The Peanut Butter Boy

By popular demand, I've decided to post my favorite mousse recipe. I've actually promised this recipe to several people for a while now, but never got around to making it myself. My best excuse is that the store that sells my favorite cheese to use in this recipe is the furthest of the 3 local grocery stores I frequent (about a 10 minute drive) - a terrible excuse, I realize. That cheese by the way, is "Calabra" fat-free ricotta. It was never in the store until recently, but it is so rich and decadent, the only thing I can compare it to is queso fresco. I've had plenty of full-fat ricotta cheeses that aren't nearly as good. Otherwise I usually go for Polly-o because it has the highest protein to carb ratio.

I want to thank everyone for the kind words, my back is feeling a little better. It feels different than when I pulled it the other few times. It seems like a more concentrated pain in my lower back, but it seems to be disappearing faster and I only notice it when I make certain movements. I was prepared to go to the gym today but was dissuaded by my girlfriend when she called me outside the gym. I don't want to pull it again, but I want to work out! I suppose it's good that I have an addiction to the gym in some respects, but it's aggravating when I can't satisfy that addiction! At least I'll always be able to feed my peanut butter addiction barring any future food intolerances (knock on wood/cross my fingers/salt over the shoulder).

I don't know if it's warm where you are, but here in Davis, CA it's been about 80 degrees every day for the past week and there is no end in sight. So to me, this is a nice cool and refreshing dessert (or afternoon snack) that perfectly compliments the weather. This recipe couldn't be simpler and is a great base recipe to play with. I know what most of you are thinking, "what about chocolate peanut butter mousse?". Well I originally found a similar recipe somewhere that suggested the addition of 1/4 cup cocoa it was not good - I think it just wasn't sweet enough. If you try it, add the 1/4 cup cocoa, omit the cinnamon and an additional 2-4T honey or other sweetener. I'll experiment with it soon (maybe a year from now?).

Ingredients:

15-16oz (~2 cups) nonfat ricotta cheese (Calabra)
1 1/3 cups cooked pumpkin puree (canned is fine)
1/4 cup honey
3-4T peanut butter
1t vanilla
2t cinnamon

Instructions:

Throw it all in a blender and process until super creamy. Add extra honey to sweeten to taste. Chill and serve in small dishes. Top with whipped cream (I forgot to).


Additional Info:

I love this dish, it's so easy and it tastes great. Depending on the brand of ricotta, the taste and texture can vary, so try several different ones until you find your favorite. It also tastes great without the peanut butter but I don't recommend it =). Although every time I make it, I make it in two batches: one plain, one experimental. This peanut butter one was the latest experiment that went over well. By the way, this would make a wonderful pie filling. In fact, if you used a healthy pie crust like from my Triple Chocolate & Peanut Butter Pie, you'd have a mighty healthy and tasty pie on your hands.

To veganize it, perhaps you can use a nice silken tofu or tofu cream cheese? Anyone wanna try it?

Labels: dessert, peanut butter, protein, snack

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Posted by Nick on May 7, 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

Quick. Easy. Simple. Delicious. Nutritious. All perfect ways to describe this well balanced meal. You've got your lean protein, whole grain starch, vegetables and healthy fats. The difference with this meal is that I simply baked everything, there are really no recipes here. I normally shy away from prepared items because I like knowing and controlling what goes into my food, but this dinner was perfect and I feel as if I couldn't have done any better. I will, however, share with you the components of this meal and where to find them. However, I urge you to try making these items yourself and share the results!

To start off the past weekend in San Francisco, I ventured into Whole Foods and found a pre-made "Garlic Basil Polenta" from Food Merchants. I'd been meaning to try polenta for a while now and I love garlic in anything so this seemed like a no-brainer. The great thing about this package is that it stays good for a while until opened. I figure I'll make homemade polenta next time around (favorite recipes anyone?).

