Fact: I love Butter.
Huh? How exactly is that vegan, Miss Katie?
No wait! I’m talking about the likes of Hot Chocolate Butter, not the dairy stuff. Then, there’s peanut butter, cashew butter, banana butter, almond butter, and—of course—coconut butter. Don’t forget cacao butter, which is not only an ingredient in many chocolate confections, it’s also good for the skin. Yes, this little vegan loves butter.
Recently, another butter has made its way into my life, and I see no reason to dissuade it from staying. The name of this butter: Bean Butter.
.
Bean Butter
- 1/4 cup (60g) refried beans (Regular beans’d probably work too… How about Chickpea Butter?!)
- 1/3 of a ripe banana (40g). If it’s not super-ripe, add some sweetener.
- 1/4 tsp cinnamon (and other add-ins if desired)
- 1/16 tsp salt
**Banana-less version: Add extra sweetener and forgo the banana. Or sub another fruit, such as canned pineapple.
Directions: Blend all ingredients (or mash with a fork if you don’t have a blender).
This “butter” can also be used as a dip, or—dare I say it—a pudding. Bean pudding?! Hey, why not? Or, you can thin it a little with some non-dairy milk or juice for a fun sauce!
Below, another photo. ‘Cause a CCK post wouldn’t be complete without fake flowers:
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Question of the Day:
What’s your favorite type of butter? Almond? Hazelnut? Pumpkin butter?
Mine is probably coconut butter. But I do also have a soft spot for Banana Butter. And now I must find a space for Bean Butter. Don’t worry; there’s plenty of room for all!
Leslie says
Woah! I am SOOOO making Chickpea Butter/ pudding as soon as I get home!!!
🙂
What a fun idea and way to get in some protein.
Jennifer - jcd says
Bean butter, wow! It looks delicious. We have pea butter at home, but I’ve never tried bean butter before. Definitely making this!
My favourite butter is cinnamon banana butter, but I will never turn down peanut butter or macadamia nut butter. Mmmm…
Melissa says
I’d do that bean butter with adzuki! Or just eat the sweetened red bean paste outta the can (as I’m apt to do already…)
I like apple butter and peanut butter the best. Though Justin’s makes a really good maple almond butter that I’m a fan of. And Peanut Butter and Co.’s White Chocolate Wonderful PB rocks my socks. 😉 I also like your banana butter!
I’m a bit of a glutton with PB and can’t have it in the house (SADFACE) due to eating it out of the jar in huge quantities. I have to get PB2 or defatted peanut flour and mix it up with water/toss in smoothies/make banana butter. I hate having to watch every darn calorie I eat. Even marathon training I can’t eat all I want. 🙁 So, you eat extra PB for me, Katie! And realllllly go mmmmm while you do it. 😉
Chocolate-Covered Katie says
When I lived in China, there was a Taiwanese place that had the BEST red bean dessert. I have NO idea how they made it, though. But I still dream about it every now and then ;).
Albizia says
Your chocolate butter is so tempting! But coconut oil is also impossible to find in some countries 🙂 And bean butter? You’re so creative, girl!
We don’t have a big variety of butters but, from what I’ve tried, I think I love peanut butter the most.
Janna says
Bean butter isn’t such a crazy idea! I’ve made black bean brownies before, and they taste great!
Another savory butter idea – avocado butter!
I really want to try coconut butter, and other nut butters! I’ve only ever had peanut and almond! Oh and I’d love to make homemade pumpkin butter mmm!
Kelsey @ Clean Teen Kelsey says
Oh my goodness, well aren’t you creative? Would you consider the bean butter a sweet or savory topping? Hmm.. oatmeal or tacos.. haha.
Oh gosh, I have so many kinds of favorite butters! I’m kind of obsessed with Nuttzo (have you tried it?!) which is a huge combination of nuts, but I also love love love peanut butter and coconut butter. Any kind of butter, really. 🙂
Chocolate-Covered Katie says
If the banana is really sweet, it’s sweet. But you can always add sweetener if you want it more so. Try maple syrup!
I haven’t tried Nutzo :(. I’ve never even seen it around here!
Angela says
So creative – I would have never thought of this. I love the idea of bean butter, sometimes nut butters are just too much. My favorite butter right now is sunflower seed butter. It’s addicting!
Dianne says
Bean butter?! How do you come up with these things!
Judy says
Chocolate peanut butter
Sarah @ The Smart Kitchen says
Is it weird that I got really excited about that? Perhaps it has to do with that fact that I really just like to try crazy things and mix whatever I’ve got together to see what happens…
Bean butter…who would have thunk it?
