Sunflower butter

Can't eat peanuts? Try this sunflower butter instead for a nut-free spread. A blender will give the best results and it will keep for up to a month.

Ingredients

• 500 g sunflower seeds
• 3 tbsp coconut oil melted (optional)
• 2 tbsp maple syrup (optional)

Steps

1. Toast the seeds in a large, dry frying pan over a low heat, stirring so they don’t burn. This will enhance the flavour and help release the oils. Tip the seeds into a high-powered blender and blitz while they’re still warm, until finely chopped and powdery.
2. If your blender is high-speed, you can make the butter from the seeds alone – continue to blitz until the oils are released and the seeds turn into a smooth butter (this may take 20-30 mins), stopping to scrape down the sides and let the motor rest occasionally. If you don’t have a high-speed blender, slowly add the coconut oil with the motor running, and continue to blitz until the mix comes together into a ball, then transforms into butter.
3. Add the syrup and/or salt to taste, or leave plain. Spoon into sterilised jars (see tip, below) and chill until needed. Will keep chilled for up to a month.