Then, a quick stop at Trader Joe's on the way home to pick up some "Curry Chicken Tenders", a bright yellow package of perfectly seasoned and marinated chicken tenders. Pre-seasoned meats are usually pretty harmless and in this case they are especially delicious.

I had made the chicken tenders once before and they were great but needed some sort of sauce, preferably a dipping sauce - here's where the good stuff comes in. Curry is used in many cuisines but one that I'm particularly fond of is Thai cuisine. My favorite Thai dish of all time is, you guessed it, peanut sauce. Why not combine the two? The only problem is that I don't have a good recipe for peanut sauce - I've tried two different ones and was thoroughly disappointed (recipes anyone?). I don't like pre-made sauces, but I do have a favorite "Peanut Sauce Mix" by A Taste of Thai. The package has two inner envelopes so you can make one at a time (although they don't mention that on the package). It calls for using a 13.5 oz can of coconut milk, which dribbles down to just over 3/4 cup per envelope. Coconut milk, while more authentic, is high in fat and my preferred replacement is light vanilla soymilk. Somehow, the vanilla makes up for the lack of coconut flavor which is not missed one bit.

As the Peanut Butter Boy, I feel ashamed not making my own peanut sauce, but the mix is so darn simple and tasty. Plus, it beats getting 14 ingredients together including not-on-hand-oddities like fish sauce and getting it ready in time while 3 other items are cooking simultaneously. Read on to see the components of this superb store-bought dinner.

Ingredients:

1 package Curry Chicken Tenders (Trader Joe's)
1 package Garlic Basil Polenta (Food Merchants)
1lb asparagus spears
1 envelope Peanut Sauce Mix (A Taste of Thai)
1/2 cup light vanilla soymilk (Vitasoy)
2T creamy natural peanut butter
1t olive oil
kosher salt (medium grain)
1t honey (optional)

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Rinse asparagus and dry completely. Pour about 1tsp olive oil into the palm of your hand and grab half of the asparagus with the other hand. Coat the asparagus spears with oil using your hands and place on a baking sheet in one layer. Grab the other half of the asparagus and coat with the remaining oil on your hands. Once all of the asparagus is on the sheet, generously sprinkle with salt. Bake at 375 for about 15-20 minutes, or until very tender.

2. Cook chicken tenders via preferred method. I grill them on my George Foreman grill for 6-7 minutes at 350 degrees, but a regular grill or oven work just as well.

3. In a small saucepan heat peanut sauce mix, soymilk, peanut butter and honey to a boil. Turn down to low and simmer for 5-7 minutes. Turn off heat and let thicken.

4. Place a skillet over medium-high heat and spray with cooking spray. Cut polenta into 1/3" thick slices and place in the skillet. Spray the top of the polenta with cooking spray and sprinkle with salt. Cook about 3-5 minutes per side, or until crispy and browned on both sides.

Additional Info:

If you time it right you can enjoy everything hot! I got lucky with the timing, but if you need to choose, make sure the polenta is hot and crispy, you can always microwave the chicken and asparagus.

Labels: dinner, peanut butter, protein

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

I love Mexican food. I can't get enough of it. Other than peanut butter, Mexican food is what keeps me going. The savory meats, refried beans, tortilla chips, guacamole, salsa, onions, cilantro, cheese, sour cream, lettuce, tomatoes, black olives... Perhaps not all of those are authentic, but they certainly manage to make their way into my Mexican-inspired dishes. The one ingredient that hasn't yet made it into my Mexican cooking is peanut butter. I don't want to simply throw in peanut butter for the sake of adding peanut butter, I want it to work and complement the dish. So for now, this dish is peanut butterless, but don't let that deter you!

If you didn't already know, on the right side of the screen you can click "More Categories" in the "Categories" menu block and click on "Mexican Dishes" at the bottom. Recipes there include my famous & super healthy Enchiladas, Mexican Bean Pie, a recently updated 7-layer Bean Dip and of course, Homemade Tortilla Chips.