VEGirl says
Hannah Kaminsky has something like that (http://bittersweetblog.wordpress.com/2009/10/21/beans-theyre-whats-for-dessert/) that is absolutely delicious. It’s like a sweet chocolate hummus, and your butter looks kinda similar.
I recently bought some coconut butter (after reading so much stuff about it- I’m looking’ at you ;))
I am completely obsessed with it! SO good and coconutty! Right now I’m infatuated with a combo of peanut butter and coconut butter, and generally jam (which really ties it off nicely!).
VEGirl
Kelsey says
i love my hemp butter the best!
i really do need to try ur butter concoctions. i have quite a few recipes of yours ive saved- theyre so brilliant. bean butter sounds amazing!! <3
VeggieGirl says
My favorite is a tie between macadamia nut butter and brazil nut butter.
Fi says
Hmm, bean butter, interesting. My fave is almond butter, but it has to be runny not thick, its soo good with strawberries, chocolate, oatmeal, heck-anything, i just love it.
xxx
Little Bookworm says
Interesting sounding recipe Katie! Love the chocolate butter. 😀
thedelicateplace says
interesting! does it taste sweet from the naner or savory? my fave is almond butter, closely followed by pumpkin or squash butter
Chocolate-Covered Katie says
If the banana is really sweet, it’s sweet. But you can always add sweetener if you want it more so. Try maple syrup!
Monica says
This actually is an amazing idea! I’ll definitely try this with adzuki beans, I love anko so much and if I just use a really sweet banana I can eat the stuff for breakfast!!! I’ll also try with chickpeas…mmm, chickpea butter…
EmbraceYourSkin says
Have you ever had Apple Butter? I used to eat that stuff by the jar as a kid! So so god!
Chocolate-Covered Katie says
I haven’t had apple butter in years! Goodness, why did I forget about that stuff??
Valerie says
You AMAZE me with your clever, fun recipes. What goes through your head each day? I’d love a glimpse ;).
Definitely making this. I think I’ll try it with chickpeas, like some of the other commenters have said.
Amber Shea @Almost Vegan says
Nut butter is one of my top three favorite foods ever. I’m pretty nondiscriminatory…peanut, almond, cashew, pecan, macadamia, hazelnut, and certainly coconut. I love the drier, chunkier nut butter that settles at the bottom of the jar!
I have made a chocolate spread using chickpeas before, but I guess I thought of that as more of a sweet hummus than a bean butter 😛
PS—Yay for pale girls indeed! Though I am a sunscreen devotee…getting second-degree burns on 30% of my body from a full day out in the sun without sunscreen when I was 19 sealed the deal. Before it happened to me, I didn’t even know that was possible! I literally burned, blistered, and peeled all over my lower face, neck, arms, chest, shoulders, and upper back. It required prescription burn creams and took well over a month to start to heal. Gross, huh? 6 years later, the skin on my chest is still rosy-pink and sensitive. =[
Chocolate-Covered Katie says
Oh my gosh, that sounds horrible!! 🙁
(The burn, not the chocolate spread. The chocolate spread sounds AMAZING!!!!)
🙂
spoonfulofsugarfree says
Whoa…I love refried beans, but I never thought of it as a sweet treat…I just might have to try this, after I go get some beans.
My favorite butter has to be peanut butter! I am eating it as we speak 😛
Laura says
this sounds…….interesting!!! xx
MoniMeals says
Alright, now there is something new, Bean Butter! Cool.:)
I am in love, seriosly, in love with peanut, almond, cashew, sunflower seed, Coconut Bliss, and MaraNathas Dark Chocolate Peanut Butter…all butters. Sign me up!
couchpotatoathlete says
Bean butter sounds pretty interesting!
I love regular ole’ peanut butter. Jif 🙂
But lately I have been loving Justin’s choc hazelnut butter and that is so delicious!
Amanda says
I’m glad you thought my comment made sense! It did to me too and I wondered why I’d never thought of it earlier! Ani Phyo is a raw foodist, and while I don’t eat completely raw, a lot of their theories about food and health and skincare etc is really interesting and I think you’d totally dig it! If you want to read more about Ani Phyo here’s her website, and if you want to hear more info or get resources about that kind of stuff feel free to comment about it in your blog…I read it every day so I’ll know :p
http://aniphyo.com/index.php
Chocolate Covered Katie says
Thanks, Amanda!
Honestly, I don’t know why I haven’t broken down and bought Ani Phyo’s book yet!
