Hello my almond butter loving friends. If you're new to HEAB, you may like to subscribe to my RSS feed or receive my posts via email. Thanks for reading!
This morning, I made Katie’s Lazy-Girl Quiche, but I used eggs…and added chicken. So, vegan? Definitely not. However, that means that both vegans as well as non-vegans should click here for the recipe, and while you’re at it, click here and here for some more amazing Katie creations. 
Vegan or not, let’s be honest. The quiche was simply a vehicle for more of my new favorite condiment. Click here for Carolyn’s (brilliant) Chipotle Almond Butter recipe.
OK, so I’d like to address my nut butter consumption. Yes, I eat a lot of nut butter, and I often receive emails asking me how I can eat so much and maintain my weight. First off, most of the food I eat is fairly low in calories – lots of veggies, proteins, and some whole grains. If I didn’t eat nut butter, I probably would not be taking in enough calories. CD laughs at me because it’s the one food I NEVER fear. I do measure out some of my eats like grains and cereals, and I won’t lie, I always count out my tortilla chips (Don’t laugh. I KNOW I’m not alone on this one.). However, I never measure my nut butters. Why? Because I know my body needs the fat and calories. I also know what it feels like not to get enough, and I never want to feel like that again. I’m not saying everyone should mindlessly eat from the almond butter jar as nut butter is a very calorically dense food. However, if you’re constantly in a bad mood, feeling lethargic, freezing all the time, having trouble growing out your dry brittle hair, experiencing cracked chapped skin, skipping your cycle…try adding some more fat to your diet my friends. I think your body is asking for it.
I hope everyone has a wonderful Thanksgiving tomorrow. CD, my family, and I are attending our annual pot-luck at a friend’s house. Not sure what my posting schedule will be over the holiday, but I’ll be around.
Enjoy your turkey, tofurkey, or perhaps a little raw walnut stuffing? More importantly, enjoy the day with your friends and family. Give thanks. Be thankful.
P.S. YogaDownload is having a 4-day sale on all subscription memberships. Click here for more details. Sale ends this Saturday, November 28 at midnight.
{ 69 comments… read them below or add one }
i seriously need to get/make some of that chipolte AB!! It looks and sounds so good! I hope you have a great thanksgiving!
Thanks for the shout, my sweet!!! Happy tofurkey day to you
I think good fat is our friend! No one should be afraid of it. I sometimes get 50-70g a day.
I made a chocolate mole smoothie yesterday (yum- will be this weekend’s recipe btw) and I will be making my mole nut butter. I’m also not measuring (but trying to keep it under control) with the nut butter. I don’t eat as low cal the rest of the day as you do, so I need to watch it.
Have a ton of fun at your potluck!!
I’m thankful to have you as a friend, Heabie. <3
Not a day goes by without nut butter entering my system – no measuring.
Great post.So true!!:-) cc
Yay for fat haha once I again, I am thankful for your positive attitude and amazingly honest outlook toward food and health. Have a wonderful Thanksgiving dear!
http://www.joelygolightly.wordpress.com
Yes gotta love the good fats! If I go even for a few days without them I begin to notice it in my mood and then my skin…I’m glad you mentioned the cycle too..we women need to pay attention to how our diet and exercise affects our cycle. I didn’t start paying close attention to that until my late 20′s!
Here is a very cool site (pretty graphic) about your cervix…lots of women have no idea what it looks like..but we should know! I’m an aspiring midwife so these things never gross me out…but use discretion when viewing..its all internal anatomy so no nudity but still if you haven’t seen it…it can be shocking
http://www.beautifulcervix.com/
Happy Thanksgiving!
Melissa, Those pictures are wild. I have a good friend who is studying to be a mid-wife, and several friends that are doulas. I’ll have to pass this site onto them. Thanks!
You know you don’t have to explain tortilla chip counting to me. I normally approach a bag with a whip and a chair. They are ferocious and must be treated with caution!
I have not gained any weight since I found your blog and started adding nut butters to my meals, so there ya go. Plus, what used to be a bit of a danger food just isn’t anymore because it goes into my oatmeal or smeared on something healthy like my Heart Thrive and I’m satisfied.
Thanks for being the nut butter crusader!
I agree, fat is important! And I’m not ashamed to admit that I am a tortilla chip counter too
Aww Heather, I love you so so much and am so thankful that I know you. That’s what I’m thankful for this Thanksgiving! Seriously.
And you are SO RIGHT ON with your nut butter lovin. Haha I’m working on my day-in-the-life post and I was at first a little embarrassed to show how many times I eat different nut butters in one day… but you have helped me to see that there’s no shame in eating one’s weight in nut butters!!
