The Peanut Butter Boy

I'm a mutt - a healthy mixture of Irish, Swedish, French, English and something else. But I'm not Mexican. Not even a little bit. At least that's what my parents tell me. But I think otherwise. Mexican food is in my list of top 2 favorite cuisines, the other being Japanese. I've often mentioned my love affair with Mexican food, both the authentic and Americanized versions of it, but have never explained (or pondered) why. So I gave it a little thought.

Traditionally, these cuisines are very simple. Authentic Japanese food can be as simple as fresh fish and rice. Authentic Mexican food is as simple as grilled meat, beans and corn tortillas. And every time we visit my girlfriends Mexican side of the family, that's exactly what we eat: grilled steak, boiled beans and grilled corn tortillas. Sure there are always extras like salsa, guacamole and chips, but I feel the simplicity adds to the appeal. When you minimize the components you open up the natural flavors of the ingredients. I found the same to be true in Spain. I lived there for 4 months and found the cuisine to be quite unique. Spanish cuisine is traditionally very plain: they generally avoid salt and spices in their dishes and you'll rarely find condiments like ketchup or mustard. At first, it was hard to get used to, but by the end of those 4 months I loved it. I think in many cases, less is more.

Refried beans are a passion of mine. I could eat an entire bowl for dinner and be satisfied. For me, a good bowl of refried beans has a smooth texture with plenty of chunks, not dry but not too liquidy either. It also needs to be perfectly salted. I have tried many brands of canned refried beans. In fact, I keep a list of all the good and bad refried beans from a can, most brands being terrible. But then one day I decided to give up the canned variety and make my own, how hard could it be? Rather than scour the internet for a recipe, I headed over to Elise's blog and got the inspiration from her Refried Beans. If you've never been, you must visit her blog: she produces some killer Mexican dishes. Starting from there, I created a quick and excellent side dish that often ends up being my main dish. If you do make these (and you should), I highly recommend some Homemade Tortilla Chips for dipping, they are the perfect combo.

Also, don't forget about the Peanut Butter Exhibition #2 - Breakfast! The deadline is fast approaching: this Friday, May 30th at Noon (PST), so get your entries in, we've only got 1 entry so far!

Ingredients:
2 cups dry pinto beans
1 large onion, chopped
1T olive oil
garlic salt or regular salt, to taste
1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese (optional)

Instructions:

1. Place the beans in a large pot and cover with about 3 inches of water and a good amount of salt. Bring to a boil, cover and reduce heat to simmer, about 1 1/2 hours. The beans are done when they are very tender and the skins begin to burst open.

2. Heat a skillet on medium-high heat. Add the oil and cook the onions until slightly browned.

3. When the beans are done, drain them and return them to the pot. Using a potato masher or other device (I use the end of a meat mallet), mash the beans to the desired consistency, adding water, as needed, to keep the beans moist. Turn the heat on to medium and add the onions and cheese (if using). Continue to add more water and salt as needed. Serve hot, using Homemade Tortilla Chips to dip.

Additional Info:

I have yet to work peanut butter into this dish, but I am working on it and will post back when the results are in.

I've been tagged by Cassie from Fast, Fresh and Fit. I was actually tagged for the same thing a little while ago when I posted Tag and the Art of Hiding, although I don't recommend you read it, the last one is a bit embarrassing =).

Labels: dinner, fiber, peanut butterless, protein

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Posted by Nick on May 23, 2008 | Post a Comment | Comments | Permalink | Links to this post

Sometimes you just need to mix it up. Give it a whirl. Put your left foot in, put your left foot out. Dance with the devil. How did I change it up? Well, for the first time since I moved to Davis last September I did not see my girlfriend this past weekend. Shocking, I know. Every weekend either she comes here or I go there (San Francisco). Granted on Thursday she had off from work and came up for the day before flying to LA on Friday, but my weekend schedule was still wide open and girlfriend-free. While she took the trip down to LA to visit some friends, what did I do? Throw an impromptu party of course.

With limited planning, my roommate and I had a BBQ Saturday afternoon with some friends. The park across the street from us has grills and large open fields for sports. We threw down some super-lean burgers, low-fat hot dogs, grilled zucchini (the best grilled vegetable ever when prepared correclty), BBQ beans and tortilla chips, and of course some sangria. Long story short, it was too hot for sports (over 105 degrees) and we had grill troubles (does anyone know how to use a charcoal grill?) causing the sun to cook the burgers as fast as the grill. It was a good time though and eventually the food cooked and was quite tasty.

All this talk of changing it up and doing the hokey pokey, what does this have to do with fried bulgur? Well, I love leftovers. Unlike most people, I can eat leftovers multiple times a day for several days without tiring of them. A little while ago I mentioned my newest creation, Edamame Bulgur, and promised a delicious way to use the leftovers. I had been eating a plate of turkey tenderloin slices with a side of the edamame bulgur for several days and wanted to mix things up. There was only one serving of each left and during my trek to the kitchen I came up with a great idea for lunch!

I used to love Chinese food in college, but I no longer find it appealing, or at least not the cheap Americanized stuff. But one thing I will always love is fried rice. Pork fried rice was my favorite but even better was the Japanese version of fried rice at hibachi's like Benihana. Not the healthiest of menu items, but it certainly could be. Quick and simple, here's a single-serving recipe for a heart-healthy fried dish! You could substitute any leftover grain here but you might want to add a bit of soy sauce/sake to make up for the flavor of the Edamame Bulgur. This recipe can and should be tripled or sextupled.

