Almond Butter Sauce

on June 9, 2010

in All Posts

You know what I hate about most cookbooks? The really, really long ingredient lists for things that are suppose to be simple. And I never have 2/3 of the items in my pantry, which means I’d have to go out and buy $15 worth of spices just to make a simple almond butter sauce. Cooking shouldn’t be that complicated. Or intimidating.

Complex, this is not… But it certainly is delicious. And that’s what you come to Healthy Tipping Point for, right? 🙂

Simple Almond Butter Sauce

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons almond butter
2 tablespoons rice milk (or regular milk)
Heavy sprinkle of chili powder
Sprinkle of pepper
Sprinkle of salt

Directions:

In a small pot over low heat, combine all ingredients and stir constantly until the liquid combines totally.
Don’t overcook! Keep your eye on it!
Pour over noodle dish.

Tada!

My noodle dish included 1/3 block of firm baked tofu, a serving of whole wheat spaghetti, and roasted broccoli.

Easy, easy, easy. I like easy!

There is more writing to be done… Write, write, write! Story of my life. 🙂

{ 70 comments }

Jessica @ How Sweet June 9, 2010, 1:36 pm
I love nut butter sauces so I’m sure it is delicious! I don’t usually like almond butter, but probably would mixed with something else.
Bethany @ More Fruit Please June 9, 2010, 1:36 pm
So simple… I love it! As soon as I see a long ingredient list I skip the recipe. Or if there are more than two ingredients that I currently don’t have… it’s so frustrating!
- Kaye June 9, 2010, 1:47 pm
  This is so funny, I totally veto recipes with crazy ingredient lists too!
  - Joelle (The Pancake Girl) June 9, 2010, 9:50 pm
    Haha i do the exact same- if I don’t have more than two or three, it’s over. I’ve tried making this kind of sauce with far lengthier ingredients’ list and couldn’t successfully shorten it myself without the taste being a bit off..
Beth @ Beth's Journey to Thin June 9, 2010, 1:38 pm
I love making almond butter sauce with just a few things. if you want it even simpler, you can just do it in the microwave! Less dirty dishes, too. 🙂
allison @ livingoneday June 9, 2010, 1:40 pm
YUM caitlin! that looks awesome. such a simple simple meal!
shannon (the daily balance) June 9, 2010, 1:41 pm
looks delish – and obviously LOVING the simplicity! thanks for sharing 😉
Freya @ Brit Chick Runs June 9, 2010, 1:41 pm
OH MY. That sauce sound so lovely 🙂 I’ve made many a peanut butter sauce in my time, but not AB – next on my list!
Lisa June 9, 2010, 1:42 pm
I’m with you. If there are too many ingredients I’m less likely to try the recipe.
Coco @ Opera Girl Cooks June 9, 2010, 1:46 pm
Looks great! Your first paragraph made me think of a great tip for you and your readers. While getting whole jars of spices can be expensive, buying just as much as you need for a recipe is cheap. Health food stores with bulk spice bins make this possible — they’re a boon to a cook who wants to experiment with spices but not commit to a whole bottle!
- Caitlin June 9, 2010, 1:47 pm
  thats an awesome tip!
- Sarah for Real June 9, 2010, 3:52 pm
  I was just going to suggest bulk spices myself. I even get salt from bulk bins. It’s fun to go up to the checkout and see $0.76 for something that would have been $6 to buy a whole bottle of.
  
  Plus, did you know spices expire after about a year?! I never use a whole bottle in a year. Yeah, I’m all over the bulk bins.
Kaye June 9, 2010, 1:46 pm
Oooo…this looks so good! I think it’d be a great cold noodle dish with a little chopped garlic stirred in at the end!
Trish June 9, 2010, 1:48 pm
I totally agree! Cookbooks are insane. So much work and so much stuff for one recipe. It’s just dumb! I have a bunch of ingredients (full packages) of stuff that I’ve bought just to try out a recipe. I like short lists, easy to make, fast. I don’t want to go out and buy some random ingredient I won’t ever use again.
Laura@FindingAHealthyBalance....after a 100+ Pound weight loss!!! June 9, 2010, 1:55 pm
Looks super yummy and easy is always good! =)
Cynthia (It All Changes) June 9, 2010, 1:55 pm
Simple is always better.
Kelly June 9, 2010, 1:59 pm
OH I hate complicated recipes too! I refuse to make anything that I don’t already have all the ingredients for, or at least that the ingredients I will use again in my lifetime 🙂