Love,
Katie
Thanks for sharing your thoughts on fats. I have considered upping my fat intake. For now I eat a lot of hemp oil, coconut oil and avocados, but think I am still missing some good fats. I will consider nut butters : )
I love nut butter too. I have to watch my intake, because those huge Maranatha almond butter jars at Costco sure doesn’t help the situation.
I thikn you’re very right in measuring things like chips and not nut butters. I find carbs, whole grain or not, satisfying, but not filling, and leave it to me to know when to stop. Healthy fats and proteins, however, tell me when it’s time to stop.
Nut butter makes me happy.
Happy Thanksgiving!
Hey beautiful!
I’m loving this post right now! You have a great way with words; you stuff ‘em full of wisdom! I completely agree that no one should fear fat and nut butters are a great way of getting those good fats in. Personally, I have some problems digesting them and I’m not good at “sensing” when I should stop eating them, so I often am left heavy, lethargic and exhausted after eating (too many) fats.
It’s funny how you and (Evan, as I read above) can get full of of these things, while for me it’s the complete opposite! It just goes to show that people can be very different.
I know there are many people for whom a generous amount of fat is very benefitial (like you!), so more power to them
Lots of love!
Thanks Heather and it’s because of you and your posts that I lost my fear of healthy fats…I just rotate them now…avo’s nuts/nut butters and coconut things.
I am so thankful for the blogging community and YOU and your commitment to healthful living!
xo
Beautiful post! I don’t know where I would be today without my healthy fats! Almond Butter especially. I haven’t bought it in a while because it was making me sick, but maybe I’ll try a new nut butter. I just know I can’t like without them, I’m starting to feel the negative effects! :0
Amen! And now lets celebrate with a round of almond butter! Sound good?
Im with ya on the nut butter thing.. never ever once has it crossed my mind to measure out a serving of AB in the morning. If its my primary fat source.. bring it on! Being cold/angry at the world is kinda lame. lol
Your tortillas look really yum.. what kind are they?!?
Abby, My tortillas: http://www.amazon.com/Large-Tortilla-Factory-Whole-Tortillas/dp/B002QM98DA/ref=pd_bxgy_gro_img_b. Love them. Not the greatest ingredient list, but the best tasting in opinion. Also cheapest b/c I buy them in bulk at Costco.
I am the exact same way! I count EVERYTHING but lately I am okay with just lobbing on the almond butter. And the funny thin? I LOST weight, my skin has some color to it, and I feel incredibly, incredibly happy. Bizarre, what listening to your body can do, eh?
I am a measurer Heather. But I do eat about 4-6 tbsps of nut butter and roughly 1/3-2/3 cup of nuts and seeds a day. So I am your competition.
)..but I noticed that it was overall very low-calorie, so you need a lot of nut butter loving 
.
I think your approach is terrific though. That is the one thing that I noticed about your 3-day post…I counted it up approximately in my head (shameful
No one so many people send you all these nut butters – they see your yummy but low-calorie choices
girl please, I measure everything out from cereal to hummus. OCD? perhaps… but it gives me piece of mind… and thank you for your insight on nut butters. I think it often gets a bad rep but it’s such an incredibly power food!
Happy Thanksgiving, dear one!
Amen for nut butter, healthy fat love
I think my body does pretty well with it, too. I certainly have no problems growing hair! Though I have to admit, I do measure. Hmmm….now you’ve got me thinking that I should run FREE!
I hope you have a truly lovely Thanksgiving, Heabie!
I love your answer. I used to fear nut butters because of the fat and calories but thanks to blogs like yours I’m embracing them as nice good for me foods. I love almond butter now and add it to a ton of dishes. Not brave enough for the chicken yet but some day
I completely agree with how the body needs the fat and calories from nuts. My hair and nails use to be brittle and flakey because I avoided anything with the slightest amount of fat. But now that I enjoy them and I added coconut oil into my diet my hair is silky and my nails grow nonstop! Thanks for setting the record straight…women need to hear that it is OK to take in earth’s nutrients!
xoxo
Maggie
I think nut butters are a great source of fats! Its about moderation though for me, because personally I could definently polish off a jar if i could. But i just watch it a bit. But its one of my favorite foods! Yumm!!! Have a good holiday!
Happy Thanksgiving to you and CD!
Make sure you sprinkle some of your new favorite condiment on the turkey. Oh so good.
