Barney Butter's Crunchy Almond Butter is my number one guilty pleasure. I have to stop myself from consuming the whole jar (yes, it tastes that good) and although I'm sad when the jar is nearly empty, it's a good excuse to finish every last bit of it off (straight off the jar, mmm).
Overall, the taste is a medley of sweet and salty; the right balance of smooth and sticky. The surprising little bits of roasted almonds are a treat, hidden in the creamy butter.
Nutrition wise, almonds contain unsaturated good fats and Omega-6. They also top the list of "filling food" making it a good snack choice (if you can control yourself from consuming the whole jar, that is). Other benefits of almonds include antioxidants, Vitamin E and magnesium.
The ingredients listed on the jar show that it is made mostly with almonds (first listed is always majority of what is contained, take note), and that it contains no hydrogenated oils and HFCS (high fructose corn syrup).
Below is the nutritional facts for those concerned with their cals/macros:
Source: Barney Butter Official Site
Recipes/Ideas
My favourite way of really tasting this almond butter (aside from licking it off a spoon) is eating it with cut and peeled apples. I always peel the skin off apples, a) as personal preference; I find it too bitter/dry, and b) because preservatives and fertilisers may have contaminated the thin skin.
For breakfast, I always have cooked rolled oats (this one is with red quinoa) with a bit of honey, for taste. The almond butter helps create another dimension of flavour that is not just oatmeal. I mix in a tablespoon or so really well and the flavour and crunch boosts my breakfast. The protein and fat also help balance the carbs.
As a snack, I packed an almond-rye sandwich using 1.5 tbps of almond butter sandwiched between 2 rye crackers. Rye crackers are low in calories and fat and provide hefty amounts of fiber and protein. Benefits include calcium, magnesium, iron, potassium, etc.
The fibers in rye help aid digestion and is good for weight loss as it is filling. In cracker form, it also provides crunch and lots of chewing, which studies have shown help tell the brain that you're getting full.
There are a lot of ways this almond butter can be used but my bottom line is this: it tastes so amazingly good, you really should get your hands on a jar asap!
