Peanut Butter Matches Made in Heaven

I believe peanut butter goes well with many partners—sweet, savory, crunchy, smooth, even spicy (as proclaimed by the wings recipe in my last post). But to keep it not only tasty, but healthy, picking the PB partner in crime requires just a little conscious thinking. Here to relieve the pressure from your own mind, I give you my list of the tastiest things to pair with your favorite nutty spread in a healthy snack:

low-sodium popcorn

Yes, I said it. Saltier than the peanut butter but light and airy, a few cups of light, air-popped popcorn are the perfect balance for two tablespoons of melted, all natural peanut butter, drizzled over top. Pour a bit directly into the bag, shake, and repeat until you have as much on as you’d like. Messy? Yes. Worth it? Hell yes.

fruit

If you knew me personally (which you can, if you visit my About Me page), you would know that I’m a fruit fiend. You would have seen this partnership coming from lightyears away. Melting the peanut butter slightly helps spread the love—and even the thickest of PBs—with whatever fruit strikes your fancy. I would choose strawberries, bananas, or pineapple, but the salty/sweet/juicy combination is killer with any of your favorites.

oats and almond milk

My favorite breakfasts have the power to drag my butt out of bed faster than any alarm clock. Try making overnight oats with one cup of rolled, quick-cooking, whole grain oats, 1/3 cup of unsweetened almond milk, and a tablespoon of melted peanut butter. To heat it up for the colder months, make the oats with water as the directions say to, but add a bit of extra water and cook a little longer for fluffier oats. Drop a tablespoon of PB onto the top and let it melt before you stir it in. Either way, the protein pumps you up while the carbs keep you going—even for that early meeting or class.

ice

Okay, so that partner proclamation was admittedly more of an attention-getter than a viable standalone pairing, but it’s partially true. Blended with unsweetened almond milk, low-sugar protein powder, and a handful of ice cubes, peanut butter adds some nutty flavor to the usually very drab protein shake. Throw in some plain greek yogurt to make it even creamier (you may want to add some extra water to balance it out if you do this), or whatever slightly-aging fruit you have sitting around. Top it with any kind of chopped nut or all-natural granola, and you have a perfect post-workout meal.

 

Peanut Butter and Jelly… All Grown Up

Last week’s post was a classy PB ravioli entree. Pasta and peanut butter? Oh, yes. It works. This week, I’m stressing the graphics (read: food porn). Follow the links for the recipes via Buzzfeed’s “55 Peanut Butter and Jelly Recipes”, and try not to drool all over your keyboard. In daily devouring order, two choices for three meals of the day!

Breakfast—#6 Peanut Butter and Jelly Monkey Skillet Bread and #2 Peanut Butter and Jelly Pancakes

Photo cred: http://www.buzzfeed.com/vdlr/56-peanut-butter-and-jelly-recipes-44qs

Photo cred: http://www.buzzfeed.com/vdlr/56-peanut-butter-and-jelly-recipes-44qs

Lunch/Dinner—#32 Peanut Butter and Jelly Bacon Sriracha Burger and #42 Sticky Peanut Butter and Jelly Chicken Wings

Photo cred: http://www.buzzfeed.com/vdlr/56-peanut-butter-and-jelly-recipes-44qs

Photo cred: http://www.buzzfeed.com/vdlr/56-peanut-butter-and-jelly-recipes-44qs

Dessert—#48 Banana Macarons with Peanut Butter and Jelly and #55 Peanut Butter and Jelly Vegan Ice Cream

Photo cred: http://www.buzzfeed.com/vdlr/56-peanut-butter-and-jelly-recipes-44qs

Photo cred: http://www.buzzfeed.com/vdlr/56-peanut-butter-and-jelly-recipes-44qs

PB Creativity: Kiddie classics all grown up

Peanut butter and jelly is one of those insta-flashback foods. You take one bite of soft, airy bread and dig into the sweet fruit jelly with a salty, creamy kick, and you’re right back at the kitchen table on a lunch break in the summer between third and fourth grades. You may have had a bit of a physical (and mental) growth spurt since then, but your taste buds don’t have to.

As a teaser for my *drum roll, please* photo slideshow next week, here’s one recipe to banish the guilt of indulging in peanut butter and jelly when you’re past the lunch box-bearing days. As always, to keep it healthy, swap the honey for organic honey or agave, exchange half of the flour for whole-wheat flour, use egg substitutes, be stingy with the browning butter (and make it natural), and make your grape jelly a natural, no sugar added version.

