by Ezra Cohen Montreal

At Ezra Cohen Montreal, there’s pretty much nothing that we won’t try to elevate with nut butter. And sometimes, you just strike gold. Case in point: this vegan cashew butter soup.

Cashew butter is an excellent ingredient for amping up vegan recipes, providing a creamy substitute for dairy and adding richness through the inherently buttery taste of cashews themselves. We’ve taken those elements and gone a step further too, adding pumpkin, spices, and some deliciously succulent roasted garlic. Don’t be fooled by the pumpkin, either—this vegan cashew butter soup is an excellent choice all year round, and the perfect accompaniment to a gooey vegan grilled cheese. Here’s how to make it.

Ingredients

• 3 cloves garlic
• 4 tbsp Ezra Cohen Montreal Natural Cashew Butter
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 small sweet onion, chopped
• 4 cups vegetable stock
• 15oz can unsweetened pumpkin puree
• 1 tsp dried rosemary
• 1 tsp dried basil
• 1/2 tsp turmeric
• ¼ cup roasted cashews, chopped for garnish
• Salt and pepper

Directions

1. Start by roasting your garlic. Leave most of the skin on and chop off a little bit at the top of each clove. Then roast in a 400-degree oven for 20 to 25 minutes, or until fragrant and soft. Be sure to check on your cloves regularly so they don’t burn.
2. Squeeze the garlic out of its skin. In a food processor, blend together roasted garlic and cashew butter until smooth.
3. Put a stockpot over medium heat. Add olive oil and allow to get hot, then add your chopped onion. Cook, stirring occasionally until onion is translucent—this should take about eight to ten minutes. Once done, add in your roasted garlic and cashew butter puree and whisk to combine. Then add in your veggie stock, unsweetened pumpkin puree, and herbs. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
4. Cover your soup and let simmer for about seven minutes, then remove from the stovetop. If you want a thinner consistency, use an immersion blender to further blend the soup right in the pot. You could also take out half of the soup and blend it in the food processor or a blender and then add it back to the pot, but be sure to let it cool a little bit before doing so. Serve topped with chopped roasted cashews and enjoy. Want to take it a step further? Add a drizzle of coconut cream as well!

Ezra Cohen, McGill University graduate and founder of Ezra Cohen Montreal, is all about healthy recipes that taste way more indulgent than they are. Follow along on our recipe blog for more great nut butter driven recipes, and enjoy nutritious food that never sacrifices on flavor.

Ezra Cohen Montreal Natural Almond Butter is great for a lot of things—including adding a boost of flavor and nutrition to savory spreads and dips! We love using almond butter in dips since it brings a unique flavor complexity without overpowering other ingredients. This is especially true in our recipe for almond butter beet dip, where our creamy almond butter is blended with roasted beets, citrus, and spices for a truly addictive appetizer or snack.

Whether you have a party coming up or just want a healthy dip to keep on hand for meals and snacks, this almond butter beet dip is guaranteed to be the right choice. Serve it alongside crudité or pita chips, or spread it on toast and top with additional lemon zest for a quick and easy breakfast. However you choose to enjoy it, we know that you’ll love it.

Almond Butter Beet Dip with Lemon & Chili

6 large beets

3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil + drizzle of olive oil for roasting

2 tbsp Ezra Cohen Montreal Natural Almond Butter

2 garlic cloves

Juice and zest from one lemon

½ tsp chili powder

½ tsp sea salt

¼ tsp freshly ground pepper

Optional garnishes

Chopped almonds

Chopped scallions

Fresh parsley

Microgreens

Feta cheese

Pepitas

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. While your oven is heating up, peel beets, trim ends, and cut into quarters. Place beets on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and drizzle with olive oil and a pinch of salt and pepper. Roast for 35 to 40 minutes, or until beets are tender. Once done, remove from oven and let cool for at least 10 minutes.

2. In a food processor, combine all ingredients, including roasted beets. If your dip is too thick, drizzle in water or more olive oil until it has reached your desired consistency. When it’s ready, spoon the dip into a bowl and top with your favorite garnish.

Store leftover dip in an airtight bowl in the fridge. It will stay fresh for about a week if you can make it last that long!

There are so many ways to get creative with almond butter. Check out some other almond butter recipes from Ezra Cohen Montreal, including Keto almond butter cups, healthy and wholesome almond butter parfaits, and our unbeatable almond butter and dark chocolate cake. You can also easily add Ezra Cohen Natural Almond Butter to existing recipes that you love, such as smoothies, cookies, banana bread, and salad dressings. Enjoy!

