Makes about 1 1/2 cups
3 tablespoons nutritional yeast
2 tablespoons almond butter
1 tablespoon tahini
1 tablespoon white miso paste
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup almond milk
Combine all of the ingredients in a blender or food processor, and process until very smooth. Transfer the mixture to a small saucepan over medium heat. Stir for a few minutes until it starts to thicken, then remove from the heat. It is now ready to serve.
Delicious “butters” can also be made of certain seeds. Those used in this book, pumpkin and sunflower seed butter, can be made using the nut butter recipe above, however, there are a few exceptions where a slightly different recipe is in order. One such exception is sesame butter.
It’s important to note that not all sesame butters are created equal. Chinese sesame paste, for example, is made from roasted sesame seeds, while Middle Eastern sesame butter, known as tahini, is made from unroasted sesame seeds and is sometimes thinned with olive oil. Chinese sesame paste, used in Asian recipes such as stir-fries and sauces, is denser in texture and richer in flavor than tahini. Tahini is used to make hummus, baba ghanoush, and other Middle Eastern recipes. Both Chinese sesame paste and tahini are available in well-stocked supermarkets or ethnic grocery stores.
Because of the difference in flavor and texture, I am providing two recipes for sesame butter, one made with raw sesame seeds and the other made with toasted sesame seeds.