In the grand scheme of life, you are not causing fatal harm by buying one or the other of a product that you eat once or twice a week. But, if you're like me, you eat peanut butter ALL THE TIME! Its economical, fills you up, and goes with everything! Its a great source of protein and heart-healthy unsaturated fats. Yes, you can add some jelly and enjoy a nice PB&J (Boring!) OR, you could add it to oatmeal, oriental pasta and rice dishes, baked goods, in dipping sauces, or just eat it straight off the spoon!
So, if you are a peanut fanatic like I am, here is the skinny on what to buy!
Any alternative peanut butter - low fat, low carb, etc. is not the way to go. The reason is that in order to compensate for whatever it is the manufacturer is taking out, they are adding something else (unnatural) to the product.
For Example:
In low-fat peanut butter, healthy, unsaturated fat is what is being removed. In order to compensate for the lost taste, added sugar is put in. Low-fat peanut butter is less-healthy than its original counterpart due to the fact that the unsaturated fat is removed and added sugar is put back in! (and, you are only saving like 10 calories a serving!! What the h*ll?
Regular peanut butter is a good choice because you are still getting the unsaturated fats with it. However, the best is going to be a Natural peanut butter. The ingredients should say: Peanuts and salt.
This is the healthiest way to go. Its a little hard to get used to the texture - a little runnier and it is kept in the refrigerator, but still the same great taste!
Ingredients:
1/2 cup smooth natural peanut butter
2 teaspoons soy sauce
3/4 cup water
2 tablespoons sesame seeds
Directions:
1. Combine the peanut butter and soy sauce in a small sauce pan. Stir in the water.
2. Cook the peanut butter sauce over low heat, stirring often, until thickened and bubbly. About 2 min. Cover and set aside.
3. Toast the sesame seeds in a small skillet over low heat, stirring constantly, until the seeds begin to turn golden brown and become fragrant. About 2 min. Remove the seeds from the skillet to cool.
4. Toss 1 lb. of the food of your choice with the sauce. Just before serving, sprinkle the dish with your sesame seeds!
5. Enjoy!
If you have any great Peanut Butter recipes, add them in the comments below!!
Not long ago, my mom discovered powdered peanut butter; It's called PB2. Do you know anything about it? It tastes GREAT! Are you sacrificing the good-for-you stuff? Here's the website. http://www.bellplantation.com/products
ReplyDeleteLooks like a great low-cal alternative. You aren't getting the unsaturated fats from the product anymore because, basically, they are squeezing out all the oil from the product. If you are wanting a snack that is going to fill you up, then stick with actual peanut butter - if you are trying to get your peanut butter fix in a low-cal way - PB2 looks like the solution!
ReplyDelete