Kiki says
Hm, I think I’ll try this! Because ya know, people make pudding out of avocado and cocoa, so there’s no reason sweet RF beans wouldn’t be delicious too!
My favorite butters = peanut, sunflower seed, and pumpkin 🙂
abby says
i am trying this FO SHO! i think i’m going to do the pineapple version and make it into a pudding. i’m always trying to eat beans for protein, but they’re so boooooooring! ut this sounds like something i could get into.
for seriousness hehehe :).
Bianca- Vegan Crunk says
I bet that’s surprisingly good, sort of how black beans are tasty in brownies. Or how sweetened red beans are yummy in Chinese (or are they Vietnamese?) steamed buns. As for my favorite buttah, I think I’ll have to go Peanut Butter & Co’s yummy PBs….probably Mighty Maple and Dark Chocolate Dreams….though I also love White Chocolate Wonderful…
VEGirl says
Oh, and speaking of chocolate butter, I made some to spread on my pancake bread (that I just blogged about) and it WAS OUT OF THIS WORLD DELICIOUS. Nothing like almost pure fat to satisfy ya, eh? I thought I could handle the full amount of cocoa powder listed but I had to stop at 6 tablespoons! I’m SO disapointed in myself (actually, it’s probably a good thing otherwise I’ll be up all night!). I also needed to add some agave, cause stevia powder just wasn’t completely sweetening it– but the end result was divide. Now I’ll never be tempted by any cacao bliss (not that I’ve ever seen it, but, still)
Chocolate-Covered Katie says
Oh good! I’m glad I could save you some money. That stuff is SERIOUSLY expensive (the cacao bliss).
P.S. Just saw your pancake sammies. Super-yum! And so creative!!
vegansunshine says
Bean butter sure does sound… different! I’ll have to try it some time because I love beans. I’m a huge fan of any nut butter but, I also love apple and peach butter.
🙂
Eleanor says
There’s a can of cannelini beans in my cupboard that wants to be made into this! Needs to be done tomorrow…
It’s got to be almond butter, all the way but when I was in Jersey this year (British island off the French coast) I bought some “Jersey black butter”. It’s basically apple butter, reduced down and down with molasses, spices, etc and it is to die for!
Chocolate-Covered Katie says
You had me at “molasses.” I really ought to use more of that, because I love the flavor.
Cassie - Vegan Fox says
The bean butter is very intriguing. I was just reading about coconut butter on Vegan Crunk and will HAVE to try this! We’ve become huge fans of coconut oil. My current fav. is Cashew Butter 🙂
Chocolate-Covered Katie says
Coconut butter is one of my five all-time favorite foods. I would marry it if I could.
Caitlin says
That is one of the most interesting creations I have ever seen in blogland!
My favorite type of butter is peanut butter, or almond butter when I OD on PB. And sometimes I love butter substitutes–not even real butter, but the “good for you” Smart Balance stuff. I don’t think it is very good for me, but it is tasty!
Chocolate-Covered Katie says
Hey, if it’s tasty, I think you ARE getting some health benefits from it. ‘Cause you’re nourishing your SPIRITUAL health when you’re happy, ya know? Endorphins!!
Sarena (The Non Dairy Queen) says
I am totally a peanut lover, but really that is a bean too. Beans are really a little piece of heaven on earth! They are just the perfect food!
Mary @ Bites and Bliss says
I would have *never* thought to put refried beans and bananas together!! I bet its super yummy 🙂 My favorite butter is dark chocolate peanut butter (Justin’s to be exact) that stuff is looovee. But other than that I really like apple butter 🙂
BroccoliHut says
Fave nut butter is probably good ol’ almond, but coconut butter is up there, for sure.
Yee-haw for pasty princesses:)
Katharina says
What a great recipe!! It definitely surprised me when I saw the ingredients, but that’s what I love 😀 You are like me.. a scientist in the kitchen! Oh gosh my favorite type of butter? There are so many to choose from! I’m just going to say ghee for right now though lol. Ok.. well for nut butter I would say chocolate hazelnut butter yumm!
XOXO
http://www.ohonemorething.wordpress.com
Mara says
I love your recipes for their tastiness and simplicity, but I don’t think I can get on board with that bean butter. =s It just doesn’t look appetizing and I tried – I really tried – to keep an open mind!
My fave butter is almond. Mmmmmmmm…
Chelsea says
I love good old fashioned peanut butter.