Ingredients:

1 cup leftover Edamame Bulgur
3T chopped red onions
2oz leftover turkey or pork, shredded
1/4 cup egg substitute (or 1 egg)
1t olive oil

Instructions:

Add the oil to a medium skillet and place on high heat. Once the oil begins to thin, add the red onions and sauté until they become translucent. Add the turkey and brown the mixture slightly. Add the bulgur, stirring often, until the mixture becomes a little brown and crispy. Add the egg and let it cook a little bit before mixing. Chop the cooked egg into small chunks and mix thoroughly. Serve hot.

Additional Info:

I'm sorry I missed the Chinese Take-Out Party at Mochachocolata-Rita's blog. If I had the time, I would have entered this dish for sure!

Labels: dinner, fiber, protein

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Posted by Nick on May 20, 2008 | Post a Comment | Comments | Permalink | Links to this post

Due to popular request (one person even "pretty pleased with peanut butter on top"), feast your eyes on this. No, your eyes aren't deceiving you, that's only one sandwich. A super-loaded jam-packed (literally) monstrosity, but a sandwich nonetheless. How did this happen? In short, I ran out of meat. I woke up one morning and realized I had no meat in the fridge, thereby unable to make my usual lunch wrap of either turkey or roast beef, cheese, shredded cabbage and spicy peanut butter or honey mustard.

As with all things in life, peanut butter came to the rescue. But just one peanut butter and jelly sandwich with a piece of fruit isn't a big enough meal for the peanut butter boy. Two peanut butter and jelly sandwiches would have done the trick, but that's a little boring and it's just too much bread. And why constrain myself? Judging from my peanut butter collection I've got enough variety, so why choose only one flavor?

Not only was this sandwich a feast fit for a king, it was a feast for the nose and eyes as well. The smell of it coming out of my bag was extraordinarily enticing and just look at that monument of a sandwich - it makes your mouth and eyes water! What's your take?

Ingredients:

3 slices soft whole grain bread
1T Honey Roasted Peanut Butter
1T creamy or crunchy natural peanut butter
1T apricot jelly
1T strawberry jelly
1/2 banana, in 1/4" slices

Instructions:

Spread the Honey Roasted Peanut Butter on one slice of bread. Spread the apricot jelly on one side of another slice of bread and put the two slices together. Spread the strawberry jelly on the newly formed sandwich and top with banana slices. Spread the plain peanut butter on the last slice of bread and place on top. Cut in half normally or diagonally if you're feeling adventurous.


Additional Info:

Get creative with this one. There wasn't much rhyme or reason to my sandwich except that I wanted every layer to be unique and contribute a different texture. I'd love to see some of your suggestions/creations/pictures for the ultimate double decker peanut butter sandwich.

By the way, I've been a little slow in responding to comments recently. I've been busy the past few weekends in Napa and helping my girlfriend move along with a lot of schoolwork, but it should be back to normal soon and I'll be more on top of it!

* Side note: I realize that some people may have a slight problem with the way that I leave comments on their blogs. Before I joined the blogging scene I used to be a part of numerous forums where everyone left a "signature", meaning a favorite quote, their website, a picture, etc... When I leave comments, I still have a habit of signing them with "Peanut Butter Boy" and making it a link to my website, not to mention I have two names: Nick and Peanut Butter Boy so I wanted to get them both across =). I apologize if some people disagree with this, I will stop. I'm not trying to steal traffic and don't want to come off as rude!

Labels: banana, fiber, honey, lunch, peanut butter

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Posted by Nick on May 11, 2008 | Post a Comment | Comments | Permalink | Links to this post

Reminder: Don't forget about Peanut Butter Exhibition #1 - Cookies. This is the last weekend to work on your winning entry, the final submission date is Monday, April 28th!

When you think of Persian cuisine, what do you think of? I think of nothing because I've never had it. For example, does the name "Khoresh Fesenjan" ring a bell with you? Me neither. But I discovered a recipe a while ago (which loosely translates to Chicken Pomegranate Stew) and thought it to be such a unique combination of ingredients with so much potential for variations! But a hearty stew needs something else to accompany it...

On a recent trip home to New York, my mother and I were on the hunt for some dinner. We were undecided where to go and somehow a quaint little restaurant on the corner called Rice grabbed our attention. Neither of us particularly like rice, we prefer hearty, chewy & nutty grains, but we assumed that a place named "Rice" would offer dishes with unique types of rice. We were correct. The food was delicious, but the best part? You guessed it, the rice. We both ordered the same rice because it just sounded too good - Thai black rice with edamame peas. The price was very reasonable (for NYC) and the presentation was simple but elegant. After that night, I hadn't thought about the rice for a while until I needed a quick grain and happened to have a bag of frozen edamame handy. I quickly looked up a recipe and modified it to my liking.

So what do you get when you cross a Persian-inspired dish with an Asian-inspired dish? Apparently you get the best meal ever. I tested the dish on several people and wowed them all! My girlfriend tends to shy away from eating the same dish 2 meals in a row, so the following day she declined the remaining leftovers for lunch, leaving them to me. However, it was a different story once she smelled it and my lunch began to quickly disappear.

