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

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

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

¡Es una fiesta! Nothing says party like chips & salsa! The tortilla chip is a versatile creature and a necessity with favorites like guacamole, chili, stews and dips. And why stop there? Be it salty or sweet, savory or succulent, nothing complements a dish like tortilla chips. The last two times I made tortilla chips were for stuffed peppers and Peanut Butter & Jelly Dip.

Store brand tortilla chips are problematic. They contain way too much fat and are sometimes made from regular old white flour. Not to mention they are never simultaneously warm, crispy, chewy and perfectly salted are they? I thought not. I propose a delicious, healthy, whole-grain and cheap method to make your own. Do yourself a favor and throw out that $4 bag o' junk and keep reading...

Ingredients:

Regular 4" corn tortillas
Cooking spray
Salt (large grain preferred)
Seasoning (cumin, paprika, lime juice, etc...)

Variations:

- Top with fat-free shredded cheddar cheese
- Use cinnamon & sugar instead

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Spray the top of each tortilla with cooking spray. Sprinkle salt and spices or cinnamon & sugar on top.

2. Stack the tortillas into one pile. Cut into 8 triangle-shaped segments. Spread out on baking sheet to form one layer. Bake for 10 minutes or until beautifully browned like so:



Additional Info:

My favorite seasoning to use is kosher salt because the grain size is between that of table salt and sea salt. Sometimes I add chipotle chili powder for a nice smoky kick. I've made the cinnamon and sugar variety several times, they go great with sweet dishes like my peanut butter dip or even with ice cream or creme brulee.

Labels: mexican, peanut butter, peanut butterless, snack

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Posted by Nick on Mar 27, 2008 | Post a Comment | Comments | Permalink | Links to this post

I guess Easter got my sweet tooth going because I awoke this morning craving cookies. Specifically, I craved the smell of peanut butter baking in the oven and the satisfaction of it filling my belly. This time around, I felt a new cookie was in order. Previously, I posted Flourless Peanut Butter Cookies and remarked at the end on several possible variations which I forgot about until recently.

Upon recipe preparation, I decided that chocolate pb cookies would need some additional work, but a cinnamon raisin variety sounded perfect for the morning. The original recipe only needed to be modified slightly to produce those warm, glowing and golden brown cookies you see above. These cookies are a cinch to make but manage to disappear faster than they're baked.

Ingredients:

1 jar (16oz or 2 cups) creamy natural peanut butter
1 1/2 cups brown sugar
1/3 cup white sugar
overflowing 1/2 cup currants or raisins
2t baking powder
1T + 1t cinnamon
2 eggs (or 1/2 cup egg substitute)
natural raw sugar (large-grain sugar)

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Mix all ingredients through cinnamon in a medium bowl. Then, add the eggs and mix just until combined.

2. Roll into 1" balls and place onto an ungreased cookie sheet.

3. Pour some raw sugar onto a small plate. Take a fork and touch the batter with the back of the fork, then press the fork into the raw sugar. Now, press the fork down into one cookie and press into the sugar again. Press down into the cookie in the other direction, creating a cross-hatch. Repeat for all cookies.

4. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes. I find the optimal time for my oven to be about 11 minutes. Once removed from the oven, let cool on the pan for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.

Labels: cinnamon raisin, dessert, peanut butter, snack

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Posted by Nick on Mar 24, 2008 | Post a Comment | Comments | Permalink | Links to this post

For me, the summer of '07 was the summer of peanut butter. I had just graduated from college and was attending graduate school the following fall. My dependence on peanut butter was increasing with each passing day and I was eager to experiment but more than anything, I had a lot of free time.

Several recipes from that era include: honey roasted peanut butter, dark chocolate peanut butter, cinnamon raisin peanut butter, the all-mighty peanut butter hot dog, the spicy peanut butter turkey wrap and the peanut butter parfait. Those are just the recipes that made it to this site so far. There are plenty of others that are still in the works.