This recipe is a little different. I never had a good chile verde, only a bite of some fatty pork in a "chile verde taco" once. After exploring the Mexican recipes on Elise's outstanding blog, Simply Recipes, I stumbled upon her version of Chile Verde and immediately fell in love with the picture. The recipe was enticing, but tomatillos are difficult to find around here. If you've got the time and the means, I suggest following her method for the homemade tomatillo salsa, but it came out delicious with the store-bought salsa and it was much faster. To create this recipe, I combined what I thought was the best of several different recipes to make a healthy, quick and delicious chile verde while trying to maintain authenticity. This dish is very spicy (depending upon the salsa you get), but my Dad and I were raving for days about this one.

I've already made this dish twice in a week's time, once with a slow cooker and once without. There wasn't much of a difference between the two, but if you've got a slow cooker (crockpot) then I don't see a good reason not to use it. Pork is more traditional in this recipe, but turkey was just as delicious and a touch healthier.

Ingredients:

20oz (1.25 lbs) pork or turkey tenderloins, chopped into small cubes
16oz jar salsa verde (Mrs. Refreno's is excellent, but any will do)
1 cup chicken broth
1/2 large onion, chopped (~1 cup)
3 cloves garlic, chopped
1t oregano
pinch cloves
fat free sour cream
Tortilla Chips

Instructions:

1. Add a teaspoon of olive oil to a large pot on high heat. Add diced meat and brown on all sides as shown below, about 4-5 minutes - it's fine if the meat isn't fully cooked inside. Pour off excess grease and place the meat in a bowl on the side.


2. Return the pot to the stove and add the onions and garlic. Cook for about 3 minutes, or until onions are translucent. At least point you have two options:

Stovetop method: Add the meat and oregano to the pot and cook for another minute. Dump in the jar of salsa, chicken broth and cloves. Bring to a boil, then simmer on low for 1-1/2 to 2 hours or until meat begins to fall apart. I used 2 turkey tenderloins and the meat began to fall apart after 1 1/2 hours, so I stopped cooking and ate!

Crockpot method: Add all ingredients to the crockpot and stir until mixed. Cook on high for 3-4 hours and then on low for an additional 2-3 hours.


3. Serve with a dollop of sour cream and Homemade Tortilla Chips, for dipping.

Additional Info:

This dish is very spicy and you may not be able to eat a huge bowl of it. I suggest serving it with a nice side of homemade refried beans, a recipe I'll be sharing next.

Labels: dinner, mexican, peanut butterless, protein

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

I did it. I gave in. I caved. I bought a jar of Skippy, the epitome of heavily processed, trans fatty goo and my least favorite brand of peanut butter. The only saving grace was that I didn't buy the original variety, which I think tastes over-processed, pasty and awful. [As a side note, I recently saw a food network tidbit about an independent company that rates commercially available foods and awards the winning company a gold label which they can proudly display on their product. Somehow, Skippy managed to win best tasting peanut butter, which leads me to believe that the test is rigged.]

The other day I was discussing peanut butter flavors in the comments section of Honey Roasted Peanut Butter and was reminded of the honey roasted flavor that Skippy makes. I used to keep a jar of crunchy honey roasted in my desk drawer at work. While I never liked plain Skippy, I refused to put the honey roasted Skippy on anything because it tasted so good by itself. I ate about 1/4 of the jar every day with a spoon, wishing that the jar was just a little bit deeper.

While I was in the store the other day gathering ingredients for the pie you see above, I realized that Trader Joe's peanut butter was very runny (some jars even more so than others) and might not be the best choice for this recipe. I planned on using it anyways, but I decided to scope out the peanut butter aisle just in case something was on sale. Lo and behold, honey roasted Skippy was on sale for $2.50 a jar. Not as cheap as Trader Joe's but not a bad price at all. Before I could even compute the price difference, the jar was in my basket. I proceeded to the nearest checkout, returned home and dug in. While I think my version of Honey Roasted Peanut Butter is superior, there is definitely something to be said for Skippy's version.