The original version of the stew calls for chicken thighs and ground walnuts. The cooking time was also over 2 1/2 hours to allow the walnuts to release their oil and thicken the stew. Well I found a shortcut/substitution to release the oil (begins with "peanut" and ends with "butter"), and exchanged the chicken thighs with lean turkey which requires less cooking time lest you want dried-out meat.

The stew makes a lot because the portion size is small due to it's filling nature, especially when eaten with the bulgur. Be sure to prepare a full or double batch of the bulgur. It only takes 15 minutes to cook but you'll want extra (I like eating it cold), plus in a few posts I'll give you a great recipe for any leftovers.

Turkey Pomegranate Stew:
1T olive oil
20oz turkey tenderloin, chopped into small cubes
1 white onion, chopped
3/4 cup peanut butter (I mixed peanut and almond butter)
1t salt
3-4 cups 100% pomegranate juice
1/2t cinnamon
1/2t cardamom (optional)

Edamame Bulgur:
1 cup bulgur
2 cups water
2T sake
1T soy sauce (full salt)
1t salt
1 cup shelled edamame, fresh or frozen

Instructions:

1. To prepare the stew, heat the oil in a medium pot on high heat and cook the onions and turkey until the turkey is lightly browned, about 3-4 minutes. Mix in 3 cups of pomegranate juice and the rest of the ingredients. Turn down the heat to low, cover and simmer for 1 1/2 hours or until meat is tender but not dry, stirring occasionally. Add pomegranate juice as needed to thin the stew or to create more broth (I used a full 4 cups, I suggest 3 to 3 1/2).

2. To prepare the bulgur, place all ingredients except the edamame in a medium saucepan and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer, covered for 10 minutes. Throw in the edamame and continue to cook, covered, for another 5 minutes. Add water, as needed, to keep the bulgur from getting too dry.

3. To serve, fill 1/3 to 1/2 of a bowl with the bulgur as shown below and spoon the stew in the other half:

Labels: dinner, fiber, peanut butter, protein

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Posted by Nick on Apr 23, 2008 | Post a Comment | Comments | Permalink | Links to this post

Consider yourself lucky! In this post, I plan to reveal three separate and very delicious recipes - one of which is the aforementioned *secret* peanut butter flavor. I've been slaving day and night to get the correct proportions, but I think I've got it just right. Not only that, but I'll be sharing a picture of my personal peanut butter collection as well as writing a "MeMe" for an insight into what makes the Peanut Butter Boy tick. Aren't you excited?

Plain and simple, these crepes are incredible. Like traditional crepes, they are thin and crispy with the bonus of being super healthy. The way I prepare them here is just my most recent concoction (but probably the best). Previously, I simply spread peanut butter inside, roll them up and top with defrosted strawberries. I've even tried them with some banana liqueur which added a great flavor. Feel free to make them how you wish but I urge you to try them. Read on for all the goodness!


Before I get to the recipe, I want to share something with you. Previously, I caused some confusion in my Chocolate & Triple Peanut Butter Pie post. Before the recipe I listed my peanut butter collection which was so long that most people mistook it for the actual recipe. After realizing their mistake, most people complimented me on the collection. Well, I wanted to visually share my achievements =):


However, only a few hours after the picture was taken, I bought another jar of peanut butter at the store - Honey Roasted Jif. It was on sale for $2.08 and I had just purchased Honey Roasted Skippy (pictured) and wanted to compare the two, so what you are seeing is slightly incomplete.

As for the "MeMe", I was tagged by Naomi over at Straight Into Bed Cakefree and Dried. Basically, it's a memoir about oneself involving only 6 words. The words are supposed to represent you on a deep level, with some hardcore philosophical meaning. In turn, I am supposed to nominate 6 people to continue the trend. After giving it some thought, I've come up with the following six words that I feel describe me best:

Joker
Lighthearted
Perpetual
Curious
Generous
Forgiving

and in turn, I nominate:
Melissa's Journey
Kath Eats
Down Home Dieting
A Forkful of Spaghetti
The Chocolate Peanut Butter Gallery
Foodaphilia

Now for the good stuff...

Ingredients:

Crepes:
1/2 cup whole wheat pastry flour
2 egg whites (or 3T egg substitute)
1/2 cup skim milk
1T peanut or olive oil (optional)
pinch of salt

Cinnamon & Sugar Apples:
1/2 large apple, in thin slices
2tsp brown sugar (optional)
2tsp cinnamon
1/4 cup apple juice or water, plus more as needed

Apple Pie Peanut Butter:
1 cup (1/2 jar) creamy natural peanut butter w/ salt
1/2 cup chopped dried apple rings, unpacked
4t sugar
2t cinnamon
3/8t nutmeg

Instructions:

1. For the peanut butter, mix all ingredients together. For crepe batter, whisk together all ingredients in a medium bowl. For cinnamon & sugar apples, place all ingredients in a pot on medium heat. Bring liquid to a boil and simmer on medium-low, stirring often, for about 10 minutes or until apples are soft. Cut the apple slices in half while cooking (also good for testing when they are done). Add liquid 1T at a time, as needed to keep a thin layer of sauce in the bottom.


2. Preheat a large skillet on medium heat and spray with cooking spray. Pick up the pan and tilt it while pouring 1/4 cup of crepe batter into it with the other hand. As soon as the batter reaches the pan, twist the pan to cover the entire bottom with batter. Cook for 2-3 minutes or until bottom is browned and crispy. Flip over and cook for 1 more minutes. Subsequent crepes will cook a good deal faster.

