Getting the Good Fat from Peanut Butter

If you are anything like me you can’t get enough of the divine taste of peanut butter. Although as I have started to pay more attention to nutritional information I realized what I had deemed a guilty pleasure wasn’t so guilty after all. Believe it or not one of America’s favorite food is actually comes with some health benefits. Peanut Butter, in moderation, gives a nice dose of “healthy fats” and protein.

Peanut butter normally runs about 190-210 calories per serving, containing 2 grams of fiber and 8 grams of protein–this combination can fill you up and keep you feeling fuller longer. It’s filled with healthy antioxidants for your body like Vitamin E, potassium and magnesium. Here a few recipes I use to satisfy that peanut butter craving:

Peanut Butter Cookies

• 1 jar of all-natural peanut butter
• 2 whole eggs
• 1/2 cup of vanilla protein powder
• 1/4 cup Stevia
• 1 tsp baking soda

Mix all of the ingredients together, forming a thick paste, place spoonfuls of the mixture on a baking sheet. Put the cookies into a pre-heated oven at 350F (160C) for about 10 minutes. Once cooked leave them to cool.

Peanut Butter & Banana Smoothies

• 10 ounces of skim, or soy milk
• 1 Tablespoon of all-natural peanut butter
• 1 medium banana 

Peanut Butter Bon Bons

• 3/4 cups all-natural peanut butter
• 2 tablespoons organic raw honey (or maple syrup for vegan)
• 1/4 cup organic coconut flour

Combine the peanut butter, 2 tbs of raw honey and coconut flour in a medium sized bowl and stir until well combined, check consistency and add 1 teaspoon of coconut flour at a time if need. (Cover with Dark Chocolate if desired). Place on a baking sheet and put in freezer for 15-20 minutes.