Is Oil Healthy?
Despite what you may read on the internet, butter, margarine, and oil are not health foods. While we do need fat in our diet, the fat found in whole foods – like avocados, olives, nuts, seeds, etc. – is the best way to get that fat.
Fat from animal sources (like butter) and refined fat (found in oil and margarine and buttery spreads) have been shown to contribute to health problems, like weight gain, digestive issues, heart disease, and diabetes.
But who doesn’t love a warm piece of bread or fresh corn-on-the-cob slathered with butter? Is there a healthier option for a buttery spread?
Yep.
Healthier Butter Spread
This millet butter still contains some oil, but unlike other butter spreads, it actually gives you some fiber (other butter spreads have ZERO fiber) and offers a healthy dose of thiamine, niacin, and magnesium.
It’s also lower in calories than most other butter spreads. And it’s vegan and gluten-free.
Low-Oil and Oil-Free Recipes
Looking for more low-oil and oil-free recipes? Check out the lusciously creamy toppings, the delicious sandwich spreads, the amazing oil-free granola, and the many scrumptious dips in my Online Weight Loss Program.
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Millet Butter (Healthy Buttery Spread)
Prep
Total
Yield 1 1/2 cups
This healthier buttery spread actually gives you some fiber (other butter spreads have ZERO fiber) and offers a healthy dose of thiamine, niacin, and magnesium.
Ingredients
- 1/3 cup canned coconut milk
- 1/3 cup mild-flavored coconut oil
- 2 to 3 tablespoons mild-flavored olive oil
- 3/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 pinch granulated onion
- 1 pinch granulated garlic
- 2/3 cup hot, freshly-cooked millet - See note #2 below. (Be sure to keep millet hot until ready to add to other ingredients.)
Instructions
- Place all ingredients in blender and blend until very smooth. (I use a high-powered blender to make this recipe. Other blenders have a hard time getting it super smooth.)
- Pour into container and chill.
Notes
1. Keeps in refrigerator for about 5 days. I tried freezing this, and it changed the texture too much. (It was still edible - but barely). Since dividing the recipe in half doesn't work well (not enough in the blender to blend smooth), if 1 1/2 cups of butter is too much for you to eat in 5 days (like it was for me), consider sharing some. 🙂
2. I cook my millet in a crockpot (as described in this post) for 6 to 7 hours on low using 3/4 cup of millet and 3 cups (scant) of water. I like my millet to have a thick consistency so that my butter isn’t thin.
3. If you would like your butter to have more of a yellow color, add 1 to 2 small slices of raw carrot to the blender.
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Leave a comment
Your comments make my day! 🙂
Hi Jennifer,
Thanks for sharing this! I have been on the elimination diet for a couple of weeks and was looking just this sort of recipe I cannot currently eat corn or bread but in one more week I will be able to begin adding back foods to see what I am allergic to.
I have noticed that even onions and garlic bother me, so have also dropped these two for the time being. Do you think that this recipe would still taste good if I left this two ingredients out?
BTW, you look great and we miss you!
Stephanie
Hi Stephanie,
Yes, I think it would be fine without the granulated onion and garlic. They add a nice flavor hint, but I don’t think they are necessary.
I hope you are able to figure things out using the elimination diet. Having allergy/diet issues is no fun.
Good to hear from you! I hope you enjoy!
Jennifer
Thank you Jennifer. I love sweater too!
Hi Jennifer, I am going to try this. Question: Did you try reheating the frozen, thawed out butter? Some spreads come back just like the original if stirring while reheating until hot or just beginning to boil a little. thanks for your work!
Hi JoAnn,
I never thought of reheating the butter. That may work. 🙂 Thanks for the good tip!
Hello Jennifer,
I thought this was a great idea for ‘butter’. I’m going to try it as soon as possible! Will let you know how I get on/ it turns out. Thanks for your healthy ideas.
Hello, I was wondering if you could replace the millet with some other grain like quinoa perhaps?
Hi Samar,
I would not recommend using any other grain other than millet.
The cooked millet gives a creamy “buttery” feel. It also helps the mixture to thicken – so it isn’t a sauce. And it has a very mild flavor that fades into the background so you feel like you are eating butter, not cereal. It’s definitely an essential ingredient in this recipe.
Hello,
Thanks for this great suggestion!
and for the color we can also add a little zaffron to it.
This really sounds like a healthy alternative to butter. Thanks.
Iade this but as soon as I stopped the blender it started to separate – mostly the olive oil separating from the rest. Have you come across this problem? Ot tasted good though.
Hi Pamela,
Was your millet freshly cooked and still hot? If not, that can cause it to separate. Also, be sure to blend it very, very well so that the oil emulsifies. I use a Blentec blender to blend mine.
Jennifer