3. Spread peanut butter on the inside down the middle and fill with apples. Fold one side of the crepe over and roll up. Drizzle with maple syrup, if desired.


Additional Info:

I've made this recipe several times, with and without the oil. I included it in the list because traditional crepe recipes call for it, but frankly I can't tell the difference. I've included a lot of pictures because I couldn't choose a favorite. Which picture do you think best shows off the crepes?

Labels: breakfast, dessert, fiber, peanut butter

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Posted by Nick on Apr 16, 2008 | Post a Comment | Comments | Permalink | Links to this post

Spring is creeping in slowly and there is no better time of the year to get up early and take a jog or ride your bike. The mornings are getting warmer and the sun is rising earlier so there's no use fighting that one ray that peeks through your blinds every morning and straight into your eye. Get out and enjoy the sun! To keep up your energy, you'll need a healthy, nutrient-packed breakfast on-the-go. I've got just the ticket! Heavily inspired by my daily breakfast, Peanut Butter & Jelly Oatmeal, here's a great way to help keep you moving!

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups oats
1 cup whole wheat pastry flour
1/4 cup brown sugar, or to taste
3/4t cinnamon
1/4t baking soda
1/8t salt
4T butter, softened (I used Smart Balance)
2T creamy natural peanut butter
1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce
1 1/2 cups apricot jelly (Trader Joe's brand)

Update: I've removed the 1/2 cup egg substitute (or 2 eggs) from the recipe, I think they contribute to a dryness and "yempt" texture. So this recipe is technically untested, please let me know if you try it and how it comes out or if you have any recommendations/suggestions! Thanks!

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 350. Cream butter and brown sugar together in a large bowl. Whisk in the peanut butter, applesauce and egg. Mix the remaining ingredients (oats, flour, baking soda, salt and cinnamon) in a medium bowl. Pour dry ingredients into wet ingredients and mix until well combined.

2. Spray an 8x8 inch baking pan with cooking spray. Press about 2/3 of the mixture into the bottom, forming an even layer and spread a layer of jelly on top. Crumble remaining oat mixture on top and press down lightly.

3. Bake in oven for 25 minutes or until lightly browned on top. Let cool completely and cut into 9 bars.

Additional Info:

Strawberry usually trumps every other flavor of jelly for me, but in this case, the apricot was hands down the better of the two. The strawberry type looks a little better in the pictures because of the contrast but don't be fooled!

Labels: breakfast, fiber, peanut butter, snack

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Posted by Nick on Apr 1, 2008 | Post a Comment | Comments | Permalink | Links to this post

Weekends are a time for sleeping in, watching a movie and unwinding. But the most important aspect of the weekend is brunch. This is no time for a bowl of soggy Cheerios, this is a time to celebrate and do nothing simultaneously! What better way to celebrate your empty schedule for the day than with a crispy, chewy, salty, sweet and satisfying meal.

Hitting all those taste buds at once requires a certain finesse, especially when certain criteria are required. There's a reason we're not going to a greasy diner, we're after delicious home-cooked food that's also nutritious.

To start, I nominate peanut butter for saltiness. Then perhaps some toast for a crispy texture. Now peanut butter on toast ain't so bad but we need to hit all those senses. A delicate chewiness should probably come from eggs. And last but not least, the sweetness. It's brunch time and we deserve a treat so let's use 2 sugar sources: bananas and maple syrup. This is sounding like a winning combo to me...

Ingredients:

2 slices soft whole wheat bread
1/3 cup skim or soymilk
1/4 cup egg substitute (or 2 egg whites or 1 egg)
1t sugar
6-8 shakes cinnamon

1 banana, in 1/4" slices
1T creamy natural peanut butter
drizzle of real maple syrup

Instructions:

1. Place a large skillet over medium heat. Mix together milk, egg, cinnamon and sugar in a bowl. Dip each slice of bread in the bowl and flip over to soak both sides.

2. Spray skillet with cooking spray and add the soaked bread. Flip after 2-3 minutes, or when the bottom is browned and crispy. Cook for an additional 2 minutes. The bread has browned enough once it looks like a toasty foreign landscape as shown below.

3. Spread a thin layer of peanut butter on each slice of french toast and place banana slices on top. Drizzle with maple syrup and a few shakes of cinnamon.

Additional Info:

Peanut butter plays a dual role in this recipe: it secures the toppings to the toast substrate, and it's salty deliciousness contrasts perfectly with the maple syrup!

Labels: banana, breakfast, fiber, honey, peanut butter

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Posted by Nick on Mar 13, 2008 | Post a Comment | Comments | Permalink | Links to this post

Update: I received some feedback saying that you can just as easily pop the corn on the stove. I tried it out and it works really well. I have updated the cooking method below.

Movie night! Tonight on the menu is a flick called "Black Sheep". When I saw the movie title, I assumed it was that classic comedy from 1996 with one of my favorite actors, Chris Farley. It seems the title was rehashed in 2006 for a very different type of movie, one about blood-thirsty zombie sheep. Eli and I watched the trailer and while she usually balks at the idea of watching a scary movie, she eventually agreed to watch this one. Without spoiling it for you, lets just say the movie was funnier than it was scary. I believe the movie was trying to be funny, but only in its own ridiculousness. But what better way to enjoy zombie sheep than a steaming-hot bowl of popcorn?