Simple and healthy eating is the cornerstone of all that we do and believe in here at Ezra Cohen Montreal, so it should come as no surprise that we appreciate a great salad. And what does a great salad need? Well, aside from fresh veggies and fruits, dark leafy greens, and a nice crunch, the perfect salad needs a super flavorful dressing—and this one, made with our Natural Almond butter, definitely does not disappoint!

Nut butters lend themselves extremely well to salad dressings since they’re inherently rich and creamy. With the addition of just a few extra simple ingredients (and plenty of room for improvisation), you can create a delicious and healthy dressing in just a couple of minutes. Here’s how to do it.

Almond Butter Salad Dressing with Garlic and Lime

You’ll only need a few fresh ingredients for this addictive dressing:

3 tbsp Ezra Cohen Montreal Natural Almond Butter

4 tbsp avocado oil (or olive oil)

Juice and zest of one lime

1 small clove of garlic, minced very finely

¼ cup of filtered water

Pinch of salt and pepper

To make your almond butter dressing, combine all ingredients and blend (yep, it’s that simple!). You can whisk it all together in a bowl, throw into the blender or food processor and pulse, or add all of the ingredients to a mason jar and shake vigorously. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator.

Want to mix it up? There are plenty of ways that you can adjust this dressing for different flavor profiles. For example, add in 1/3 cup of finely minced herbs (cilantro or parsley are both great choices), swap out the lime for a lemon, or give it a kick with a ½ teaspoon of sriracha. You can also use a different nut butter, such as our Natural Cashew Butter or Brazil Nut Butter.

This dressing goes well with any salad. We especially love it on top of an Asian-inspired quinoa salad, complete with cabbage, edamame, freshly chopped carrots, cherry tomatoes, and red onion, freshly chopped cilantro, and a handful of chopped raw almonds.

Check out the rest of our recipe blog for all of the inspiration that you need to create totally healthy, totally tasty meals, treats, and snacks with nut butters. Ezra Cohen, McGill University graduate provides insider tips and nutrition info so that you can make the right choices for your lifestyle. Looking for other great almond butter recipes? Try our Dark Chocolate and Almond Butter Cake, made with wholesome whole wheat flour and plenty of rich dark chocolate!

Eating keto doesn’t have to mean giving up sweets—case in point: these unbelievable pecan pie fat bombs! Chockful of good for you proteins and fats and free of any added sugar, these cute little balls are exactly what you need to fulfill your sweet tooth without sacrificing your keto progress. And they’re so delicious you don’t even need to be doing the Keto Diet to enjoy them.

We wanted to make our pecan pie fat bombs a bit more special, so we used our much loved Ezra Cohen Montreal Praline Pecan Butter as the binder. They’re super easy to make, and we just know you’ll love these as much as we do. Here’s what you need to do.

Pecan Pie Fat Bombs

Ingredients

• ½ cup chopped pecans
• ¼ cup Ezra Cohen Montreal Praline Pecan Butter
• 3 tbsp hazelnut flour, almond flour, or other wheat-free flour of your choice
• 3 tbsp shredded unsweetened coconut
• 1 tbsp flax seeds
• 1 tbsp chia seeds
• 1 ½ tsp cinnamon
• 1 tsp coconut oil
• ½ tsp sugar-free vanilla extract
• Pinch of salt

Directions

1. Chop your pecans if they’re not pre-chopped. You can either do it with a knife or by pulsing them a couple of times in the food processor. Note that the ½ cup measurement refers to chopped pecans, and not whole pecans.

2. Once pecans are chopped, combine all ingredients in a food processor and pulse for 1-2 minutes to combine. The finished mixture should be crumbly, with the oil well dispersed throughout. Be careful not to over blend, since you don’t want your mixture to be too creamy or nut butter-like.

3. Divide the mixture into small, evenly sized balls using your hands or a cookie scoop. You should be able to make about 10 balls. Place on a plate or a baking sheet, cover with plastic wrap and put in the fridge to set for at least 30 minutes before eating. Optional: Roll each ball in a thin layer of extra chopped pecans or unsweetened coconut shreds before putting in the fridge to cool.

Store your pecan pie fat bombs in an airtight container in the refrigerator or freezer and take one out whenever those sweet cravings hit. Bombs will remain fresh for about one week.

At Ezra Cohen Montreal, we’re committed to helping you meet your nutrition goals with healthy recipes that only seem like indulgences. Check back with our blog regularly for more great new recipes, and get in touch if you ever have any questions.