The basis for this recipe comes from a simple sandwich consisting of peanut butter and sliced bananas, lightly toasted on both sides. As soon as I started making cinnamon raisin peanut butter I fell in love, and substituted it for all of my peanut butter needs including this sandwich. I had a sweet-tooth at the time and added a drizzle of honey and a shake of cinnamon. I urged my mother to try it (a developing pb fanatic) and she decided to make her own the following day. She asked if peaches would work instead and I said it wouldn't be bad but couldn't be better than sliced bananas.

I was mistaken. This is one of the simple recipes that turns out way beyond expectations, creating a flavor explosion that keeps your taste buds begging for more. I named the recipe after my mother (Linda) and perfected it in the following months. This sandwich was also the basis for my cinnamon raisin peanut butter & peach bran muffins.

This recipe is so outstanding that I am entering it into the Root Source Challenge #6: Peanut Butter over at cookthink.com. Taste buds don't lie folks, this one's a winner.

Ingredients:

2 slices soft sandwich bread
2T cinnamon raisin peanut butter*
1/2 white peach, ripe (not mealy), in 1/4" wedges
1 drizzle honey
cinnamon
canola oil cooking spray (w/ butter flavor, if available)

* if you don't have cinnamon raisin peanut butter on hand (shame on you) either make a batch (recommended) or sprinkle 1/2t sugar, 1/4t cinnamon and 1/2T currants/raisins onto the regular peanut butter.

Instructions:

1. Spread peanut butter onto one slice of bread. Arrange one layer of sliced peaches on top, drizzle with honey and add cinnamon, to taste. Top with second slice of bread.

2. Heat a small skillet over medium heat. Spray the top of the sandwich with cooking spray and place upside-down in the pan. Use a spatula to occasionally press down lightly.

3. Once the underside is browned (2-3 minutes), spray the top with cooking spray and flip over. Cook for an additional 2 minutes, pressing down slightly, until both sides are golden brown. Cut in half and serve immediately.

Additional Info:

This sandwich is a phenomenal alternative to pb&j and is best enjoyed in multiples of 2. Medium heat is used to warm the peaches but not cook them, use high heat and cook for less time if you want them cold. I bought "butter flavored" canola oil spray by accident but it complemented the sandwich wonderfully. Alternatively, use any cooking spray or a teaspoon of butter in the pan.

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

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

Certain cravings must be fulfilled. Sleep is a good example. We all need it, our bodies crave it. If we don't give in, the body protests and decreases our energy level until it gets what it wants anyways. You simply have no choice in that matter. Peanut butter is a similar craving for me, one which resembles the need for sleep in that I eat or think about it approximately 8 hours per day.

The past two weeks I've been busy with approaching finals but I can't help thinking about bread. Homemade bread. Crispy, chewy, doughy, satisfying bread. After much searching, I found several bread-machine-less recipes for 100% whole grain bread. It's not as easy as it sounds, especially if you're looking for a good white-bread replica. I wasn't sure which recipe to use, each looked promising for different reasons. I couldn't stop thinking about it. One night I woke from a dream where I was about to start baking bread. I said, outloud, "I think we use whole wheat flour". I realized I was talking to nobody although it made sense at the time and the statement clearly reflected my dilemma.

Then I stumbled upon an unique recipe for Chocolate Bread at the Village Vegan. It sounded too good to be true, but the recipe seemed to call for regular flour. At this point I really didn't care: I wanted bread and now I wanted chocolate too. But then I remembered a 5lb bag of whole wheat pastry flour I had just bought at the store that needed using.

I ran to Whole Foods and picked up some wheat gluten, a 70-80% protein flour to help in rising. Wheat gluten is often called vital wheat gluten and I believe high gluten flour in some stores, but the product itself has about 6g carbs and 23g protein per serving. The end result isn't quite a muffin and certainly isn't regular bread. It has a slight wheat/nutty flavor but a distinct taste of cocoa with bursts of melted chocolate. I recommend it toasted and spread with peanut butter, what else?