Popcorn is not generally considered health food, but I intend to change that. Corn is a whole grain, therefore popcorn is a whole grain. Popcorn kernels contains more fiber than an apple, a banana, 2 oranges, a serving of brown rice, whole wheat or barley. The problem with popcorn is that it is usually drenched in melted butter, ruining any nutrition value. Well the way I make it is not only healthy, but cheap too! That bowl of heaven up there was my dinner the other night.

Ingredients:

1/3 cup popcorn kernels (yellow pops bigger, white is smaller)
2t sugar
2T creamy natural peanut butter (Dark Chocolate flavor is great)

Instructions:

1. Place a heavy saucepan on the stove over medium-high heat. Let pan warm for 1-2 minutes.

2. Pour kernels into the pan and cover with a lid. Take two potholders and shake the pan every 5-10 seconds, while also holding the lid down. Once all kernels have popped, remove from heat and pour into a large bowl.

3. Spray with olive oil or canola oil cooking spray and sprinkle 1t sugar on top. Toss popcorn, spray again and sprinkle remaining sugar on top. Drizzle peanut butter flavor of choice across the top.

Additional Info:

To achieve the creaminess required for drizzling, I use Trader Joe's natural creamy peanut butter w/ salt (I actually use this brand for everything). If your peanut butter is not that creamy, microwave it in a small dish for 15 seconds.

I had it with plain peanut butter and I think I liked it better:

Labels: chocolate, dessert, fiber, peanut butter, snack

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Posted by Nick on Mar 2, 2008 | Post a Comment | Comments | Permalink | Links to this post

Update: This recipe has been entered into the "Balanced Breakfast Meals" contest over at the Fun and Food blog.

I was never much of a baker, it's a very foreign cooking method to me. I don't know enough to add/change ingredients and certainly not enough to create my own recipe. Not to mention that baked products generally aren't very nutritious, mostly just empty calories - tasty calories, but empty nonetheless. The Banana Blueberry Bran Muffins came out very good but the recipe was directly from Farmgirl Fare. And being the peanut butter boy I wanted to incorporate peanut butter into a muffin recipe but had no idea what to replace it with. I have a problem with wasting food and I would hate to throw out a batch of muffins that didn't turn out. As a good example, you should see my empty peanut butter containers, they are immaculate as if they were ready for filling at the peanut butter factory. To me, there's nothing worse than a messy peanut butter jar.

Well I decided to bite the bullet and experiment by working with a flavor combination that my mother discovered and anyone who has since tried it has fallen in love: the combination of peaches with peanut butter, cinnamon and raisins. Discovered in the early 21st century during the peanut butter era (summer 2007 to be exact), this delectable combo was founded in the form of a sandwich, now called The Linda Delite (recipe soon). It may sound strange at first but let me say that this toasted sandwich has since replaced the traditional grilled peanut butter and banana sandwich for me.

Using this flavor combo, I heavily modified the basic bran muffin from the above site. All oil has been removed and replaced with peanut butter, along with the addition of peach puree and peach applesauce. This is one muffin you don't want to miss.

Ingredients:

Dry:
2 cups wheat bran
1 cup oat bran
1 cup whole wheat flour
2/3 cup currants or raisins
2t baking soda
1t baking powder
1T cinnamon
1/2t salt

Wet:
3 perfectly ripe peaches (gives when pressed lightly, not spongy)
1/4 cup peach applesauce (or regular unsweetened)
4 egg whites (or 1/2 cup egg substitute)
2/3 cup skim milk
2/3 cup light yogurt (peach or vanilla)
6T creamy natural peanut butter
1/4 cup honey
1/4 cup molasses (all honey or all molasses works too)

Instructions:

1. Heat oven to 375. Spray 2 standard size muffin pans or use paper liners (best choice). If you don't have two muffin pans, you'll have to make two batches or cut the recipe in half. Combine dry ingredients in a large bowl and mix well to coat the currants.

2. Cut peaches in half and remove pit. Place in a blender with the applesauce. Pulse until pureed. Combine peach puree and remaining wet ingredients into a medium-sized bowl and mix. Pour wet ingredients into dry ingredients and gently mix just until combined.

3. Spoon batter into muffin cups and mound as high as you can without spilling over the paper liner. Bake for 26-28 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean (but moist). Makes 14-16 large muffins.

Additional Info:

These muffins are delicious, but at first I was afraid I'd have to throw the batch out anyways because I accidentally cooked them for just over 30 minutes. The picture above doesn't quite do justice to how moist even the over-baked muffins really are, take a look:



As for nutrition, these muffins take the cake (taste better too). Each one contains:

Calories: 180

Fat: 3.6g
Carbohydrates: 33g
Fiber: 6.5g
Sugar: 16g
Protein: 6g

The only thing a little high is the sugar, but it mostly comes from fruit, honey and molasses. Feel free to reduce sugar amounts to your liking. Enjoy these perfectly moist muffins!

Labels: breakfast, cinnamon raisin, fiber, lunch, peanut butter, snack

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Posted by Nick on Feb 28, 2008 | Post a Comment | Comments | Permalink | Links to this post

Ahh, the smoothie... What could be more satisfying then a big frosty glass of a thick and creamy drink that tastes almost as sinful as Ben & Jerry's Oatmeal Cookie Chunk Ice Cream. On a hot summer day (or a cold rainy one like today), there is nothing more refreshing than a smoothie for lunch or perhaps lunch #2.

