Blog

“It is not joy that makes us grateful; it is gratitude that makes us joyful.”-David Steinall-Rast

We want to take this opportunity to say a huge THANK YOU for your continued support. 2018 was a year of remarkable growth and change for us and we couldn’t have done it without you.

Highlights of 2018

• We added more than 100 new Retail Partners, including select locations of The Fresh Market and Earth Fare in the Southeast.
• After two years of recipe testing, ingredient sourcing, and packaging research, we released a new line of Handcrafted Nut Butter Bars: Cherry Pecan, Apricot Pepita, Cranberry Cashew, and Figgy Chai.
• We collaborated with Equator Coffees & Teas to create the limited batch Tigerwalk Espresso Nut Butter. Introduced in May, it quickly became our bestselling espresso nut butter collaboration to date.
• We introduced Maple Cinnamon Nut Butter in March and it has also become a customer favorite and best-seller.
• Our newly reformulated Cherry Pecan Nut Butter Bars were selected as a 2019 Good Food Award Finalist in the Snack category.
• We debuted our new gift box packaging and expanded our line of gift options.
• A winner of a 2017 Southern Living Food Award, our seasonal Hot Peanut Butter made its return to coincide with our participation in the Abundance NC Pepper Festival.
• We became proud sponsors of the elite distance runners of the Raleigh Distance Project and world champion obstacle racer Amelia Boone. We also expanded our partnership with ultra-marathoner Mike Wardian and continued supporting The Triangle Multisport Inside Out Sports Triathlon Team.
• For the second year in a row, we sponsored the Life Skills Foundation Race Across Durham, and Mike Wardian joined us to support their incredible work (and just happened to win the marathon!).
• And finally, the bestsellers from our web shop in 2018 were:
  • Almond Ginger
  • Chai Spice
  • Maple Cinnamon
  • Almond Cocoa

Here’s to continuing our shared commitment to handcrafted quality, real ingredients, and sustainability in 2019!

“Become a student of change. It is the only thing that will remain constant.” – Anthony D’Angelo

We think of the transition into the New Year as a chance to accept change and embrace new challenges, so it’s the perfect opportunity to feature Brooklyn, NY-based jam maker BRINS. They recently changed their name from STAGG for legal reasons but rather than viewing the forced change as a defeat, owner Candice Ross saw it as a chance to rebrand, redefine, and improve her business while staying true to her roots.

STAGG was named after Ross’s grandfather, the patriarch of her family in Louisiana and one of her major inspirations. His values, including the importance of hard work, family, and simplicity, continue to be essential foundations of her business. The new name, BRINS, is Cajun French for “little bit” and celebrates her heritage while incorporating her life experiences traveling the world and living in her vibrant Brooklyn community.

From the start, the connection to home has been woven into the fabric of BRINS jams. The very first batches Ross made featured contents from care packages sent from her family farm back in Louisiana. In fact, these care packages of grapefruit, lemons, and rosemary were the inspiration for the original BRINS jam and this month’s Featured Jam, Rosemary Grapefruit Marmalade. Beautifully bright and citrusy, this marmalade gives the grapefruit center stage while balancing its slight bitterness with vibrant lemon and sweet orange. Subtle herbaceous notes of fragrant rosemary make it ideal for both savory and sweet applications. We particularly love it paired with our Peanut Cashew Butter and plant-based yogurt in a homemade granola bowl (see this recipe for how to make this convenient and tasty take on granola).

We are thrilled to welcome 2019 with BRINS Rosemary Grapefruit Marmalade as our January Featured Jam. It is available while supplies last a la carte and in recommended PB&J and AB&J pairings.

The art of bread making can become a consuming hobby, and no matter how often and how many kinds of bread one has made, there always seems to be something new to learn. – Julia Child

This month, elite distance runners and #bigspoonrunning ambassadors Raleigh Distance Project have done it again! They’ve created an irresistible recipe using our handmade nut butters, perfect for fueling for a run (or just treating yourself to something tasty)!

From the RDP:

This gluten-free banana bread, featuring Big Spoon Roasters Maple Cinnamon Nut Butter, makes for a perfect pre-run snack. Bananas are an easy to digest carb that the body craves for energy. The potassium in bananas is also good for preventing muscle cramps. Paired with the healthy fats in Big Spoon’s handcrafted nut butters, this bread is good for sustained energy!

Yield: 4 Servings

Ingredients

Dry:

• 1 cup quick oats or rolled oats (gluten-free if needed)
• ½ cup almond flour
• ½ cup brown rice flour
• 1 tbsp pumpkin pie spice (or 1 tbsp cinnamon, ¼ tsp nutmeg, ¼ tsp allspice)
• ¼ tsp salt
• 1 tsp baking powder
• ½ tsp baking soda
• ¼ cup coconut sugar

Wet:

• ¼ cup Big Spoon Maple Cinnamon Nut Butter
• 3 mashed ripe bananas
• 2 eggs (for vegan: 2 tbsp ground flaxseed with 6 tbsp water – let sit 5-10 min)
• ½ cup unsweetened cashew milk
• OPTIONAL: dark chocolate chips (¼ cup + 2 tbsp)

Instructions:
1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and oil a 9 x 5 bread pan – set aside.
2. In a high powered blender or food processor, grind oats into flour.
3. In a large bowl add the oats and the remainder of the dry ingredients. Whisk until well
combined.
4. In a separate medium sized bowl, mash the bananas and then add the remainder of the wet
ingredients. Stir well until combined.
5. Add the wet ingredients to the dry and mix well until fully combined and there are no lumps.
6. If you are using the chocolate chips, fold them into the batter until dispersed well.
7. Pour batter into bread pan and bake about 30-40 min. The bread is done when the edges and
top begin to brown and the top springs back.
8. Let cool before serving. Top with additional Big Spoon Roasters nut butter if desired!
9. Enjoy.