Ingredients:

Starter:
1/2 cup whole wheat pastry flour
1 1/2t wheat gluten
1/8t instant yeast

Dough:
2 cup whole wheat pastry flour
2T wheat gluten
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
6T sugar
1 1/2t yeast
1 1/4t salt
1 cup (scant) warm water
2T margerine, in small chunks (Smart Balance Light)
3oz dark chocolate, chopped (70% or higher percent cocoa)
1/2 cup dried cranberries or cherries, diced
Skim or soymilk
Raw sugar

Instructions:

1. Mix the starter ingredients together in a small bowl and let sit at room temperature for 6 hours.

2. Dissolve the yeast in the water. Put the starter and dry ingredients through salt in a large bowl. Add the yeast water and knead in the bowl or on a floured surface. Knead the margerine into the bread and knead for about 15 minutes. Knead the chocolate chunks and any dried fruit into the dough. Cover the dough with plastic wrap and let rise for about 3 hours, or until double in size.

3. Shape the bread, either put in a loaf pan or on a baking sheet to make a loaf. I cut it into small pieces, rolled into balls and placed on a baking sheet. Let the dough rise for another 2 hours or in the refrigerator overnight. If refrigerating, let the bread sit out at room temperature while the oven is heating.

4. Preheat oven to 375. Brush the dough with milk or soymilk and sprinkle raw sugar on top. Place bread in the oven and reduce temperature to 350. Bake for 40-45 minutes for a loaf, I only baked it about 30 minutes for rolls. Let cool completely on a cooling rack. Store for up to 3 days or freeze for up to a month.

4. To eat, toast until warm and slightly toasted. Spread on peanut butter or better yet, use Dark Chocolate or Honey Roasted (my new fav) peanut butter.

Additional Info:

They came out a tiny bit dry, but the melted chocolate really adds a nice creaminess and burst of sweetness. I recommend trying 4t canola oil instead of the margerine.

Like I always say, 2 balls are better than 1:

Labels: breakfast, chocolate, honey, peanut butterless, snack

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Posted by Nick on Mar 16, 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

My life is an enigma: Peanut butter is my favorite food but Mexican and Japanese are my favorite cuisines. I've been to plenty of Mexican restaurants and have never seen peanut butter in any dish, a deficiency that I am currently working on. It's difficult to incorporate peanut butter into Mexican cooking but considering I cook Mexican food all the time, I am confident that inspiration will strike eventually.

The same goes for Japanese cuisine: I have yet to find a dish that contains peanut butter. The difference here is that I don't cook Japanese food at home so I fear I may never experience the combination of the two. I love sushi and can't get enough of it, but I would rather enjoy professionally made sushi rolls at a restaurant. However, while posting alternative ways to make a Peanut Butter Hot Dog, I had a revelation!

The geoduck (pronounced "gooey duck") is a species of clam and considered a delicacy in China and Japan (more info here: Geoduck). They sell for about $30 per lb and can be eaten cooked or raw sashimi style. The geoduck also starred on the Dirty Jobs TV show a while ago. Now, guess what that pale oblong substance running through the center is in the picture above?

Ingredients:

1 (8") soft whole wheat tortilla
2T creamy natural peanut butter
1 banana (or geoduck)
1T currants or raisins
cinnamon
honey

Instructions:

1. Spread a thin layer of peanut butter across the entire tortilla, leaving about 1/4" gap at the edge. Shake cinnamon on top of the peanut butter. Bend/mush the banana in an attempt to straighten it and place in the middle of the tortilla. Roll up the tortilla tightly and leave seam-side down on the plate.

2. Cut into 8 pieces with a small pairing knife. Drizzle honey across the top in a zig-zag pattern so that some lands on the plate too. Place the currants on top of the roll and shake cinnamon on top.

3. Final and most important step: eat with chopsticks.

Additional Info:

I didn't use Cinnamon Raisin Peanut Butter because I wanted it to roll up nicely. However, I do recommend trying it with Dark Chocolate Peanut Butter and replacing the currants with chopped dried cherries.

