If you’ve ever been to Canada, then you know this country’s obsession with maple. The second you cross the border you are bombarded with all things maple. If you didn’t know any better you would think Canadians lived off a diet of maple cookies washed down with pure maple syrup.
Though I can’t speak for all, many Canadians struggle with what it means to be a Canuck. Besides Celine Dion, hockey and definitely maple syrup we don’t have anything that stands out as distinctly Canadian. Okay, maybe poutine. As a result Canadians can be extremely pushy about their maple syrup. Unless you’re my roommate who insists on Aunt Jemima, you proudly eat the real stuff (I still love you Sab!).
Unlike most grade schoolers who go on field trips to the zoo or the acquiarium, Canadians visit The Sugar Shack where we stand in the freezing cold and witness the arduous task of making maple syrup. It’s sad to me that Canadians try so desperately to find an identity. What I love most about this country is how multicultural we are. This is especially true in Toronto where you are surrounded by an infinite number of languages and cultures. We should pride ourselves on the fact that everyone is different, rather than one cohesive personality.
Maple is pretty damn good, but Canadians are so much more than a sugary condiment!
Maple Cinnamon Sunbutter
by
Prep Time: 10 mins
Keywords: blender raw dairy-free gluten-free vegan nut-free sunflower seeds
Ingredients (Yields: 1 cup)
- 2 cups raw, unsalted sunflower seeds
- 1 T coconut oil, melted
- 1 T maple syrup
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1.5 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp sea salt
Instructions
1. Add sunflower seeds to a food processor and process for 2 mins.
2. Add in coconut oil and maple syrup and continue processing until butter is smooth. May take several minutes. Scrape sides as necessary.
3. Add in vanilla, cinnamon and sea salt and process until well-combined.
4. Keep at room temperature for several weeks or longer in refrigerator (but will harden in fridge).
Have you ever been to Canada? Does your country have a national identity?
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117 Comments
Rachel @ Bakerita
January 11, 2014 at 6:05 pmHoly moly – this looks like HEAVEN. I love this flavor combo and use maple and cinnamon in my almond butters a lot, but I love that you made a sunbutter. I’ve actually never tried making sunbutter from scratch, but I recently won a Vitamix so I’m totally trying it. Yum! Pinned 🙂
Davida @ The Healthy Maven
January 12, 2014 at 11:32 pmI always add cinnamon, vanilla and coconut to my almond butter and thought I’d try it out with sunflower seeds. So yum! Can we talk about how jealous I am that you won a vitamix?!?! Lucky Duck! Eat some butter for me 🙂
Gabby @ the veggie nook
January 11, 2014 at 9:59 amYou know, I have never had a maple nut butter before! Which, even though I agree with the sentiments of your post, makes me feel slightly less Canadian 😉 Best go rectify that!
Davida @ The Healthy Maven
January 12, 2014 at 11:31 pmGo rectify right now Gab!
Alexis @ Hummusapien
January 10, 2014 at 10:14 pmI’m sad to sad that I’ve only made my own nut butter once….wahh!! This looks so divine, especially on crunchy toast. YUMO.
Davida @ The Healthy Maven
January 12, 2014 at 11:30 pmFor some reason when I first read your comment I thought you wrote YOLO and I was like hells yaaaa SunButter just screams YOLO! lol I’m a tool..
Kumar's Kitchen
January 10, 2014 at 3:56 amsun butter with maple syrup and cinnamon…what more can we ask for a healthy,buttery sweet spread….genius idea and delicious recipe,thanks for sharing 🙂
Juli @ 1000lovelythings
January 10, 2014 at 3:38 amThis sunbutter recipe sounds really really good. As soon as I am through my supply I am going to make this one. Did you ever experience the sunbutter firming up in the cooling process? Mine does it all the time. Any recommendations to prevent this?
I’ve never been to Canada but I would love to go there someday. To me the country seems so rich of nature. Being from Germany I would say our national identy is cars 🙂 Being from Munich I would say Octoberfest 😉
Davida @ The Healthy Maven
January 12, 2014 at 11:28 pmMine firmed up slightly but was still pretty creamy. It will definitely harden in the fridge though. I’ve found that even once your butter reaches the right consistency, you should still process it for a few minutes. For whatever reason it helps it keep it’s drippiness!
Lisa @ The Skinny on Health
January 10, 2014 at 2:49 amI’ve barely been to Canada (Whistler once), but aren’t donuts really big in Canada? I’ve always just heard Canadians are super polite and love maple syrup, hockey, and donuts. (all stereotypes of course)
I’m from LA, so all I’ve got to my stereotypes is palm trees and hollywood!
This butter looks so delicious and natural. The pictures are fantastic too, I can see the texture so well! 🙂
xx
Lisa
Davida @ The Healthy Maven
January 12, 2014 at 11:26 pmTruth-be-told I didn’t know donuts were big in Canada. Maybe on the west coast? We do have things called beaver tails which kind of taste like donuts! They’re so good…if only they could invent a healthy way to deep fry 😉
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January 9, 2014 at 11:40 pmI LOVE sunbutter and this looks amazing! I’ve made my own a few times but used honey instead of maple syrup. So good!
Davida @ The Healthy Maven
January 12, 2014 at 11:24 pmhoney would be delicious too!
Karey @ Nutty About Health
January 9, 2014 at 11:24 pmI’ve never been to Canada, but really want to go sometime. I’d love to see Montreal.
I love maple syrup… guess there are worse things to be known for though, right? 😉
Davida @ The Healthy Maven
January 12, 2014 at 11:22 pmDefinitely 😉 And after Montreal you should come visit Toronto!
Cassie
January 9, 2014 at 10:29 pmI HAVE been to Canada, funnily enough. I want to come back and go to a sugar shack though… when is sugar shack season??
I didn’t love Sunbutter when I had it… I think it wasn’t sweet enough for me. I always love the idea of it, homemade is always better, right?
My country has a national identity… unhealthy food lol.
Davida @ The Healthy Maven
January 12, 2014 at 11:13 pmerrrrr winter season I guess? aka every season in Canada.
Sunbutter can taste a but earthy but I love it with maple and banana. Killer combo…kind of like fries, gravy and cheese curds 😉
Chelsea @ Chelsea's Healthy Kitchen
January 9, 2014 at 8:54 pmI’m loving the maple love AND the nut-free love in this post! Although I’ve still yet to make my own seed/almond butter… I need to stop saying I’m going to do it and actually do it one of these days haha.
Davida @ The Healthy Maven
January 12, 2014 at 11:09 pmGirrrrl ya gotta get on that! Next time I post a butter recipe and you comment that you still haven’t made one yet I am coming over and forcing you to (then a meal at lettuce love and dessert from Kelly’s of course ;))!
Suzanne @ hello, veggy!
January 9, 2014 at 7:46 pmI think I like sun butter better than peanut butter (gasp)! However I haven’d had much luck making my own; I’ll try this out next time 🙂
Sara @ fitcupcaker
January 9, 2014 at 6:11 pmI want to dive into that! Ive never made my own homemade nut butter, basically because I am too lazy, but this looks so freaking good!
Davida @ The Healthy Maven
January 12, 2014 at 11:07 pmI kind of want to dive into it too…Might just go at it with a spoon.
I’m back, with spoon and sunbutter in hand lol