So I think it's time to take stock. As you can imagine, I've got a good bit of peanut butter in my kitchen. To be exact, my cabinet currently contains the following:

1 jar creamy honey roasted Skippy
1/4 jar Crunchy Honey Roasted Peanut Butter
1/4 jar Dark Chocolate Peanut Butter
1/2 jar Cinnamon Raisin Peanut Butter
1/6 jar Maple Peanut Butter
1/2 jar *secret flavor* peanut butter (to be continued...)
1/8 jar Wild Oats creamy peanut butter (not as good as Trader Joe's)
5 1/2 jars Trader Joe's creamy peanut butter (5 unopened)
1 1/2 jars Trader Joe's crunchy peanut butter (1 unopened)
1 jar almond butter

So I had my pick of which to use for this recipe. As it turns out, I used two different peanut butters this time around (including my new acquisition), each playing a different role.

Ingredients:

Crust:
2 1/2 cups crumbs, Puffins Peanut Butter Cereal
6T Skippy honey roasted peanut butter (any brand should work)
~1/4 cup water, as needed

Filling:

1 banana, 1/8" slices
2 packages (1 oz each) fat free instant chocolate pudding
2 cups skim milk, cold
16oz fat free cream cheese
2T honey (an afterthought, optional)
2oz dark chocolate, melted (an afterthought, optional)
Peanut butter, to drizzle

Instructions:

1. Place cereal (another cereal or graham crackers can be substituted) into a food processor or blender and process until fine crumbs are formed. Place the 2 1/2 cups crumbs into a large mixing bowl. Add the peanut butter and knead the mixture with your hands until well combined. Add the water, 1T at a time, until the mixture begins to stick together and a pie crust can be formed. Place mixture into a 9" pie plate and press down and around the sides to form a pie crust. Refrigerate for about 2 hours until crust has hardened and formed.

2. Place sliced bananas on top of the crust as depicted below and drizzle melted chocolate on top (if using):



3. In a small bowl, whip the cream cheese with a spoon until very creamy. In a large bowl, whisk the pudding powder and honey (if using) into 2 cups of cold milk until combined. Add the cream cheese to the pudding mixture and whisk until well mixed. Pour into pie shell and refrigerate for 1 hour. You will have extra filling, so either eat it all like I did, or pour into custard cups and refrigerate.

4. When it's ready to serve, get out your creamiest, runniest peanut butter (or microwave a small dish of it for 20 seconds) and scoop out about 1tsp with a knife and drizzle on top of each slice. Trader Joe's creamy natural peanut butter works best here.

Additional Info:

Final verdict: delicious! The crust was a little bit mushy, not in a bad way, but it is to be expected from a non-baked crust. It scooped out of the pie dish very well and never collapsed or made a mess. My version didn't have the added honey or dark chocolate because it was perfectly sweet for me, but some people might like it sweeter. The sliced bananas add a nice touch, but make sure to slice them very thin. Instead of or in addition to the peanut butter drizzle, a spray of whipped cream goes very well with this dessert.

Health factor: While I didn't computer the nutritional info, look at the ingredients and just picture what you're eating. In 1/8 of the pie, you'll be consuming about a half serving of a whole grain cereal, 1T of peanut butter and a serving of fat free pudding made from skim milk and fat free cream cheese. The filling alone is a great source of protein and along with cereal and a little peanut butter, this truly is not just a dessert. I had a large slice as part of my second lunch the other day. Considering how healthy this pie is, it is certainly a keeper. Now you can have your pie and your waistline too!

Labels: banana, breakfast, chocolate, dessert, peanut butter, protein, snack

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Posted by Nick on Apr 9, 2008 | Post a Comment | Comments | Permalink | Links to this post

Does that look like an alligator sticking it's tongue out to you? It does to me, but that doesn't make it any less delicious. Despite it's animal appearance, this dish is actually vegetarian.

