Childhood favourite, Nutella!

Nutella. Yummy! What else is there to say, who doesn't love Nutella??? Here's the catch: I love Nutella, but not what it's made of. I figured there has to be a way to quench my craving without actually buying some. I found an old (expired) jar in my pantry and looked at the ingredients:

• Sugar (replace with agave nectar)
• Modified palm oil (destroying rainforest! Skipping the oil to reduce fat content, but feel free to try it because it gives it a smoother texture)
• Hazelnuts (yep)
• Cocoa (yep)
• Skim milk powder (I used almond milk, but I also could have tried soy milk powder)
• Whey powder (dairy by-product)
• Lecithin (What?? After doing a bit of research, I found out that lecithin is a fat that can be derived from many sources to improve texture. Most lecithin is derived from soybeans, but other sources include egg yolks, so no guarantee.)
• Vanillin (Vanilla, for those of us who speak english)

Totally easy to re-create a fixed up version. Here's what I did:

• Nuts to you Hazelnut butter (I get mine from well.ca)
• Cocoa powder
• Agave nectar
• Almond milk
• Vanilla

Now unfortunately, I don't have exact measurements because I did this by feel/texture and taste. Start with somewhat-equal parts of hazelnut butter, cocoa powder and agave nectar. Mix these together, adding any more for texture, and add a small amount of vanilla. Adjust texture and colour by adding some almond milk, a little at a time until you reach a good consistency.
**Sorry to all you specific-measurements people, this one is all about experimenting!

It turned out great for me. It's not as smooth (and glamourous) as the original Nutella, but it tastes amazingly similar. I have a small jar of it and the first thing I wanted to use it with was Nutella and banana on toast! Wow, THAT was quite the treat at 1:30AM (yes, I was supposed to be studying...) and I'm so happy to have created a version of this childhood favourite, in a healthier and more compassionate way! :)

What other childhood favourites would you like to re-create in a vegan version? Tell me in the comments below!

I can't go without saying Mac N Cheese! Stay tuned for some crazy cheesy experiments :)