Artisana Product Review: Nut Butters Galore

A few months ago I reached out to Artisana Organic Foods, hoping to try their Coconut Butter for myself after reading other healthy living bloggers mentioning how much they loved it.  I had been a huge fan of coconut oil for a long time but was confused about what makes coconut butter any different.  Luckily for me, the folks at Artisana were happy to shed some light on the difference for me and they sent me a sample of their products to try out for myself*.

All I can say is, Coconut Butter puts Coconut Oil to shame!

Coconut Butter is made from the flesh of the coconut, not just the oil.  It has a thicker, super creamy consistency and more-pronounced and (naturally) sweet coconut taste compared to coconut oil.  And because it's made from the coconut flesh it contains the fiber and protein that occur naturally in this fruit - or is it a nut?!

Artisana's Coconut Butter is made from 100% organic, raw coconut.  That's it. It tastes sweet because of the small amount of natural sugar present in the coconut.  It tastes amazing stirred into a bowl of oatmeal or yogurt, drizzled over a bowl of vanilla ice cream or stirred into an equal amount of peanut butter for the most insanely delicious concoction you have ever tasted in your life.  Just spread it on a graham cracker and call it a day.

But it doesn't end there.  Thanks to Artisana's generosity, I was also able to try all 8 of their organic raw nut butters.  They come in individual serving On-the-Go packs which came in handy when I was traveling and staying in a cheap but dog-friendly hotel that provided a free "breakfast." You know what I'm talking about: they have about 8 different choices of packaged, processed white flour bagels, danishes and muffins, along with a make-your-own waffle station and a couple types of (sugary) cereals.

If you're lucky you can find a couple packets of plain oatmeal and some fresh fruit (apples and bananas) and maybe hard-boiled eggs, that is, if the high school soccer team staying there hasn't gotten to them first.  But I need healthy fats at every meal in order to keep me feeling full and satisfied, so that's where these On-the-Go packets come in handy.  I added one packet of Artisana's raw almond butter to a bowl of plain oatmeal and topped it with a half of a sliced banana.  Add a drizzle of maple syrup and you're all set.

Each nut butter we tried tasted completely different and we found some favorites among them:

Pecan Butter:  OMG this tastes just like a cookie.  This was our favorite of the nut butters and it was amazing stirred into oatmeal with some fresh blueberries or layered with greek yogurt, homemade strawberry jam and granola for a breakfast parfait.  Or, you know, just plain on a spoon.

Plain 2% Greek yogurt, homemade jam, pecan butter, granola

Walnut Butter:  Second runner-up to the Pecan Butter.  The walnut butter had a mild flavor and rich, slightly crunchy texture.  Perfect with sliced bananas on top of high-protein oatmeal pancakes.  We are sold on this one for life!

Whole wheat waffle, walnut butter, banana

Cacao Bliss:   Reminded me of a healthier version of Nutella.  This one is sweet, chocolatey and has the distinct flavor of coconut rather than hazelnut though, and is made from only natural ingredients.  It was an indulgent treat fit for a Chocoholic on top of waffles with some Nature's Path Dark Chocolate & Red Berries Love Crunch granola.  I'll bet it would also be delicious warmed and spread on crepes or drizzled on vanilla ice cream.

High-Protein Oatmeal Pancakes, Cacao Bliss, Dark Chocolate & Red Berries Love Crunch Granola

Almond Butter:  We've been long-time fans of almond butter and Artisana's raw almond butter was probably the best raw almond butter I've tasted.  My favorite way to eat it is on warm toast with my amazing 3-ingredient homemade strawberry jam or mixed in a smoothie.

Ezekiel toast, homemade jam, almond butter

Macadamia Butter:  This one didn't have a very distinct macadamia nut flavor to me but it was enjoyable nonetheless.  It had a creamier texture and a more savory flavor than some of the others and could probably be used as a substitute for butter in baking or in some cooking applications if you wanted to get really creative.

Cashew Butter:  This was another super creamy one and didn't seem to have a very strong cashew flavor, in fact it was pretty mild tasting and would probably make a good substitute for tahini in homemade hummus or salad dressing like my lemon-tahini dressing.


And even with all of the good things I can say about Artisana's high quality products, I would be remiss if I didn't mention their superior principles as a company.  They support small organic farms and are committed to sustainable living practices.  And for those who are are allergic to peanuts, gluten or soy - they do not process these ingredients, so that's one less thing for you to worry about.


And for those of you who have taken the time to read all the way to the bottom of this post, here's a heads-up that I will be having my first giveaway later this week!  Check back for a chance to win an awesome package of goodies from Artisana, you won't regret it!




*I received a sample of 8 assorted On-the-Go Squeeze Packs and two 8-oz jars of products from Artisana .  The reviews and opinions stated here are entirely my own.