Given the popularity of my previous post about Banana Pancakes, I figured I would hold off on my next big peanut butter treat just to tease you guys. That, and it's still only partially finished and chilling in the fridge. But don't worry, this is a great creation too.

I was at a restaurant recently and saw the patron next to me order the apple sausage omelet. It smelled incredible and I've heard of the ingredient combo before but have never tried it. Well I finally did, but I actually made a meatless version because I had a package of Gimme Lean Sausage Style in the fridge: a fat free, high protein and high fiber sausage replacement. It's a surprisingly good knockoff of real sausage, especially with some salt and pepper (the best seasonings to break your fast).

The other day, I discovered "Santa Barbara" mango salsa at Costco. Supposedly you can get it elsewhere, but I'd rather have a 4lb jug of it sitting in my fridge than a dinky little jar. I ate half of the container in the first sitting with a batch of my Homemade Tortilla Chips. Since then, I've been using the salsa on everything I can. It's wonderfully sweet with a spicy little kick at the end and goes great on this omelet. There's no peanut butter here folks, but you'll get your fix soon.

Ingredients:

1/2 cup egg substitute (or 2 eggs)
1" slice (2oz) Gimme Lean Sausage Style (sausage or other "soysage")
1/4 apple, sliced thin and chopped
1 slice fat free American cheese
Salt and pepper, to taste
Ketchup (optional)
Mango salsa (optional)

Instructions:

1. Heat a small skillet over medium-high heat. Spray with cooking spray and toss in the sausage along with some salt and pepper. Break up into small bits and cook until browned, about 3 minutes. If the sausage is sticking, add more cooking spray.

2. Once the sausage is done add the apples to the pan and cook for about 30 seconds, just enough to warm them. Turn the stove down to medium and pour in the eggs. Cook for about 2 minutes, lifting the sides and letting the uncooked egg run underneath the omelet to cook. Flip over the omelet once it has mostly solidified and place the slice of cheese on one half. After about 1 minute, fold the omelet in half and press down with the back of the spatula. After another 30 seconds, flip the omelet to the other side and cook for a final 30 seconds.

3. Serve with ketchup or mango salsa for dipping.

Labels: breakfast, peanut butterless, protein

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Posted by Nick on Apr 6, 2008 | Post a Comment | Comments | Permalink | Links to this post

Update: Recipe entered into the Gluten Free Finger Foods roundup.

Today is a national holiday, do you know which one? April 2nd, for whatever reason, is national peanut butter & jelly day. I had almost forgotten, when A. Grace reminded me in a comment on my Peanut Butter & Jelly Oatmeal post. But instead of having oatmeal for breakfast like I normally do, I had already planned to make pancakes. I wanted to experiment a little bit and try some new things but there is no jelly involved, I apologize! Although I did manage to sneak in an Oatmeal Apricot Bar later on to get my PB&J fix. You can see in the above photo, which I must say turned out really well, I made the pancakes three different ways for comparison (which one do you think LOOKS the best?). I'm also using fresh berries instead of the defrosted frozen ones I used previously.

In order to make up for my lack of jelly usage, I decided to make this post extra special by posting two recipes, one being a slightly modified version of an old favorite and the other being a brand new peanut butter flavor! I was inspired from a post by Kristina over at The Chocolate Peanut Butter Gallery, revealing two new Peanut Butter & Co peanut butter flavors. One they blatantly stole from me (peanut butter + honey), so the other I'm stealing from them. Not to mention that this new flavor goes perfect on these scrumptious pancakes which have now been enhanced! Happy Peanut Butter & Jelly Day everybody!

