the added oil? There are recipes online, but many of them seem just as sweetened as the original. And as dearly as I love using nuts, they’re so common in raw dishes (pates, spreads, etc.) that they can feel, well, a little predictable.

Out of this predicament, my chocolate and coconut spread was born. I had the flesh of two young coconuts handy, as well as a big bag of raw carob. I figured these ingredients couldn’t possibly add up to a simpler or more delicious spread, and I was just about right! With the addition of a little stevia, they make for a thick, creamy, and decadent raw chocolate spread. The recipe is simple:

Chocolate Coconut Spread (serves 2)

Flesh of two young coconuts
2 tbsp raw carob (cocoa powder is fine too!)
2 packets stevia
Coconut water

Blend all ingredients in a Vitamix on high, using just enough coconut water to keep it all moving (you’ll probably need to use the plunger to assist in blending). Stop when the mix is totally smooth.

This pudding is definitely delicious enough to enjoy on it’s own:

…but served over sprouted grain toast, this was an absolutely perfect breakfast — and a healthy, semi-raw upgrade on the original nutella suggestion.

My second recent sweet spread grew out of my fondness for fig jam. It is, second only to apple butter, my favorite fruit spread. But as much as I’ve always loved it, I’ve never loved the price attached to a lot of great fig jams and spreads. So when the lovely Vivapura company sent me a bag of giant, soft Turkish figs as a part of their gift basket for Best of Raw 2009, I decided to put a few of the figs to good use. I soaked six figs in enough water to cover them. After a few hours, I removed the figs from the soak water, and put them in my food processor with about 1/4 cup reserved soak water. After letting the mix run for a few minutes, I was left with a fresh, delicious, and all too simple fig jam.

This one was served over millet bread as a sweet snack. It’s delicious, and a dead ringer for the fancier fig spreads I’ve enjoyed.

With a little time and only a few ingredients, it’s possible to whip up a bastion of tasty spreads. No added sugar, oil, sweetener, pectin, or emulsifier required.

I hope these toast toppers inspire you to begin your weekends on a sweet note. I’ll be back soon with a bloggie meetup recap and more recipes. For now, happy Friday, guys!

xo

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Tagged as: recipe, spread, sweet