It was dietary changes in Dana Carbone’s family that resulted in a sweet and nutty venture. Carbone (they/them) is the creator of The Nutty Vegan, a hazelnut spread that is “way healthier and nuttier and vegan” as they put it.
In April 2021, Carbone’s partner was diagnosed with lactose intolerance. Like many faced with this reality, they decided to embark on that journey together sourcing out ways to eat healthier.
Different meals were whipped up in the kitchen using a multitude of new ingredients foreign to them.
Carbone was charged with a plan to find alternatives to their family staple, hazelnut spread. They said their 12- and 16-year-old stepchildren became the willing guinea pigs to test the concoction.
Carbone explained that while traditional spreads contain only about five hazelnuts with milk and sugar, the family’s winning combination contains two-thirds of a cup of hazelnuts, along with organic cane sugar, organic cocoa powder, extra virgin olive oil and vanilla extract, all whipped up in a certified kitchen.
“I use cane sugar as many sugars come in contact with bone char, which is originally from cattle. A big no for vegans,” Carbone said.
They certainly have their hands full. In addition to the vegan venture, they work at the Canadian Mental Health Association and is a full-time masters of psychology student.
Despite Carbone’s taxing agenda, the spread has been selling out at the Sudbury Market, as well as at the Nickel Refillery.
“Market go’ers loved it. I have one customer at the Refillery who buys five jars at a time to ensure the supply never runs out,” Carbone said.
There are new collaborative plans afoot.
Carbone has been working with a cheese alternative maker in town. Vegan cheese made with cashews from Please Cheeze Me married with swirls of the hazelnut spread have been sold at Beards and Durham Natural Foods in recent weeks. The name of this new product is “chocolate fondue”.
Carbone is juggling a lot in life yet every week more batches of hazelnut spread are whipped up. Before the hazelnuts can be baked, the skin off of each nut is removed with a linen cloth as it is very bitter in taste. After that labour-intensive process, everything gets blended up in the food processor.
Two hundred grams of The Nutty Vegan sells for $15. And the way Carbone’s family eats it, production cannot stop anytime soon.
“If I don’t hide the jar in the morning, there is none at night,” Carbone said. “Plus, I sometimes eat it by the spoonful.”
To learn more about The Nutty Vegan, visit them on Instagram @the.nuttyvegan or on Facebook, or email them at [email protected].
The spread can also be purchased at the Nickel Refillery.
Anastasia Rioux is a freelance writer in Greater Sudbury.