Ingredients:

Pancakes:
1 cup oats
1 cup fat free cottage cheese w/ salt
3/4 cup egg substitute (or 3 eggs)
2 bananas
berries

Maple Peanut Butter:
1 jar (2 cups) creamy natural peanut butter
2T real maple syrup

Instructions:

1. To make pancake batter blend oats, cottage cheese, eggs and 1 banana in a blender until smooth and creamy. To make peanut butter, pour maple syrup into the jar and stir until well mixed. Slice remaining banana into 1/8" slices and set aside.

2. Heat a skillet over medium-high heat. Once warm, spray three spots of the pan with cooking spray. Place about 2T of batter in each spot and spread out with the back of a spoon to thin, if desired. Place 3 slices of banana in each pancake and cook for about 1-2 minutes. Once the top starts to set, flip and cook for an additional minute.

3. Spread on the Maple Peanut Butter and top with fresh sliced berries.

Additional Info:

I compared the original pancakes (no additional banana) with ones embedded with banana slices and ones with banana simply on top. There was no comparison, baking the banana into the pancake added a wonderful baked banana flavor and added extra moisture and sweetness into each bite.

The peanut butter recipe can be easily halved or cut into 6 for that matter. I didn't want to make an entire jar of maple peanut butter so I mixed 1/3 cup peanut butter with 1t maple syrup. The only problem here was that I bought an entire jar of maple syrup for 1 teaspoon. Still, the jar of maple peanut butter costs $6 from Peanut Butter & Co. If I make two jars of maple peanut butter then the maple syrup has more than payed for itself. Take that Peanut Butter & Co!

Maxed out version:

Labels: banana, breakfast, dessert, peanut butter, protein

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

Mac and cheese cravings are rare but powerful. My mother always made great homemade mac and cheese and until about 6th grade I had never even heard of mac and cheese from a box. One day I went to a friends house for dinner and stunned his family when I revealed this. His mom even jokingly called me "sheltered".

The menu for the evening was of course mac and cheese from a box, a weekday-night staple at their house. At first I was a bit skeptical given that my friend was also obsessed with cheese from a can. Well lets just say that boxed mac and cheese is pretty darn good, cheap and convenient but it ends there. No crispy baked cheese or noodles on the outskirts, no crumb topping and certainly no nutritional value.

This recipe is very cheesy and filling and when you make a batch as large as this, you've had your fill of dairy by the end. Intermixing some good veggies and hearty meat helps lessen the cheese overload. You can also freeze any leftovers or make a half-batch.

Ingredients:

12 oz whole wheat elbow macaroni (or rotini, penne, egg noodles)
3/4 lb lean ground beef, pork or turkey breast
12 oz fat-free shredded cheddar cheese
16 oz fat-free cottage cheese
12 oz fat-free sour cream
1/2 cup skim milk (or soymilk)
1 head broccoli, finely chopped
8 oz sliced mushrooms

1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese (low fat if available)
1/2 cup whole wheat bread crumbs (see below to make your own)
2T smart balance light butter, melted
salt and pepper

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 350. Cook pasta, drain and set aside. In a large pot, cook the ground beef until browned. Drain beef, then add mushrooms and broccoli and cook until mushrooms are tender.

2. Add the cottage cheese, cheddar cheese, sour cream, milk and plenty of salt and pepper to the beef mixture. While heating, mix together bread crumbs, Parmesan and melted butter in a small bowl.

3. Once heated through and seasoned to taste add the pasta to the beef and cheese mixture. Add milk/sour cream as needed to adjust consistency. Transfer to a 9x13 dish (it should just fit) and top with crumb topping.

4. Bake for 25-30 minutes or until bubbly.

Additional Info:

The best advice I can give is to serve in small portions! This is a very thick, rich and hearty meal. The measurements are pretty rough estimates: I used an entire box of pasta and the full containers or sour cream, cottage cheese and cheddar cheese.

* Homemade Bread Crumbs: Take 2 slices of soft whole wheat bread and pulse in a food processor or tear apart by hand into small pieces. Place crumbs on a baking sheet and bake at 400 degrees for 10-15 minutes or until dry and crisp.