If you Google the term "smoothie" you'll receive about 9,000,000 results and you can bet that each page has at least a couple recipes. So what's the perfect smoothie? The beauty of the smoothie is that there is no perfect smoothie, each person can customize it to their taste. To start off, however, here is my basic criteria: it must be cold, and it must contain peanut butter. From that wonderful starting point, I've created a great smoothie base that is very adaptable to suit your fancy.

Healthy? You bet! These smoothies have no added sugar, contain plenty of fiber, vitamins and nutrients: All without using ice. Don't be afraid to experiment, you can throw almost anything (edible, of course) into that blender without drastically affecting the taste (see "Could" Additions).

Ingredients:

Base:

1 frozen banana (freeze in plastic wrap without peel)
1 (6oz) container light yogurt, any flavor
1 handful frozen strawberries (or other frozen fruit)
milk (skim, soy, almond or fruit juice)

"Must" Additions:

2T peanut butter
1 handful frozen wild blueberries, cherries, etc..

"Should" Additions:

2-3T cocoa powder
1-2 scoops vanilla protein powder
1t cinnamon

"Could" Additions:

2T flax seed, wheat germ, wheat bran, etc...
3/4 cup unsweetened applesauce (omit yogurt)
3/4 cup non-fat cottage cheese (omit yogurt)
3/4 cup pumpkin mousse (recipe coming soon!)
1/4 cup pumpkin puree
1 multivitamin

Toppings (Get a small dish and mix any of these together):

1/2 cup high fiber cereal (I mix Kashi Go Lean and Go Lean Crunch)
10-15 almonds
1 handful dried fruit
3 broken-up Peanut Butter Cookies

Instructions:

1. Break banana into chunks and place all ingredients into blender except for milk/juice. Pulse until the motley of goodness begins to chop up. Slowly add milk/juice as needed.

2. When your mixture reaches the consistency of frozen yogurt, you're done! Pour into a large mug, sprinkle with toppings and eat with a spoon.

3. Sprinkle, eat, repeat.

Additional Info:

Strawberries are a better base than mixed berries because they are naturally sweeter. The cocoa powder gives a wonderful chocolate flavor and adds tons of antioxidants as well as some fiber and protein. Surprisingly, adding the cottage cheese and pumpkin had no discernible effect on the flavor. Experiment and leave a comment with your results!

Most Recent "Perfect" Smoothie:

1 frozen banana
1 (6oz) container light vanilla yogurt
8 frozen strawberries
2T creamy natural peanut butter
2-3T cocoa powder
1 scoop vanilla whey protein powder (optional)
1/2 cup vanilla soymilk, as needed

This smoothie turned out the perfect consistency - about that of frozen yogurt. I topped it with Kashi cereal and ate it with a spoon. Leave out the protein if you don't want it.

Labels: banana, breakfast, chocolate, dessert, fiber, lunch, peanut butter, peanut butterless, protein, snack

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Posted by Nick on Feb 25, 2008 | Post a Comment | Comments | Permalink | Links to this post

At the height of my peanut butter infatuation I was determined to try a new peanut butter recipe every day for each of my lunches (yes, I have 2 per day). Well, one day I ran out of ideas. Born out of some leftover turkey and a quick-approaching hunger I developed this recipe last summer for a quick lunch.

After it was prepared, I sat down at the table across from my father, who was eating some leftover Mexican food. I reached for his sour cream to place on my wrap at which point he asked what was inside. When I told him, he twisted his face in disgust while saying "I don't know...". He believed my obsession with peanut butter had gone a bit too far.

I too was a little skeptical of the odd combination of ingredients, but one bite allayed my fears. I forced my father to try a bite at which point he exclaimed "Wow, not bad." A new recipe was born. Whenever I make this, I use slices of turkey tenderloin, but sliced or canned turkey breast should work just as well.

Ingredients:

1 (10-12") soft whole wheat tortilla
1T creamy natural peanut butter
sprinkle of crushed red pepper
dash of cayenne pepper
6 (1/4") slices turkey tenderloin
1 slice fat-free American cheese
a few drops of hot sauce (optional)
2 dollops fat-free sour cream

Instructions:

1. Starting with the tortilla, apply peanut butter in a strip down the middle of the tortilla, leaving about 1" on each end uncovered. Shake the cayenne and red pepper on top followed by the turkey slices. Break the slice of cheese in half and place the two slices down the middle. Top with hot sauce if desired. Fold in the short ends followed by the two larger sides of the tortilla. Place a little peanut butter underneath the last flap to secure in place.

2. Warm a skillet on a medium heat. Spray with cooking spray. Place the wrap, seam-side down, in the skillet for about 2 minutes. Spray the top with cooking spray and flip, toasting for another 2 minutes or until tortilla is toasted and wrap is warmed through.

3. Cut in half and dollop sour cream on top.

Additional Info:

The pictured wrap contains turkey tenderloin cooked in my Peanut Butter Marinade. But for the original wrap, I used a pre-marinated tequila-lime turkey tenderloin which I highly recommend if you can find it.