Peanut Butter and Jelly Ravioli

Photo cred: http://www.buzzfeed.com/vdlr/56-peanut-butter-and-jelly-recipes-44qs

Filling:
2 cups Creamy Peanut Butter
1/2 cup Honey
Pasta:
3 cups Flour
2 Large Eggs
3 Tbsp Water
1 tsp Olive Oil
1/2 tsp Salt

Egg Wash:
1 Beaten Egg
1 Tbsp Water

To Cook:
½ gallon Boiling Water
2 Tbsp Butter, for browning

Sauce:
12 oz jar Grape Jelly
Grated White Chocolate, for garnish

Filling:

In a small bowl, combine peanut butter and honey; set aside.

Pasta:
On a clean surface or in a bowl, make a well in flour. In a small bowl, mix eggs, water, oil and salt. Pour egg mixture slowly into flour and mix with two fingers until incorporated. Knead dough for 7-8 minutes. Working with one-fourth of the dough at a time, roll into a rectangle. Spread filling evenly over half of dough. Brush other half of dough with egg wash. Fold that half of the dough over filling and lightly pat to remove air then seal edges. Sprinkle the dough and the roller with sugar, press firmly and cut into ravioli. Cook ravioli in 1/2 gallon boiling water, 6 ravioli at a time, for 6-7 minutes. Remove to a strainer. In a skillet over medium heat, melt 2 tablespoons butter; add ravioli and lightly toss until browned.

Sauce:
In a microwave-safe bowl, cook jelly until it melts, approximately 2-3 minutes.

To serve, plate ravioli and pour jelly sauce over ravioli. Top with grated white chocolate for garnish.

 

Recipe courtesy of http://vegetarian.betterrecipes.com/peanut-butter-ravioli-with-grape-jelly-sauce.html

Peanut Butter ‘Round the World

After a week’s hiatus due to a (snowy) spring break, we’re back! This week, I’d like to address a more serious issue—where else in the world does my precious PB exist? Does it? Are there replacements?

I spent a few weeks in Poland this past January. A few very long weeks, sans peanut butter. Nutella is great, don’t get me wrong. Chocolate-y, hazelnut-y, thick goodness. But it doesn’t rival my main spread.

So how does the rest of the world fare when it comes to what lies atop their toast? My research brought forth no great forum of debate or sound state of communication, but one solid Yahoo! Answers post did draw some attention to this topic.

Europe:

PB Presence? Yes, but it’s not as common as Nutella. When the Brits pick their peanut butter, they pair it with jelly. France and Spain don’t see the prevalence quite as much, but the hazelnut version is a breakfast staple.

Africa:

PB Presence? One responder claimed yes, a South African brand called “Black Cat.” Nutella is an import, but still available. They also vouched for peanut butter’s place on store shelves in Dubai, where they lived previously. Peanut butter cookies are also common as a sweet treat in South Africa. Maybe they should take a look at my spring break bake post…just a thought.

Australia:

PB Presence? Oh, yes! With many brands and varieties to choose from (even tasty almond butter and organic varieties!), it seems I could happily relocate down under without withdrawal. I’ll keep that in mind when I graduate, mate.

Canada:

PB Presence: From the beginning. Let’s not forget our friends to the north, who can stake a claim to fame for the invention of peanut butter. Oh Canada, I owe you my gratitude. The maple leaf may be your symbol, but the jar of JIF will be your legacy.

Monster Cookies—my spring break bake

College campuses across the U.S. are suddenly emptied, their previous occupants flooding the beaches of PCB and Padre Island. Not this kid. She’s making the trek back home to Sioux City, Iowa—the epicenter of all things slightly amusing and almost never changing. While I plan to catch up on work, sleep, and the latest episodes of Bones, I also have one end-of-break tradition to uphold—cookie baking!

Just before returning to campus, I make it a point to create a masterpiece my friends can enjoy. I’m quite the baker, so they’re usually a hit. I’m also extremely humble about it, you see? At the end of my blissful week, I’m taking on themonster cookie challenge. This mish-mosh of ingredients is one of my personal favorites: perfectly oatmeal-y with peanut butter and m&m’s. What more could you ask for? This recipe should keep my friends mooching for days….or at least until they’re gone in 12 hours.

Photo cred: justataste.com

Thanks to Recipe Girl for the inspiration! http://www.recipegirl.com/2012/05/07/monster-cookies/

monster cookies

Yield: 36 regular sized or 22 giant cookies

Prep Time: 15 min

Cook Time: 10 min

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups creamy or chunky peanut butter
1 cup packed light brown sugar
1 cup granulated white sugar
8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
3 large eggs
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
4 1/2 cups quick cooking oats
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 cup M&M’s plain chocolate candies

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Spray cookie sheets with nonstick spray, or line with parchment paper or a silpat mats.