Labels: dinner, peanut butterless, protein

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Posted by Nick on Mar 10, 2008 | Post a Comment | Comments | Permalink | Links to this post

I awoke the morning of Thursday, March 6th with a rumbling belly and a well-rested mind. I got on my comfy pants (my term for loungewear that meet precies specifications) and ventured to the kitchen to cook my standard PB&J Oatmeal. On the journey, I remembered that I had a carton of Eggbeaters in the fridge. I had only used 1 tsp of them in the past few days (I was trying out a new cookie recipe that I shall post soon) and needed to use them before they went bad.

An omelette (also spelled "omelet", did you know that?) was the obvious solution but the only omelette-esque ingredient I had on hand was some cheese. And while a cheese omelette is good, it's not nearly as good as the ones at IHOP. Speaking of which, IHOP makes a mean & customizable omelette with egg whites or Eggbeaters that I normally order stuffed with vegetarian black bean chili, spinach, mushrooms and all kinds of other veggies.

But back to my omelette. My usual breakfast contains peanut butter so I wanted to incorporate it into the omelette somehow. Well something else was needed and the obvious choice: banana. So I sliced me up some banana into the eggs and lathered on some peanut butter and voila! A culinary masterpiece!

Ingredients:

2-3 eggs (4-6 egg whites or 1/2 - 3/4 cup Eggbeaters)
1 banana, in slices
2T chunky or creamy natural peanut butter
pinch of sugar

Instructions:

1. Place a medium sized skillet over medium-high heat until hot. Spray with cooking spray and pour in the eggs.

2. Sprinkle some sugar into the eggs and place sliced bananas into pan as demonstrated below:



3. Lift the sides of the omelette up to allow the still-liquid eggs to flow underneath and cook. After a few minutes, flip the omelette over with a large spatula.

4. Spread a generous coating of peanut butter onto one half of the omelette as shown below. Fold the omelette over and allow to cook for another minute. Flip it onto the other side for one last minute and serve!



Additional Info:

Yes it's a very different flavor combo than you're probably used to. But it's also surprisingly tasty! I normally enjoy my eggs with ketchup but I don't think it works in this situation. But a nice strawberry or apricot jelly might work well as a dipping sauce, though I cleaned my plate before I thought of that.

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

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Posted by Nick on Mar 7, 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

Peanut Butter is too often associated with sweet dishes ranging from mildly sweet pb&j to a rich peanut butter fudge. I find this somewhat odd considering that 99% of all peanut butter you buy in the store is salted. The only common use in a savory dish that I can think of is Thai Peanut Sauce which, when correctly prepared, is one of the greatest sauces ever.

Well, my buddy back East recently donated a jar of peanut butter via the link at the end of every post. In his payment note, he requested the jar go toward developing a grilling sauce or marinade: I guess my Peanut Butter Burger wasn't good enough for him. Pairing peanut butter with meat is a difficult task, but one that I'm up to. I believe that peanut butter naturally mixes better with poultry, but I highly recommend someone attempt this with pork or beef (perhaps a nice steak).

I used several ingredients I had on hand, and let the flavors mix together and marinate the meat overnight. The result was a rich, salty and creamy sauce that penetrated the meat and added a wonderful flavor. This is only a preliminary (and estimated) recipe, but certainly one for the books.

Ingredients:

1/4 cup creamy natural peanut butter
1/4 cup soy sauce
1T honey
2t ground ginger
2t garlic salt
2t hot chili sauce (asian chili paste)
dash pepper

Instructions:

1. Whisk together the peanut butter, soy sauce and honey. If you're like me and afraid it isn't mixing, then you haven't mixed enough. The result should be a smooth, thick and creamy sauce.

2. Add the rest of the ingredients and mix well, making sure to break up any clumps.

3. Place meat in a plastic bag and cover with sauce. Marinate in the refrigerator for 4-6 hours or overnight. Reserve some sauce to brush on top when grilling.