Labels: fiber, lunch, peanut butter, protein

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Posted by Nick on Feb 19, 2008 | Post a Comment | Comments | Permalink | Links to this post

The enchilada. Nothing could be more delectable than a combination of meat, sauce and cheese in a steaming pile of mush. Tasty? Absolutely. Nutritious? Far from it. However, my love for Mexican cuisine coupled with my desire to increase my lifespan led to an enchilada recipe nutritious enough to consume on a daily basis, if you so desired (and I often do). This recipe is simple, versatile, quick and a huge crowd pleaser (one of my father's favorite meals). My most recent batch of enchiladas used the leftover filling from the Mexican Tortilla Pie with enough for 6 full enchiladas. The basic recipe is a staple in my house but lots of customizations are listed below. For a vegetarian version, replace the meat with a can of black beans.

Ingredients:

12-16oz cooked pork tenderloin, shredded
1 can (16oz) fat-free refried beans, preferably spicy (or homemade)
1 (8oz) container fat-free sour cream
1 (8oz) package fat-free shredded cheddar cheese
10 (8") soft whole wheat tortillas (Mission Carb Balance - Fajita Size)
1 can enchilada sauce
1/2 onion, chopped

optional:

different meat (turkey tenderloin, ground beef/turkey, chicken breast)
1/2 cup chopped red bell pepper
1/2 can black beans, drained and rinsed
1 cup frozen sweet corn
1 jalapeno pepper, seeded, de-ribbed and chopped
hot sauce
salsa

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Over medium-high heat, spray a skillet with cooking spray and saute onions for 2-3 minutes. If meat is not cooked, add to skillet and cook until done. Drain the mixture if the meat produces grease.

2. Combine the refried beans, any optional ingredients and 2T enchilada sauce to the skillet, mix well and heat thoroughly. Add a few spoonfuls of sour cream to the mixture to thin it out. Spray 2 9x13 baking dishes with cooking spray and coat with a thin layer of enchilada sauce.

3. Place about 1/2 cup of the mixture down the center of a tortilla and fold the sides over (you can stuff them pretty full). Place seam-side down in the baking dish. Repeat until mixture is gone, tortillas are gone, or you run out of space to put them (you can compact them in the dish).

4. Coat the enchiladas with enchilada sauce until no dry spots remain. Generously cover cheese.

5. Cover with tin foil and bake for 15 minutes. Remove tin foil and bake for an additional 10 minutes.

Additional Info:

Once the enchilada reaches my plate, I routinely dress it in the following fashion: sour cream, hot sauce and salsa. We are now ready for consumption:

Labels: dinner, fiber, mexican, peanut butterless, protein

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Posted by Nick on Feb 1, 2008 | Post a Comment | Comments | Permalink | Links to this post

Here's a great quick and easy recipe made mostly from cans! If you wish, you can omit the sour cream, red pepper and chives (the tortillas and unopened bag of cheese will stay good for a while in the fridge) and have this recipe on hand for a rainy night. I realize it doesn't contain peanut butter (yet) but it sure is delicious (the family and E agree). Like all my Mexican-inspired dishes, the same basic ingredients are simply rehashed into a different form.

There will be a good amount of leftover filling. You can either stack the pie higher or make a second pie. What I did was use the extra filling for enchiladas, a simple recipe I'll be divulging soon.

Ingredients:

4 (8") low-carb whole wheat tortillas (Mission Carb Balance fajita size)
1 can no-fat refried beans, spicy preferred
1 can black beans
1 can pinto beans
1/2 jar salsa (as needed)
2 (10oz) cans chicken or turkey breast, broken-up into shreds
1-2 cups frozen sweet corn (to liking)
1/2 red bell pepper, chopped
1/2 cup fat-free sour cream, stirred until creamy
2 cups fat-free shredded cheddar cheese
1 (4oz) can sliced black olives (optional)
3T chopped chives (optional)
1.5T cumin
1T chili powder
dash salt/pepper

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. In a large pot over medium heat, mix together refried beans, black beans, pinto beans, corn, red pepper and the chicken/turkey. Add the cumin, chili powder, salt, pepper, cayenne (if using) and a few tablespoons of salsa.

2. Find a deep 9" pie dish or 9x13 baking dish and spray with cooking spray. Place one tortilla into the dish.

3. While the mixture is being heated, it will begin to thin out. You want the heated mixture to remain fairly thick, so only add more salsa as needed. If the mixture is too thin, it will creep out the sides (mine did a bit).

4. Once the mixture is heated through, plop it onto the first tortilla about 1/2"-3/4" thick and about a 1/4" from the edges. Use about 2T sour cream to spread a thin layer on top of the mixture. Next, sprinkle about 1/2 cup cheese on top. Place another tortilla on the top and repeat, making three full layers.

5. Top with the 4th tortilla. Cover the whole pie with the rest of the salsa (extra is fine). Sprinkle with chives and place olives on top. Cover with the remaining cheese.

6. Cover with tin foil and bake for 15 minutes. Remove foil and bake for an additional 5-10 minutes. Slice like a pie and indulge. Freezes well.

Additional Info:

I used a spicy green salsa that happened to be very thin, which caused the pie to leak into the dish a little bit. Hot sauce and extra sour cream go great on top.

A note for the tortillas: I do no promote the low-carb diet as it also suggests that bacon is "healthy" because it is low in carbs. However, in many cases low-carb products have a significant health benefit over their traditional counterparts. In order to make these tortillas low-carb, the manufacturer has included extra fiber and used protein to replace some of carbohydrates. In addition, these are some of the softest tortillas I have ever had. Other brands of low-carb tortillas break easily and can be very dry but the Mission Carb Balance tortillas are incredible. They also have a white flour version which is equally as good, just not whole grain. Look for them wherever regular tortillas are found in your grocery store which is sometimes located in the refrigerated section.