2. In a large bowl, combine the peanut butter with the sugars and butter. Use an electric mixer to mix until well combined. Mix in the eggs and vanilla. Mix in the oats and baking soda. Then stir in the chips and M&M’s.

3. Drop the cookies by heaping spoonfuls onto the prepared cookie sheets. If you’d like your cookies to look pretty (like the photo), dot a few extra M&M’s and chocolate chips on each mound of dough before baking.

4. Bake 10 to 12 minutes. Do not overbake. Cool for 5 minutes on cookie sheets until cookies are set. Transfer to wire racks; cool completely before storing in an airtight container.

Q&A with Nick, the “Peanut Butter Boy”

With nearly 30 years of peanut butter love behind him and a knack for cooking, Nick, the “Peanut Butter Boy,” shared a few thoughts with me about the thing we share a mutual love for. Find him here:http://www.peanutbutterboy.com/ if you can’t make a trip out to Hoboken, New Jersey to stalk him in person

Q: What is your favorite part of blogging about food?

A: I love cooking for friends and family, and blogging about food is an extension of that passion in that it allows me to share recipes with complete strangers across the globe. Plus, I like having access to my recipes wherever I go.

Q: What is your all-time favorite peanut butter recipe?

A: That’s an unfair question, so I’m going to give you two. My “Super Peanut Butter Chili” recipe is probably my favorite meal of all time. Every time someone tries it, they say it’s the best chili they’ve ever had. Several people commented on my blog saying they entered it into chili contests and cook-offs using my recipe and won. That makes me happy. “Peanut Butter Banana Pudding” is my favorite dessert. Ever. I make it for every party, potluck and holiday. I don’t even have a choice anymore, people EXPECT it.

Q: What is the craziest peanut butter recipe you’ve ever tried? Was it good?

A: The craziest recipe I ever tried was a peanut butter and banana omelet. I cooked banana slices into the omelet and spread peanut butter on the inside. I enjoyed it, but for whatever reason I never made it again. I posted it on my blog a while ago but I still get comments from people saying that they expected it to be awful, but they wound up loving it! It’s actually one of the most praised recipes on my site. Go figure.

A Peanut Butter Q&A (with an unlikely candidate)

In the spirit of my recent Q&A with “Peanut Butter Boy,” I decided to have a little fun with another round:

As a kid, we find entertainment in all that animals do. We’re fascinated by the way they eat off of the floor, how they walk on all fours, and we imitate the noises they make as obnoxiously as possible.

One of my fondest memories as a child, however, is dipping my finger in a spoonful of peanut butter (with my parents’ permission), sticking some kind of Frontline canine pill into the center, and sticking it to the roof of my dog’s mouth—watching her smack her lips joyfully like a wild beast.

My little sister and I giggled until we cried, which only confused the poor pup more as to why we were laughing at her hysterically.

Photo credit: 943thepoint.com

This recollection led me to think: Why is it that dogs like peanut butter so much? Could it mean as much to them as it does to me? I sat down with a canine companion to get the scoop.

Q: What ran through your head the first time you experienced peanut butter?

A: It was the weirdest sensation I’ve ever had—awfully sticky, yet intriguingly tasty. I didn’t know what to think, so I just went with it. After it was gone, I only wanted more.

Q: Some people say people food is only for people. How do you feel about this, if we classify peanut butter as a people-only food?

A: It’s as healthy for me as it is for you. Not only can I digest it as well as humans, but it can be used to disguise medicine I might have to otherwise taste. It’s not like chocolate—which could be extremely harmful. As long as it’s in moderation, I’ll be just fine.

Q: What is your favorite kind of peanut butter?

A: Personally, I like extra crunchy. It makes it easier to disguise the pill I know the humans are using it for, but I honestly don’t care. For dogs, it’s best to stick with natural mixes, though. No preservatives, no added sugar, even organic. But that’s the same as it goes for you. Stick to the simple stuff.

Q: Do you ever feel like you might be unsafe in consuming the tasty treat?

A: Honestly, no. But I do know of a few ways things could go wrong. Some people use the same jar of peanut butter for their own consumption and mine. Wouldn’t it just be so much easier to keep yours for yourself and reserve a small jar for when I need it? That way, it won’t expire when I don’t actually eat it regularly, and nothing is cross-contaminated if I need an extra spoonful to be tricked into taking down the medication. A dog owner may also want to be very cautious of food allergies—just because I can’t tell you I need an Epipen doesn’t mean I can’t have a bad reaction.

PB Alternative—a post for the health-conscious folks

Hopefully, you read my bio. Oh, you didn’t? Go do that! I like to be more than a person hiding behind a keyboard on the crazy world wide web.