Labels: banana, chocolate, cinnamon raisin, lunch, peanut butter, snack

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Posted by Nick on Feb 24, 2008 | Post a Comment | Comments | Permalink | Links to this post

Who can resist homemade peanut butter cookies: the aroma, the sweetness, the saltiness and the crumbliness. There is nothing not to love about peanut butter cookies except for the fact that they aren't part of a complete breakfast.

However, these cookies are a little different in that they contain no flour and are gluten-free. In fact, they only contain 3 basic ingredients. The amount of sugar in these cookies is relatively low - if you ate 2 of them, you'd only be consuming 1 tablespoon of sugar (or 3 packets). So I'm going to claim here and now that I, The Peanut Butter Boy, declare that 1 or 2 of these peanut butter cookies are part of a complete breakfast. That goes for lunch and dinner too. They're also a great (and portable) way to get some fat in your diet throughout the day. I've made these twice now, and they don't last more than a few minutes with guests (or girlfriends).

I originally found these on Gluten-Free Girl and only changed them a bit.

Ingredients:

1 jar (16oz) creamy natural peanut butter (or chunky)
1 1/4 cup packed brown sugar (I use a little less)
1/4 cup white sugar
1/2 cup egg substitute or 2 eggs
2t baking powder
natural raw sugar (large grains, or brown sugar will work)
dark chocolate chunks or kisses (optional)

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Mix the peanut butter, brown sugar, white sugar and baking powder in a large bowl until well combined. Add the egg and mix. If using chocolate chunks, stir them in now (untested).

2. Roll mixture into about 1 inch balls and place on an ungreased cookie sheet (If you are placing chocolate kisses on top, you may want to use 1.5 inch balls). Pour some raw sugar onto a small plate. Take a fork and touch the batter with the back of the fork, then press the fork into the raw sugar. Now, press the fork down into one cookie and press into the sugar again. Press down into the cookie in the other direction, creating a cross-hatch. Repeat for all cookies.

3. Bake for 10 minutes. Too little time and they won't hold there shape well. You may be able to bake them as long as 12 minutes, but be careful of burning the bottoms.

4. Remove from oven and let sit in pan for 5 minutes, then remove and place on a cooling rack for 10 minutes. Press chocolate kisses into each cookie when you take them out of the oven, if using. Makes 48 cookies.

Additional Info:

I just thought of something. You might want to try using a whole jar of my Cinnamon Currant Peanut Butter instead, or for that matter, my Dark Chocolate Peanut Butter. Actually, I'm going to try that right now.

Labels: dessert, peanut butter, snack

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

I recently submitted my peanut butter hot dog recipe to Allrecipes.com, a recipe site I use often for ideas and jump-off points. Apparently, every submitted recipe goes through a review process and even if it is accepted, it can take several months to appear on the site. Well, the peanut butter hot dog slipped through in under 2 weeks! You can view it here: Peanut Butter Hot Dogs.

The excitement provoked me to post some optional additions and modifications to the traditional peanut butter hot dog.

Modifications:

Original Style
2 slices soft whole wheat bread
2T cinnamon raisin peanut butter
1 banana
drizzle of honey (optional)
shake of cinnamon (optional)
strawberry jelly (optional)

Prepare like normal. Spread peanut butter onto each slice of bread and place half of a banana down the middle of each slice as shown above. Fold up and place any optional ingredients on top of the banana.

Mexican Style
1 (8in) low carb tortilla
2T cinnamon raisin peanut butter
1 banana
grape or strawberry preserves
pinch of chipotle or cayenne pepper (optional)
light vanilla or strawberry yogurt (optional)

Burrito: Spread peanut butter on one half of tortilla. Place banana on edge of the plain side and roll up. Consume, pack to go, or toast in a pan.

Quesadilla: Spread peanut butter on one half of the tortilla. Slice the banana into 1/4" slices and arrange on top of the peanut butter half. Sprinkle chipotle or cayenne powder onto bananas if using. Fold tortilla over and spray the top with cooking spray. Toss into a pan (top-side down) on medium-high heat and coat the new top in cooking spray. Flip after about 45 seconds, or until toasted. After another 30 seconds, remove from pan and cut into four wedges. Dip into fruit preserves or yogurt to cool the spiciness.