Additional Info:

The resulting flavor and texture were very good. Let the meat marinate in the sauce for a while to allow it to take on the creaminess of the peanut butter. I used 2 turkey tenderloins which is 20 oz or about 1-1/4 lbs. The recipe made more than enough sauce to cover both with a little bit leftover. I recommend marinating pork tenderloins or mixing 1/4 cup sauce with 1 lb of lean ground beef before shaping into patties.

Labels: dinner, peanut butter, protein

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Posted by Nick on Feb 13, 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

My problem: I plan too far ahead for meals. I make a meal to feed a large family, leave enough for a meal or two, and freeze the rest. Yet every day I have this desire to try a new recipe or use new ingredients, causing those leftovers to become lodged into the ice buildup in the corner. Don't get me wrong, the frozen meals are just as delicious as they were on day 1, but I'm impatient and eager to move on to a new recipe.

Well tonight I did both. Twice now, I've discovered the pre-shaped 96% lean beef patties on sale at the store. I couldn't resist and now I have 10 frozen red coasters in the freezer that need using. Well, throughout the day I thought about this blog and decided I needed a new peanut-butter-containing recipe. I got some insight from a Food Network show in which Guy visits a diner and tries the special peanut butter burger. The cook said it wasn't for everyone (I beg to differ) and apparently it wasn't for Guy. But clearly this needs to be tested by the Peanut Butter Boy.

On top of that, I wanted to try a smoked salt I got from my mother. Smoked salt is apparently hard to find and very expensive, but the stuff is incredibly fragrant and flavor-packed. I've been meaning to try a burger with this smoked salt instead of the usual, garlic salt. In addition, I had a lot of shredded cabbage on hand and decided to make use of it. Too impatient to try them all separately, I combined them into one crazy no-limits burger. As I like to say, the proof is in the peanut butter:

Ingredients:

1/4 lb 96% lean ground beef or ground turkey breast
2 slices soft whole grain bread
1 slice fat-free american cheese
1T peanut butter
handful shredded cabbage
smoked salt or regular salt, pepper (to taste)
ketchup

Instructions:

1. Spray a small pan with cooking spray and place over medium-high heat. Once the pan is hot toss the burger in and sprinkle smoked or regular salt and pepper on top. Spray more cooking spray on top. Cook for about 2-3 minutes.

2. Flip the burger and cook for an additional 2-3 minutes, depending on how you like it done. Shake some more salt and pepper on top. This is a good time to toast the bread, if desired. Place the cheese on top of the burger and let it melt.

3. When the toast and is done, spread the peanut butter onto one slice of bread and place the finished burger on top. Top with shredded cabbage. Spread ketchup on the other slice of bread and place on top. Cut in half for maximum manipulability.

4. Demonstrate to any nearby onlookers that you have put peanut butter on your hamburger and fully intend to eat it. Upon receiving a look of disgust, proceed to take a large bite and you'll probably surprise yourself when you groan in delight.

Overall Impressions:

Bread - Nice and toasty.
Peanut Butter - Added a delightful creamy texture and salty flavor.
Burger - Lean and meaty.
Smoked salt - Very fragrant while cooking, but I hardly tasted it. Next time I'll use more (I only used a pinch).
Cheese - The flavor was mostly overpowered by everything else, but the texture of melted cheese is always a welcome addition.
Cabbage - A great replacement for lettuce! Adds a great crunch and a hint of sweetness.
Ketchup - Didn't overpower or clash with the peanut butter like I thought it would. Complemented the burger as a whole and added some moisture.

Overall - I will definitely make this again! Next time, I'll use more peanut butter and try ground turkey breast (poultry tends to go better with peanut butter). The quantity of smoked salt needs to be increased to be noticed, but I will probably use regular salt next time.

Labels: dinner, peanut butter, protein

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Posted by Nick on Jan 30, 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