Good, you’re back from reading about me and why I started this blog. Now we can move onto the reason for this post—my new favorite thing in the world of peanut butter: PB2.

Photo Cred: http://foodbabe.com

My friends call me crazy for thinking it’s peanut butter, but I’ll stand by it as a natural alternative to sugar-loaded Jiffy. There are types of natural “normal” peanut butter, but this stuff is even better. PB2 is a powder, ready to go with just a little water and a spoon. After a good strength workout, when I’m in need of a protein fix, I turn to PB2 and a banana.

You may feel a little weird about having to mix up your own condiments from a jar of powder, but that’s one of the best parts! Use a little more water and drizzle it over ice cream instead of melting the traditional stuff in the microwave, or keep it thick to spread on whole-wheat toast for breakfast. Whatever way you choose to whip it, be sure to do a little happy dance as you do. The happy dance is because you just chose a natural form of peanut butter that is free of preservatives and artificial sweeteners.

By pressing the peanut and using the part without the majority of the natural fats (which are healthy, but make it one of the “moderation needed” condiments), PB2 has 1/4 of the calories and much less fat than typical peanut butter. The best part? It tastes just as good, if not better. Don’t believe me if you don’t want to—check it out for yourself:

http://www.bellplantation.com/nutrition

It’s a little more expensive than what you can find in a grocery store, and you have to order it online, but I’ve found buying in bulk packs of 4 jars on Amazon.com is the easiest route.

Bonus: It comes in chocolate flavor, too. A little extra sugar, but it’ll kill that coco craving.

Snow Day? Make Peanut Butter Cookies!

Photo Cred: http://www.hersheys.com

Iowa is currently in a snowpocalypse, meaning I can’t drive anywhere, I’m confined to my dorm, and I’m yearning to bake and watch movies all weekend long. In honor of what is about to be a wonderfully snowy Friday night in with my girls and a Harry Potter movie, I’ve decided this week’s blog will be the perfect peanut butter cookie: the Betty Crocker peanut butter blossom!

You remember these from your childhood trips to Grandma’s house (or at least I do). It’s not healthy, but feel free to substitute out the eggs for Egg Beaters, use ½ wheat flour, and switch to dark chocolate kisses for a few smart swaps.

This blog is all about my splurges, after all, so it’s time to treat myself to a night of baking, dancing while beating ingredients together to extremely loud show tunes, and a few scrumptious peanut butter classics.

 

Ingredients:

½ cup granulated sugar

1 cup packed brown sugar

1 cup creamy, natural peanut butter

1 cup butter, softened

2 eggs

3 cups all-purpose flour

1 ½ teaspoons baking soda

1 teaspoon baking powder

additional granulated sugar (about 2 tablespoons)

7 dozen Hershey’s Kisses milk chocolates

Instructions:

Heat oven to 375°F. In large bowl, beat 1/2 cup granulated sugar, the brown sugar, peanut butter, butter and eggs with electric mixer on medium speed, or mix with spoon. Stir in flour, baking soda and baking powder.

Shape dough into 1-inch balls; roll in additional granulated sugar.

Place about 2 inches apart on ungreased cookie sheet.

Bake 8 to 10 minutes or until edges are light brown.

Immediately press 1 chocolate candy in center of each cookie.

Remove from cookie sheet to wire rack.

Healthy Fats—peanut butter’s oxymoronic state

The number one question I am asked once people discover that peanut butter is my favorite treat is undoubtedly: “Isn’t it full of fat and really unhealthy?” Well, yes and no. There’s a huge difference between a spoonful of natural peanut butter and that Big Mac you just wolfed down. There are many more advantages to the former than the saturated fat-packed latter:

Energy: There’s no doubt that even 2 tablespoons (the recommended serving size) of pb is high in calories. But those calories, when derived from natural sources, provide energy and nutrients, not fat cells. In moderation, it’s the perfect way to add protein (which will keep you full) to your diet, while reaping the benefits of the natural vitamin B3, tryptophan, and manganese.

Heart health: Reduce your cholesterol with the fiber of peanuts and healthy monounsaturated fats. The Vitamin E is also a powerful antioxidant that has been linked with a decreased risk of heart disease.

Blood sugar control: You need both protein and fiber to keep you full. It will stave of hunger pangs that could later lead you to fill up with processed convenience foods or swing by the drive-thru window. Stabilizing your blood sugar is essential to keeping your mood level and hunger at bay.

Now that you can see past the initial labels of misconceived “junk” foods, I hope you’ve changed your mind about peanut butter. I’m not condoning 3 servings a day, as delicious as that may sound, because that will still be more healthy fats than your body needs. But in moderation—read a serving size or less, a few times per week—you can end the fat-shaming of peanut butter.