Appetizer
2 slices soft whole wheat bread
2T cinnamon raisin peanut butter
1 banana
cinnamon

Toast bread in the toaster. Slice the banana into 1/4" slices while toasting. When bread is medium-dark brown cover each slice with peanut butter and top with banana slices. Shake cinnamon on top and cut into squares, one for each banana slice. Stick toothpicks into the top of each bite and serve.

Petits Fours Dessert
2 slices soft whole wheat bread
2T dark chocolate peanut butter (milk or white chocolate would work)
1 banana
shredded coconut
cocoa powder

Toast bread in the toaster. Slice the banana into 1/4" slices while toasting. When bread is medium-dark brown cover each slice with peanut butter and top with banana slices. Sprinkle shredded coconut over the top and shake cocoa powder on top. Cut into squares, one for each banana slice. Stick toothpicks into the top of each bite and serve.

Additional Info:

I hope you enjoy these modified versions. Leave a comment with any suggestions or modifications of your own.

Labels: banana, breakfast, chocolate, cinnamon raisin, dessert, honey, lunch, peanut butter, snack

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Posted by Nick on Feb 5, 2008 | Post a Comment | Comments | Permalink | Links to this post

The Super Bowl generally brings to mind such foods as chicken wings, nachos and beer. As an indifferent football fan (go NY!) but avid food fan, I love the Super Bowl! Anticipating heavy foods I decided to serve some fruit instead of the usual carrots and celery. Apples are in season right now, but a bowl of sliced apples isn't very appealing.

After failing to find a fruit dip that satisfied me, I resolved to create my own from scratch. I used a few simple ingredients to creat a delicious creamy dip to complement the apples without being too heavy.

But being the Peanut Butter Boy isn't easy. My brain is continuously concocting peanut butter recipes and generating new uses for the tan-colored gold. I was content with my fruit dip for apples sweetened by strawberry jelly and headed towards the fridge when my right-brain gently shouted 2 words to the left half: peanut butter. I rushed inside to ask E (Elisabeth) if I should add peanut butter to the dip, but she was a bit wary. I had high hopes and Mr. Peanut running through my head so I split the dip in half and created two, one with and one without. I equated the peanut butter version to the Giants and the regular version to the Patriots. Can you guess who won?

Ingredients:

1 (8oz) container fat-free cream cheese, whipped
1 (6oz) container light vanilla yogurt
1/4 - 1/3 cup reduced-sugar strawberry preserves, or to taste (Trader Joe's)
1/4 cup creamy natural peanut butter w/ salt (technically optional)

2 green apples, sliced thin
2 crisp red apples, sliced thin (pink lady or honeycrisp)

Instructions:

1. Combine the first 3 ingredients into a medium bowl and stir until mixed. If there are a lot of chunks from the preserves, puree in a blender until smooth, if desired.

2. Sit down, close your eyes and meditate. Picture a bowl of dip in front of you and a juicy apple slice in your hand. "See" your hand dipping the apple slice into the dip, twisting your wrist to scoop it up and transporting the apple to your mouth. "Taste" the sweet crisp apple crunching between your teeth, a strawberry flavor and creamy texture simultaneously hitting your taste buds. Do you now desire a salty peanut presence upon each bite? If yes, proceed to step 3. Do you desire the peanut butter essence half the time? If so, split the dip in two and proceed to step 3, using only 2T peanut butter. If you find yourself not craving the peanut butter at all then what are you doing here?

3. You've made the right choice. Stir in the peanut butter until well combined. Refrigerate dip(s) and apples until chilled.

Additional Info:

In the end, the peanut butter flavor was victorious: the bowl was super clean and the last spoonful of dignity (original dip) headed to the locker room (fridge).

As my buddy put it (in reference to the peanut butter dip): "I want a whole tub of this stuff!"

Labels: dessert, peanut butter, peanut butterless, snack

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Posted by Nick on Feb 3, 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!