Our vegan chocolate pistachio butter recipe has it all: it’s easy, it’s out-of-this-world delicious, it’s only 4 ingredients, and it’s a very healthful nut butter!

What makes this a healthful nut butter (which is the proper term, a “healthy nut butter” would mean that the nut butter is in good health ;~) )? Both pistachios and raw cacao are very healthful in their own right, but pair them together and… wow!

Pistachios have featured in the history and cooking of the Middle East for centuries. In fact, pistachios are mentioned in the Old Testament book of Genesis! According to the American Pistachio Growers Association, “In Persia, pistachio trade and ownership of pistachio groves meant riches and high status. Legend has it that pistachios were a favorite of the Queen of Sheba, who demanded all her land’s production for herself and her court. Through the conquests of Alexander the Great (334-323 BC), the nut reached Greece. Later, under the rule of the Roman Emperor Tiberius (First Century AD), the nut was also introduced into Italy and Spain.”

However, growing pistachios in the U.S. only started happening in the 1930s. The story goes that “In 1929, American botanist, William E. Whitehouse, journeyed to Persia (modern day Iran) to collect pistachios. This pursuit came to a close in 1930, when he returned to the USA with a collection of approximately 20 pounds (10 kilograms) of individually selected nuts. Within a year, the first test plots had been planted. However, pistachio trees take seven to ten years to mature, so it was almost a decade before Whitehouse knew what he had gathered.”

According to the National Institute of Health this healthful nut is lower in fat and carbs, and richer in fiber, than many other nuts. In addition, says the Institute, “Pistachios also contain significant amounts of minerals (ie, potassium, phosphorus, magnesium, and calcium) and vitamins such as vitamin A, vitamin E, vitamin C, vitamin B (except B12), vitamin K, and folate, with relatively high amounts of these compounds compared with other nuts.5 Moreover, pistachios are also a rich source of lutein and zeaxanthin (xanthophyll carotenoids) and phenolic compounds, including anthocyanins, flavonoids, and proanthocyanidins, and their antioxidant capacity is considerable. Pistachios are the nuts that have the highest content of phytosterols, including stigmasterol, campesterol, and β-sitosterol.6 This complete and diverse set of micronutrients and macronutrients means that pistachio nuts are potentially one of the more health-promoting foods”

Wow!

And raw cacao is also very healthful! According to Good Now Farms, a grower and purveyor of cacao, “The first evidence of cacao use dates from approximately 5,300 years ago by the Mayo-Chinchipe civilization in Ecuador. Traces of theobromine (a chemical compound in cacao) have been found in their pottery, suggesting cacao was first used in a drink.”

And according to Vosges Chocolate, who uses only raw cacao in their fine chocolates and who has an entire section extolling the health and wellness benefits of raw cacao, raw cacao is full of anti-oxidants, beneficial for gut health, beneficial for brain function, and can “lower blood pressure, improve blood flow to the brain and heart, and prevent blood clots. At the same time, these flavonoids help to increase insulin sensitivity, reducing the risk of diabetes.”

Again, wow! Here’s how to make this wonderful, delicious, and healthful chocolate pistachio butter!

Fabulous and Easy Vegan Chocolate Pistachio Butter

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