26
27
Recipes...
Peanut Butter Swirl
Chocolate Brownies
INGREDIENTS
Nonstick cooking spray
1/4 cup butter
3/4 cup granulated sugar or sugar substitute
blend* equivalent to 3/4 cup sugar
1/3 cup cold water
3/4 cup refrigerated or frozen egg product,
thawed, or 3 eggs, lightly beaten
1/4 cup canola oil
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour**
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 cup creamy peanut butter
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1/4 cup miniature semisweet chocolate
pieces
DIRECTIONS
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line a
9x9x2-inch baking pan with foil, extending
foil up over the edges of the pan. Lightly
coat foil with nonstick spray. Set aside.
In a medium saucepan, melt butter over
low heat; remove from heat. Whisk in
sugar and the water. Whisk in egg, oil,
and vanilla until combined. Stir in 1 cup
of the flour and the baking powder until
combined. (Batter will be thin at this
point.) Place peanut butter in a small bowl;
gradually whisk in 1/2 cup of the batter
until smooth. Set aside. In another small
bowl, combine the remaining 1/4 cup
flour and the cocoa powder. Stir into the
plain batter; stir in chocolate pieces. Pour
chocolate batter into prepared pan.
Drop peanut butter batter in small mounds
over chocolate batter in pan. Using a thin
metal spatula, swirl batters together. Bake
for 20 to 25 minutes* or until top springs
back when lightly touched and a toothpick
inserted near the center comes out clean.
Cool completely in pan on a wire rack. Cut
into bars.
Healthy Peanut Butter
Banana Muffins
INGREDIENTS
2 - ripe bananas
1/3 - cup honey
1/3 - cup natural peanut butter
2/3 - cup plain Greek yogurt
1 - teaspoon vanilla extract
1 - teaspoon baking soda
1 - teaspoon baking powder
1/4 - teaspoon salt
1/2 - teaspoon cinnamon
1 - tablespoon ground flax seed
1/4 - cup regular sugar or
2 - tablespoon Truvia Baking Blend
1 - cup all purpose flour
3/4 - cup whole wheat flour
cinnamon sugar
DIRECTIONS
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Line
muffin tins with baking cups or lightly spray
with canola oil.
Mix the wet ingredients together, mashed
banana, honey, peanut butter, yogurt, and
vanilla.
In a separate bowl, combine the dry
ingredients (flours, salt, baking powder,
baking soda, flax seed, Truvia baking
blend, and cinnamon). Add the wet and dry
together and stir until just combined.
Using a large ice cream scoop or spoon,
add the batter into the muffin tin until the
cups are 3/4 full, sprinkle with a bit of
cinnamon sugar on each muffin and bake
on the middle rack of the oven for 15 - 20
minutes.
Source of Protein
2 tablespoons of peanut butter are what you should
consume if you want to stay on the healthy end of the
peanut butter consumption scale. These 2 tablespoons
pack in 7 grams of protein. This is why peanut butter on
toast makes for a great breakfast or mid morning meal
choice.
As a protein-rich food, when you eat peanut butter you
feel fuller for longer. Additionally the protein is also good
for building and repairing muscles, which is especially
important if you work out a lot.
Heart Friendly
Someone like you and me, who clearly loves their peanut
butter, asked the Harvard Medical School if the health
benefits of peanut butter extended to heart health. And
despite your misgivings, the answer is yes! Peanut butter
has its share in saturated oil food, but like olive oil, it also
has a high percentage of unsaturated helping it qualify
itself for the healthy camp.
When consumed in moderate amounts, eating a high
quality peanut butter like this can actually improve your
heart health, especially when compared to those who
seldom or never eat nuts.
More Potassium
Most of us have way too much sodium in our diets and
as you probably already know, sodium can wreak havoc
on your cardiovascular system. Peanut butter acts as an
excellent source of potassium, and potassium can go a
long way towards countering the dangers of sodium.
Healthy Fat
A common worry about eating peanut butter is the fat
content. However, as mentioned above peanut butter
contains more unsaturated fat than saturated
fat. This means, it is actually a great source of
“healthy fats”. A healthy body needs a good
supply of healthy fats and like olive oil and
avocado, peanut butter is a friendly fat food.
Energy Booster
As already discussed, peanut butter contains
good amounts of healthy fats and protein.
This means it contains plenty of calories that
will give you lots of energy for your activities.
Again, perfect for a morning meal as it gives
you an energy hit for the day.
Fiber Rich
Your 2 tablespoon serving of peanut butter not only
packs in lots of protein but also gives you 2 grams of
fiber. Adequate consumption of fiber is important for the
healthy functioning of your body and of course you can
get more fiber from other meals but peanut butter can
help supplement this.
Aids Weight Loss
Okay yes, this one sounds crazy but it’s not. Despite all
it’s fat and sodium content, we have already established
peanut butter is actually good for you. Due to its protein
and fiber content, when you eat peanut butter you
actually feel fuller for longer. This means, you’re less
likely to crave junk food and unhealthy snacks. This
means you eat less overall, and voila weight loss made
simpler.
Packed With Nutrients
Protein, fiber, healthy fats, potassium and now
antioxidants, magnesium and others too. The list
of good things about peanut butter just go on. One
serving of peanut butter will give you at least 3 mg of
the antioxidant Vitamin E. Additionally, you will also
get magnesium (about 49g) which is excellent for bone
building and muscle recovery and a small but still
important amount (0.17 mg) of vitamin B6 that will help
boost your immunity.
You can also find a small amount of zinc in peanut butter
and this too can act as a good immunity booster.
THE HEALTH BENEFITS OF PEANUT BUTTER
Peanut Butter And
Oatmeal Cookies
INGREDIENTS:
1/3 c. peanut butter
½ c. brown sugar, packed
¼ c. honey
¼ c. canola oil
2 eggs
1 ¾ c. oats
1 c. flour
¾ tsp. baking soda
2 tbsp. chia seeds
¼ tsp. salt
½ tbsp. cinnamon
DIRECTIONS:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line cookie
sheet with parchment paper or spray with
non-stick cooking spray. Mix peanut butter,
brown sugar, honey, canola oil and eggs
together until fully combined. In a separate
bowl, combine oats, flour, baking soda,
salt and cinnamon. Slowing mix flour
mixture into peanut butter mixture. Stir
in chia seeds. Drop dough by rounded
tablespoons onto cookie sheet and bake for
approximately 8 minutes or until sides of
cookies begin to brown slightly. Cool and
enjoy.
Peanut Butter
Pancakes
INGREDIENTS:
serves 2
3/4 c. flour
1/4 c. wheat bran (optional)
2 tbsp. brown sugar
1 tsp. baking soda
1 egg
2 tbsp. peanut butter (Melted a bit in the
microwave)
3/4 c. milk
DIRECTIONS:
Combine all ingredients and stir until
completely combined. Spray heated griddle
or warmed skillet with non-stick cooking
spray. Pour batter onto griddle or skillet,
cooking the pancakes until the tops begin
to bubble slightly. Flip and cook the other
side until light brown. Top with syrup and
desired toppings (fruit, powdered sugar) and
enjoy!