Your sauce looks great.. I bet peanut version would be awesome too!
Sana June 9, 2010, 2:00 pm
Would adding soy/hot sauce also work in a jam?
- Caitlin June 9, 2010, 2:02 pm
  that would taste great! i just didnt have any 🙂
Erin @ A Girl & Her Mutt June 9, 2010, 2:04 pm
The addition of chili powder is absolutely brilliant! Can’t wait to try it.
Robyn @ Frugal 'n' Fit! June 9, 2010, 2:14 pm
Almond butter sauce. Of course! I love the addition of the chili powder.
Julie @ Pickley Pear June 9, 2010, 2:20 pm
I totally agree with cookbook recipes having too many ingredients. I rarely use any of my nearly 100 books because I don’t have everything in the list. The Almond Butter Sauce is easy enough, and for us non-veg’s it would be great with chicken!
Chelsea @ One Healthy Munchkin June 9, 2010, 2:22 pm
I like your approach to recipes. Simple is sometimes so much better! 😀
Michelle @ Give Me the Almond Butter June 9, 2010, 2:26 pm
I’m such a fan of simple recipes. They make me want to actually make them haha.
Jessica @ Jessica Balances June 9, 2010, 2:27 pm
I dislike cookbooks for the same reasons! Your recipe sounds easy and delicious 🙂 yeah girl!
macey June 9, 2010, 2:33 pm
Ok, this is going to sound silly, but I am scared to death of tofu. Alright, I admitted it. Were you afraid to try it at first? I don’t want to hate it, so I shy away from trying it at all. :S
What would you recommend I try first, so I’m guaranteed to like it?
Thanks 🙂
- Caitlin June 9, 2010, 2:37 pm
  haha it is a strange food, but it tastes like whatever you marinade it with. honestly, i recommend getting fried tofu from a chinese or thai place to start off with. it’s the yummiest 🙂
  
  my perfect baked tofu is good too! http://www.healthytippingpoint.com/the-perfect-baked-tofu
  - Macey June 9, 2010, 2:39 pm
    thanks! I’ll try it 🙂
    - Nikky June 9, 2010, 4:03 pm
      And if you make it at home and have run out of paper towels for pressing (provided it’s not pre cubed).. no, terry cloth wash rags are NOT a suitable substitute. Does. Not. Work.
      
      Yea, that was my first experience. 🙁
    - Macey June 9, 2010, 4:36 pm
      Haha! Good to know!
Kristina June 9, 2010, 2:42 pm
this sounds like a perfect meal to me… it has everything I love and that sauce looks amazing…

I’m the same way, I like straightforward recipes with short ingredient lists, most of the time.
Rachel June 9, 2010, 2:52 pm
I totally agree with you on this. Why does the ingredient list for a recipe have to be a mile long?

Can’t wait to try another one of your recipes. 🙂
Heather (Heather's Dish) June 9, 2010, 2:55 pm
yum! i would love to try this with peanut butter too…HOLY YUM! sounds like the perfect, easy lunch 🙂
Lindsay @ The Ketchup Diaries June 9, 2010, 3:00 pm
Totally with you on the simplicity front!
Amy B @ Second City Randomness June 9, 2010, 3:03 pm
Totally agree- I think that’s why I tend to do my own thing cooking with what I’ve got… I’m not much for recipes. But this may be bookmarked… 🙂
Kerry June 9, 2010, 3:04 pm
I thought I was the only one! Long lists totally scare me which is why I barely cook! 🙁 haha.
Molly @fuelherup June 9, 2010, 3:11 pm
That sounds great! My favorite Asian sauce is a tablespoon of almond butter, a tablespoon of soy sauce, plus chili powder, ginger, & garlic.
Marina June 9, 2010, 3:12 pm
I usually don’t follow the recipe when it has so many ingredients, I just threw them out of the mix 😀
almond butter and tofu… sounds amazing!
*Andrea* June 9, 2010, 3:24 pm
i have all the ingredients!!!! haha i always feel this NEVER
happens when i see long lists with random gums and spices and herbs and oils etc etc

…more of a reason for a healthytippingpoint cookbook 😀
Diana (Mymarblerye) June 9, 2010, 3:35 pm
from almond butter in oats to nut crusted parsnip fries to THIS??? jeez louise..I’m gonna be eating an almond butter WEDDING CAKE if this trend keeps going!
Marilou @ Mostly Healthy June 9, 2010, 3:45 pm
I think I’m gonna eat exactly that for dinner. You gotta love the blog world 😉
claire June 9, 2010, 3:51 pm
I love nut butter sauces…that one looks great lady!
Emily Eats and Exercises June 9, 2010, 3:52 pm
Yum.

When you baked your tofu did you just bake it plain? I have a few tofu recipes I’ve been liking (like yours!) but I still can’t always get that yummy chewy texture (not quite like deep fried but not mushy either.) More pressing? Bake longer? Any other suggestions?
- caitlin June 9, 2010, 3:55 pm
  buy the nasoya pre-cut extra firm. you dont have to drain it and it bakes up really crispy. it’s foolproof.
Anna @ Newlywed, Newly Veg June 9, 2010, 3:54 pm
I hate long ingredient lists too– that’s one of the things that bugs me most about Cooking Light!