Averie (LoveVeggiesAndYoga) says
Bean butter, whoa, creative! I have seen so many dessert hummus’, desserts made with chickpeas or black beans, love that everyone’s getting bean-ey with it 🙂
xoxo
Meghan says
right now I am obsessed with Justin’s chocolate almond butter. thank god it is so expensive or I would be eating it much faster!
ecogrrl says
girl i just made spiced pear butter this weekend based on a recipe for peach butter that i had. take 8 pears, roast in quarters on parchment for 2 hours on a cookie sheet, then food process with brown sugar, cinnamon and cloves. but then what did the note say at the end? spread it out on the parchment in a sheet and bake for 5 more hours at 200 and what do you have? the greatest. fruit rollups. ever. !!!!
Marianne says
Favourite butter? Probably real butter 😉 With peanut butter coming in a close second.
Bean butter eh? Interesting. I could see using something other than refried beans for it. I would think they would be too…taco-ish? Ya know?
Erika says
I am a big fan of most nut butters…except cashew – yuck! 😛
40apples says
oo that looks good!! My butter preferences run towards the roasted almond butter + flax seed (via Trader Joe’s) variety… but I also adore apple butter. Just bought myself my first jar (what!?! i know.) of coconut butter and need to start playing with it… very excited 🙂
libraryscene says
Challenge for ya ~ how to make pb tasting butter without the peanuts! Odd, I know, but ever since I read about fungus and pesticides w/PB, I’ve stopped eating by the jarful and turned to cashew, sunflower and almond. I miss PB, but have not figured out a way to capture the taste. That said, PB&J Larabar, I cave! yum 🙂 Fun blog!
Lisa says
I just made this! When I first saw the post, I was skeptical, but I shouldn’t have been. I wasn’t going to make it, but I ended up with a 1/2 can of leftover chickpeas and nothing to do with it, and then I remembered your recipe. So into my magic bullet went the chickpeas, a banana, some maple syrup, and a tiny bit of almond milk. It was… delicious! Thank you so much for having the courage to post a recipe that someone like me initially thought you were crazy for ;). I shouldn’t have doubted.
themalikwhey says
I once made a chickpea pudding out of 1/3 cup cooked chickpeas, 1/4 cup soy milk, 1 tbsp cocoa powder and a scoop of protien powder. It was delicious!
Hanne says
Omg! Those asiettes…. I mean that plate? you use with the bean butter inside. I have five like those at home, but yours looks bigger than mine. Where on earth did you by them? Does it say where it is from and who made them? I want to by more of them but I think they are old and I don’t know their name or their origin. I know this is very irrrelevant, but I have to know! They are so beautiful!
Please!
Have a great day!
From Finland.
Chocolate-Covered Katie says
Hey Hanne!
I am pretty sure my dad actually brought these bowls back from a trip to Turkey! 🙂
Hanne says
Cool! My i find them in greek 😉
Thanks!
Crafty lil vegan says
I LOVE this idea! I made adzuki bean paste a few years ago with some raspberries, OMG, sooo good ^-^ i’d intended on turning it into mochi…. but i don’t think it made it that far… For another day!
My good friend once tried to make me and my housemates mochi one day… (for those who aren’t familiar, mochi is a japanese dessert of a glutinous rice ball, generall stuffed with sweet red bean paste, or other fillings ^^)
Well.. we didn’t have glutinous rice.. so he used plain ole’ white rice.. we didn’t have red beans.. so he used.. unflavoured.. red icing.. (Read; Icing sugar + food colouring + water…) and topped the unsweetened rice with dark chocolate.. also note these “creations” were bigger than my fist..
We weren’t told of the surprise liquid icing filling.. so that WAS a surprise!
Needless to say.. he is now on a life-long mochi-making-ban…
I wonder what chickpea mochi would be like? I think i may Have to find out!
x
Deborah says
Hi, my fav is hazelnut butter which i just made… Yummy 🙂
I have not been successful with sunflower butter. It had a bitter after taste. So I tried to mix in some dried peaches that had been soaked.. Not good… Do you think date paste might work or maybe a peach paste(from dried peaches) Any other healthy sweetener suggestions? Or suggestions on making sunflower butter(My husband is allergic to peanuts now, so I was hoping to get this to work since I’ve read that it could be similar to peanut butter)
Thanks
Thank you
Unofficial CCK Helper says
Katie does not have a recipe for sunflower butter here on the site, but other bloggers have recipes I have seen so a Google search might lead you to a good recipe. Date paste sounds like a good experiment!
Anon says
Hazelnut butter is the most addictive stuff ever! I make homemade hazelnut butter and if hazelnuts weren’t so expensive, i’d probably have it as a staple all the time >.>