I'll cover this again when I post about nutrition in general soon.

Labels: dinner, fiber, mexican, peanut butterless, protein

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Posted by Nick on Jan 29, 2008 | Post a Comment | Comments | Permalink | Links to this post

February Update: I've created an awesome new flavor: Cinnamon Raisin Peanut Butter & Peach

As promised, here is that muffin recipe I was so excited about. Was my excitement unfounded? Hardly. I originally stumbled upon the recipe at Farmgirl Fare's blog and got immediately excited because they appear to closely replicate the Trader Joe's muffins. I made the Banana Blueberry variation with near-complete success. I originally intended to make the Ginger Pear variety but I didn't have time to let the pears ripen and I was getting impatient. I barely made any modifications to this recipe, except to make it just a tad healthier. The recipe goes a little something like this...

Ingredients:

2 cups wheat bran
1 cup oat bran
1 cup whole wheat flour
2t baking soda
1t baking powder
1/2t salt
1/2 cup egg substitute
2/3 cup skim milk
2/3 cup (6oz container) vanilla yogurt
3T canola oil (or unsweetened applesauce)
1/3 cup honey
3T molasses
2-3 very ripe small bananas, mashed with fork
1 1/2 cups frozen wild blueberries

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Line a muffin tin with muffin cups or grease the tin.

2. Combine wheat bran, oat bran, whole wheat pastry flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a large bowl. Combine egg substitute, milk, yogurt, oil, molasses, honey and mashed bananas in a medium bowl.

3. Pour wet ingredients into dry ingredients and mix well. Rinse any ice off of the blueberries and fold them into the batter.

4. Spoon the batter into the muffin cups, filling to the top and making a mound on top (they won't overflow too much). Bake for 27-30 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Makes 14 muffins.

The muffins turned out delicious but very moist: a little too moist in fact. I actually used the original 1/3 cup canola oil but would recommend reducing the quantity to 3T or less. When made with 1/3 cup canola oil, each muffin has the following nutrition information:

Servings: 14 muffins
Serving size: 1 muffin

Calories: 190
Fat: 6.5g
Carbohydrates: 33.5g
Fiber: 6.7g
Sugar: 12.5g
Protein: 5.5g

They are great when heated in the toaster or toaster oven and topped with peanut butter. To decrease the moisture, I'll replace the oil with peanut butter or applesauce and report my findings! Stay tuned!

Labels: banana, breakfast, cinnamon raisin, fiber, peanut butter, snack

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Posted by Nick on Jan 28, 2008 | Post a Comment | Comments | Permalink | Links to this post

Trader Joe's is hands down my favorite grocery store. While I can't get everything I need, there are so many healthy, organic and delicious products that I just can't get enough of that place. On a recent trip to Trader Joe's, I discovered their bran muffins. Each of these monster muffins provides a whopping 8-12g fiber, 6-8g protein and 5-6g good fats. Overall, they clock in at only 240-300 calories per muffin. These are the quintessential muffins or at least what muffins were originally intended for: a healthy baked treat, moist and slightly sweet, but provides your body with energy and essential nutrients.

For example, the ingredients for the Berry Mango Bran Muffin are the following: Water, White Grape Blend concentrate, Wheat bran, Whole wheat flour, Blueberries, Mango, Cranberries, Canola Oil, Sodium Bicarbonate, Salt.

While they are about $1 each, they truly are an entire meal. I usually eat a decked out muffin for my second lunch (yes, I have two). So how does one go about consuming one of these gems?

Ingredients:

1 bran muffin from Trader Joe's
2T cinnamon raisin peanut butter (plain or chocolate is fine too)
1/2 banana, in 1/4" slices
2T reduced sugar jelly from Trader Joe's (optional)

Instructions:

1. Slice muffin into thirds. Eat any crumbs that don't make the cut.

2. Place in toasting device until very toasty.

3. Lather on the peanut butter and top with banana slices. Spread jelly on top of banana slices.



Now, after sharing this recipe, I realize that some people find it too dry with just peanut butter and bananas. I experimented with the jelly addition on my last piece and must admit that mayhap it should not be listed as optional. The jelly adds a wonderful sweetness and moisture to the overall experience. Try it, trust me.

The NAD (nutritious and delicious) factor of these muffins has inspired me to bake some of my own. This weekend I'll be trying out a great looking muffin recipe I discovered. I'll be sure to post the results.

Labels: banana, breakfast, cinnamon raisin, fiber, lunch, peanut butter, snack

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Posted by Nick on Jan 25, 2008 | Post a Comment | Comments | Permalink | Links to this post

I make this hearty breakfast every morning. I've changed around the ingredients from time to time, but this is probably my favorite combination. On a cold rainy day or any day for that matter, I find that a warm bowl of oatmeal much more appealing than a bowl of cold soggy cereal. This is a great, quick way to start the day, rivaled only by my pancakes.

Ingredients:

1/3 cup quick oats
1 scant cup water, skim milk or vanilla soymilk (use less with soy)
1-2T creamy natural peanut butter
1-2T jelly (Trader Joe's reduced sugar preserves are outstanding)

Instructions:

1. In a medium-large microwave-safe bowl, mix the oats and the water or milk. Cook on high for 2 1/2 minute