According to Blue Mountain Organics, the producers of the Better Than Roasted brand, “Soaking nuts initiates germination and removes naturally occurring bitter tasting phytates, which have been shown to inhibit digestion as well as the absorption of some nutrients.” Sounds logical, and to be honest, I’m not going to go fishing through studies to prove or disprove them. But, I was curious if the taste is really any different.

They look like ordinary nuts right? …

But look closely, they are a bit drier than your average raw nuts. They have a snappy crisp when you bite into them, not unlike roasted nuts, but a bit lighter and fresher. And why yes, they actually are a bit sweeter! I liked the cashews best, because they are the sweetest and creamiest of the bunch … but the pecans, which were abundant in this Totally Nutz Organic Just 4 Nuts Mix, came in a close second. Even the walnuts had been shed of nearly all of their bitterness. I was impressed.

For the past several days I have kept this mix on my desk (cool 6-ounce stand up pouch), and munch on it whenever hunger strikes. They are so satisfying that I’ve barely dented it! So much goodness left.

Onto the creamier side of nuts ... the Organic Just Four Nuts Nut Butter, was basically the above mix all blended up. I loved how the different nuts separated, creating layers of goodness. I stirred it up to get the full blended nut butter effect and slathered on a rice cake for my first food of the day (with tea of course!). I could definitely taste that it was raw, and the blend was pleasant and sweet. It tasted very close to raw almond butter, hmm wait, that is definitely some sweet creamy cashew butter leading the scene, oh but there is something different … the pecans perhaps? Okay, yeah, a bit more complex than just almond butter … and definitely scrumptious!

My only complaint is that like all good quality nut butters, this stuff ain’t cheap and I prefer a nice thick layer of nut butter. Yes, once those nuts are blended up and in what I call “frosting” format, my serving size explodes. My solution? I actually blend the nut butter with other add-ins to make it thicker, fuller, and go further.

The following rice cake is topped with:

• 1-1/2 Tablespoons Nut Butter
• 1 Tablespoon Unsweetened Applesauce
• 1/2 Teaspoon Maple Syrup
• 1/8 Teaspoon Ground Cinnamon
• Tiny Pinch of Sea Salt

This is a third party review by Alisa Fleming, author of Go Dairy Free: The Guide & Cookbook and blogger at Dairy-Free & Fit and One Frugal Foodie. For more information about the Better Than Raw product line, see the Blue Mountain Organics Website.

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