Superfood Peanut Butter
Superfood Peanut Butter
If you have read the "about me" section you know that I love peanut butter! I can (and frequently do) eat it every day. I even incorporated into my wedding! My husband and I each had signature ice cream flavors, courtesy of Big Spoon Creamery, at our reception - mine was peanut butter and dark chocolate - yum! Patrick chose pecan praline and my Dad likes vanilla so we had to have that too!
I recently attended the Food and Nutrition Conference and Expo (FNCE) in Chicago. Each year over 10,000 RDNs (Registered Dietitian Nutritionists), DTRs (Dietetic Technicians Registered) and students attend this conference to learn about updates, research and best practices in a variety of nutrition areas. A huge part of this event is the Expo where hundreds of vendors and organizations showcase their products. Typical findings are snacks galore (granola bars - especially gluten free, yogurt, fruit and specialty popcorn, to name a few), probiotics, nutritional supplements and organizations such as the Almond Board and American Institute for Cancer Research.
One food I saw more of this year than in years past was peanut butter. Plain peanut butter along with peanut butter "doctored up" with seeds, spices, extra protein and other ingredients and flavorings. The ones I sampled were tasty but most are only available online (and pretty expensive!). Why not make your own "superfood" peanut butter?
Peanut butter by itself is a pretty healthy food - high in protein, high in healthy fat, and, of course, it tastes awesome! But, I set out to make it even healthier by adding powerhouse seeds high in cancer-protective, anti-inflammatory and antioxidant activity:
Flaxseeds - be sure and get the ground flaxseeds (or grind them yourself) to properly digest and absorb them
Chia Seeds
Pomegranate Arils (seeds) - I cut open a fresh one for the pictures but it is honestly a lot easier to just buy a little container of the seeds - it is a lot of work (and mess!) to get those seeds out!
The end result is a slightly crunchy peanut butter with little bursts of fruity tartness from the pomegranate arils. I love it!
Perfect on its own with apples slices or crackers, or try it mixed in yogurt with a little cinnamon and honey for a sweet dip.
Superfood Peanut Butter
Superfood Peanut Butter mixed with yogurt and a little cinnamon and honey - delish!!
Tip: To make removing natural peanut butter out of the jar a little easier, turn the jar upside down overnight. The oil will distribute throughout the peanut butter and soften the bottom portion allowing for easier removal!
Superfood Peanut Butter
Ingredients:
1 jar (16 oz) natural peanut butter
1 Tbsp flaxseed, ground
1 Tbsp chia seeds
2 Tbsp pomegranate arils (seeds)
Mix all the ingredients together. Store covered in the refrigerator.