Nut butters used to be a fiend.. and now they’re my greatest friend! They’ve helped me regain my strength and health through recovery. I couldn’t imagine living without em’! Seeing the many uses of them on your blog definitely makes me want them more
hrm…never thought of spicy nut butter and eggs…interesting combo!
and i admit, i count my chips/crackers too. gah.
oh i measure it all out! sometimes I eyeball my peanut butter and I also do not feel bad about not measuring it out because hello it is great healthy fats :0)
GREAT point about all of this. If you don’t eat many other high calorie foods, then nut butters are perfect! It’s when we eat lots of other stuff AND lots of nut butters that we might run into a couple problems
I need to measure out chips I tend to overindulge! I never fear nut butters? Not sure why? ONe of the few foods I don’t stress out over eating…. I wish I wasn’t panicking w/ the holidays but I am. Not sure what I’ll be eating. Something because I can’t do another grouchy holiday.
I have tried reining in my nut butter consumption in the past to no avail and have finally given up. As a vegan, I find nuts and their respective butters to be an important part of my diet. I don’t tend to be very good at measuring my nut butter quantities, but most of the time I feel like I can handle including them in my life in a healthy amount. The only problem is when my roommate complains that I eat all the nuts! She can’t keep up.
I definitely need more fat in my life! Unfortunately, I can’t digest most high fat foods. Except nuts. My belly likes those
There is no such thing as too much nut butter in my life! Peanut butter on a spoon, straight out of the jar, almond butter on toast topped with cinnamon and agave, it is ALL good! Nom nom nom!
Miss Heather, I have to tell you, I don’t know how you do it but your posts seem to always get right to the bottom of my current issues (that may because my health issues tend to go on a cycle mode and always come back after a while but anywaaays…).
I do seem to have all those symptoms! My hair hasn’t been as curly and strong has it was for more than 6 months now, I feel sluggish sometimes (hate it when I just blow my yoga practice !!) and my skin does tend to get a little dry at least in my hands, now you’ve mentioned it. But I say “well, hair may be falling because i’m stressed with college, I skipped exercise because I’m just dumb and lasy and it’s really cold so the skin problem might be a consequence..”. And that keeps away the “maybe I need more fat” conclusion. Because, unlinke you, i DO fear nut butters.. I mean, i love them, i’ve tried to stay away from them because I somehow manage to eat it probably everyday, but I do fear what that might be adding to my body percentage of fat :p
You know, sometimes I think i might have some mental issues too. I’ve never been able to be as thin as now, and I’m happy with it, but always checking for a bloated belly, a little more volume on the thighs… I think I don’t trust myself when it comes to food choices (or other choices for that matter). How could I when I’ve been biging so much on trail mix, fruit and so on, lately?
But, as always, your words give me hope and guidance
btw, how much grains would you say would be enough to include on a daily basis, especially if one tends to have a lot of soups with beans/chickpea bases?
Hope you have a great Thanksgiving (love the concept of that holiday of yours!)
Laura, Everyone is different and has different needs. If you were running a lot or training for some type of athletic event, then you would obviously need more carbs/grains in your life. However, I really don’t think most people need what is recommended. I’m more of fat/veggie/protein girl, but that’s me. That being said, I do love my oatmeal. I wouldn’t focus so much on grains…just make sure you’re eating enough food period. Sounds like you may not be.
I love your blog Heather. I started one today. I don’t know what to do with it yet. But I like Sun Warrior and nut butter so check it out soon.
hm.I am cold all the time. I have cracked lips a lot….
:runs to her pb jar:
Someone once left me a very rude post telling me I ate too much nut butter. It was the first negative comment I’d ever received too so it was hard to take at first… I got over it quick after my sister assured me that I know my body way better than some random anonymous commentor.
Anyway, HAPPY THANKSGIVING!!
Homecookedem, The anonymous comments are going to come if you’re putting yourself out there, and they are NEVER easy. Listen to your sister. Stay true to yourself. Enjoy your Thanksgiving as well as your nut butters.
As usual Heaber, great post. I have started to do the opposite and have started measuring my NBs because I do eat other calorically dense foods – not all day, every day – but it gives me piece of mind to eat a smaller amount of NB’s. Though since becoming a veg, I want to track to make sure I’m getting plenty of protein in my eats. So, very thought provoking post!
LOOOOVE this!
Measure everything but the best– funnily enough I do the exact same… measure it all except my PB.
Weeirrd.
I’m tired alot, but it’s not b/c I don’t eat nut butters…it’s b/c I teach yoga by day, run after my 2 yr old and sleep on a good nite, 6 hours. Most nights 5. Pre-child, it was a diff story, I loved my 8 hrs. But ahhh, life changes. In the meantime, it’s too funny you posted this today, in about a half hour I am publishing a post with sunbutter, a spoon, and choc chips. YUM.
Happy TG Heather!!!!!!!!