This sauce looks great!
Kait June 9, 2010, 4:36 pm
Mmmm almond butter sauce sounds delicious. And I agree, its the worst when you need SO MANY igredients just for the simplest (or I guess not so simple) thing!
runnerforever June 9, 2010, 4:40 pm
Great recipe! I like almond butter pretty much any way and on almost anything haha.
Annie@stronghealthyfit June 9, 2010, 4:40 pm
YUM! I don’t think it would have occured to me to make an almond butter sauce (although my husband and I like to make PB sauce for stir fry) and I will definitely try that out!
Catherine June 9, 2010, 5:29 pm
Loves it! I absolutely hate long recipes… fresh lemongrass, kiffir lime leaves… who keeps that kind of stuff on hand on a regular basis??

You should check out Mark Bittman’s “How to cook everything vegetarian”. He writes for the NY Times and doesn’t believe in long ingredient lists. I swear everything is about 5 items, it’s awesome!!
Nora@LifeLifeEatRight June 9, 2010, 5:47 pm
I love making spicy peanut butter sauce with chilli flakes, soy sauce and lime juice to put with raw veggies and soba noodles! This looks right up my alley 🙂 I think I want to make a sauce with sunflower seed butter. For some reason I love sunflower seed butter with savory things…I just had a sandwich with sunflower butter, red bell pepper and spinach and it blew my mind. Your food looks great as always!
- Cheri September 28, 2011, 3:08 pm
  did you try this with sunflower seed butter? this is what I have on hand. curious to know how it turned out 🙂
Rebecca @ How the Cookie's Crumble June 9, 2010, 6:07 pm
Easy is the best! Whenever I come across a long recipe I end up just creating my own. I’m not good at following directions! 😉
Cassie @ A Very Busy Mind June 9, 2010, 6:18 pm
LOVE THIS because I am soooo anti-long/difficult recipes. I’ve vetoed so many after just glancing at them. A gourmet chef, I am not.
Amy @ Amy Starts To Run June 9, 2010, 6:20 pm
I have, on numerous occasions, gone through the process of purchasing all the mystery ingredients not currently in my pantry and inevitably end up forgetting 1-2 ingredients (even after having made a second trip to the store) and I give up on the recipe completely. And that is why I still have an unopened jar of kiffir lime leaves in my cupboard.
Dorry June 9, 2010, 6:22 pm
that sauce looks delicious and so versatile!
Lisa (bakebikeblog) June 9, 2010, 7:08 pm
What a simple but lovely looking sauce!!!!
Kelly @ Healthy Living With Kelly June 9, 2010, 7:38 pm
Totally agree…simple is the name of my game too! This sounds and looks delicious! Going to try it out!
Carly @ The Road To Health June 9, 2010, 7:51 pm
That looks amazing. I am totally making that! Thanks Caitlin – your blog rocks 🙂
Wei-Wei June 9, 2010, 8:01 pm
Mmm, this sounds really delicious! Whenever I look for recipes I always look for things that I have at home. What’s the difference in taste between almond and peanut butter? Does almond butter taste like almonds…? :S

Wei-Wei
- caitlin June 9, 2010, 10:31 pm
  yup!! its made with almonds. 🙂
Lauren June 9, 2010, 8:07 pm
I know what you mean, I can NEVER follow a recipe to a T from a cookbook. I guess that is why I can’t bake! 🙂
Jessica @ The Process of Healing June 9, 2010, 8:46 pm
Wow that sauce DOES sound good and easy!!
Jolene (www.everydayfoodie.ca) June 9, 2010, 9:29 pm
I agree with you about the cookbooks!
Janelle June 9, 2010, 9:44 pm
The natural food store near me sells spices in bulk – the best thing ever. That way, if you need 1 t of some random spice you don’t know if you’ll use again or like, you can buy just one teaspoon and not have to spring for an entire jar. I actually once bought the 7 cloves I needed for a recipe. Just 7. Payed around $.13 for them. It was awesome…
Sarena (The Non Dairy Queen) June 9, 2010, 10:26 pm
I could not agree more! Food should be easy. I hate all the silly complex stuff that people try to pass off as food. I want to taste the basics of a dish. I want to identify the ingredients. I am ok with the occasional splurge on ingredients, but when I am cooking everyday…I want it to be something I can easily cook from my pantry!
Amber K @ sparkpeople June 9, 2010, 11:23 pm
I could not agree more. I hate most cookbooks for that very reason. Is there a reason the ingredient list needs to be longer than the last novel I read?

Sounds like an amazing recipe! I know my husband would LOVE it.
Marieke June 10, 2010, 6:36 am
Looks interesting! Like Satay sauce, but then with almonds! I will give that a try soon.
Anne June 10, 2010, 11:20 am
I see I’m in the minority here, BUT…;) I spent a period of several months gradually building my spice collection and it actually encourages me to try new things so I use them! I stopped shying away from complicated recipes about a year ago and I’ve never been happier with the way my cooking turns out. However…you can’t do this every night, and I wouldn’t have been able to do this when I was in college (lack of resources), so it’s definitely nice to have simple recipes on hand as well!
Dee June 12, 2010, 9:50 am
Oh this looks great! I must try it! 🙂

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