The Best Dang Food in the Whole Dang World. Dang-it!

Sunday, February 1, 2015

Peanut Butter.

Two beautiful words that come together in a creamy (yes, you need the creamy kind), delectable spread. It's good on crackers, on apples, bananas, and pears, in milkshakes, in pie and cake, and it can also stand on its own!

I grew up loving heaping portions of this magical substance riding solo on a spoon. Mix in a tablespoon of honey and its even better! Of course this isn't the healthy or sensible way to eat peanut butter, but its still awesomely delicious.

The good thing is, in the right quantities, peanut butter can actually be good for you! (a PB lovers dream come true!!!)

Peanut butter is very high in protein (my favorite food word!), sporting approximately 8 grams per two tablespoons! That's more than a small tilapia filet!
Peanut butter also has about 2 grams of fiber, which makes you feel full longer.

Many people make peanut butter and other nut butters out to be evil, but it really isn't (unless you eat it by the spoonful...darn!).

The key is making sure you watch the amount of sugar in what you are buying. I personally love Skippy peanut butter and think it is by far the best tasting brand. The kind I buy has more sugar in it because I like honey mixed in, but in moderation, its still not too bad.

If you buy a "no sugar added" peanut butter, you are typically going to get 1-2 grams of sugar per serving. My Skippy Natural with Honey has 5 grams per serving. As long as you don't eat more than a serving a day, the sugar isn't bad.
However, if you are diabetic or are just watching your sugar more than I am, you should definitely choose a peanut butter that has no added sugar!

Regardless of your preference (even if you are cheating on creamy peanut butter with the crunchy kind... bleck), make peanut butter part of your day in small quantities. It will help you get closer to your daily dose of protein, will keep you full, and will make snack-time taste better!

********Snack Ideas********

Peanut Butter and Pear- This snack is one of my favorites. One large, Asian pear has only 115 calories and 10 grams of fiber! Slice the pear and dip it in peanut butter (one serving) for a high protein and high fiber snack at approximately 310 calories. Sound high? Its not! This combination will make you feel full and satisfied for longer than many other snacks and will give you plenty of energy! (One large apple with peanut butter has very similar nutrition statistics).

Peanut Butter-Banana Protein Shake- Combine 1 cup of unsweetened almond milk, 1 frozen banana, 1 Tbs. of peanut butter, and a hand-full of ice in a blender and blend until smooth. This smoothie has approximately 6 grams of protein, 5 grams of fiber, and 200 calories. I love this smoothie for breakfast or for an afternoon pick-me-up.

You can find other ideas for peanut butter-y snacks on my Pinterest board.

*all nutritional information found on and


  1. PB is for sure the best food ever, i eat it with a spoon!

    1. Sienna, me too! I love it! The other day I couldn't figure out what I wanted to eat so I grabbed an apple, a jar of PB and a huge spoon and it kept me full almost all day! It was so good!

  2. I'm so glad you love peanut butter! Here's the thing ... I'm one of the few rare people who doesn't really like PB! I know, shocking right? I don't know why either I just dont love it but I do eat it here because it is good protein.

    Have you ever tried Justin's Peanut Butter? They have a chocolate hazelnut peanut butter that I could eat by the jar.

    1. Yum! That sounds amazing! I've never had it, but I'll be on the lookout. Maybe somewhere like Whole Foods would have it?