Thanks for the yoga heads up! Also, enjoyed the shout out for Tofurkey (although I’m really not a fan of tofurkey haha)
Heather,
I also wanted to say that I posted some thoughts on the whole calories and obsessions with food today.
And yay to nut butters.
I find that fat, grains and breads, and yummy indulgences are always so feared…we all need to relax and embrace food sometimes. Yeah, we screw up, yeah we get bloated. Life goes on. We all be the same wrinkled old ladies years from now. May as well relax a little now
I totally agree with you–fat is ESSENTIAL. I’d rather have beautiful hair, nails, and skin than dry hair, breaking nails, and be eating low fat PB. EEK.
Love ya!
<3 jess
xoxo
I just ran out of nut butter, actually. o__o I’m starting to experience drier skin, but I assume that’s only because winter’s nearing? Hmmm… I’ll eat (a) big scoop(s) of tahini + honey tomorrow, just as you recommended.
Have a wonderful Thanksgiving!!!
I always love nut butter,…and have zero resistance to it. Ab is my fav, but after I tried the PB in TJ, I fall in love with that too. I love that kind of consistence.
Thanks for your tips, I agree with you that nut butter is a great sauce of fat, and dense in calories. The only thing is we need more will power to control ourselves when enjoy nut butter! they are just so so good!
I SO agree, Heather. I’m always amazed when overweight people ask me if I can give them any weight loss tips and I ask them what they’re eating – it’s usually always little or next to nothing! They’re so relieved when I tell ‘em their body needs way more food than what they’re giving it!
Love your description of a body crying out for more fat, by the way.
*smiles*
Michele
Happy, Happy Thanksgiving!!!
thanks for explaining- i’m trying to balance it all!
I was definitely wondering about your AB consumption and your explanation makes sense! I like way too many other caloric eats, so I need to semi measure out my nut butters but everyone is different and you look fantastic, so it’s obviously working for you!
Happy thanksgiving!
Very well stated regarding the nut butter issue. You hit the nail on the head by citing the positive benefits proper fat intake can wield for the body.
Not to get off on a rant, but I think there’s an unhealthy fear of fat out there due to the vast exposure of nasty trans and saturated fat laden foods that are widely available. Fat is one of the most important nutrients your body can intake. It cushions your organs, stores energy, softens your skin, and helps send neurotransmitters properly in the brain (whaddup preventing depression?). The key is to pay attention to what KIND of fats you’re consuming. Monounsaturated and Polyunsaturated fats (which are found in seafood, nuts, avocados, olive oil) are wonderful for the body as long as you don’t go crazy with them and balance them evenly amongst your diet. Quite frankly, I’d be more afraid of excess simple sugars (and fake sugar especially), than I would fat.
Love your blog, and Happy Thanksgiving!
Chelsea, I feel the same way. Fat is my friend. Sugar? Not so much. We need fat. We DO NOT need sugar. Happy Thanksgiving to you as well!
Heather, that looks like a really divalicious breakfast! I couldn’t agree more about how amazing fat is. I eat nut butter and olive oil with abandon and I would bathe in both (and avocados) if I could. Some people would buy a private jet with their lottery loot. Me? I would just lie in a bathtub full of Spanish or Tuscan olive oil.
Have a great Thanksgiving!
Jaya, You’re too funny. I used to practically bathe myself in coconut oil. I used it as a moisturizer after ever shower until I noticed it started to discolor my clothes. My skin hasn’t been as soft since. Happy Thanksgiving!
I love FAT and agree it’s a necessity.
Happy Thanksgiving HEAB!
Brittany, Happy Thanksgiving to you as well.
Hi Heather! Enjoyed the post & comments. I love all the healthy fats and know they have improved my life! I hope you & CD have a great Thanksgiving!!
Thanks Cherie. You too.
Heather
I also enjoy nut butters and superfoods. I started a new blog that you can visit if you would like.
Thank goodness for the nut butters. I need to track down some chipotle almonds. I want to try that chipotle almond butter so bad. I might have to get creative. Have a Happy Thanksgiving. Have no quilt today. It is a day to be happy and thankful!
I measure pretty much everything except for nut butter and hummus!
Heather- I LOVE the way YOU eat. I have to say reading your blog has made me fear certain foods less, ahem, NUT BUTTER/squash! But yes, I love my veggies and protein for sure. And oats and nut butter, and eggs. And more eggs and.. well, some more eggs! hehe
Happy Thanksgiving HEAB! -Bekah
I’m the same way. PB is my favorite food and I eat a bit almost if not every day. I’m vegan so I know I have room for the calories and I do need the healthy fats.