Yes, the following is better than peanut butter.
I know, you’re all rolling your eyes right now, saying, “How can anything (besides chocolate) be better than peanut butter?” Hear me out; this spread has the one-up on regular pb because it:
- is easier to spread
- is lower in calories (more about this at the end of the post)
- tastes sweeter, without any added sugar, and has a serving of fruit
Above, spread on top of Banana Bread for One.
Another bonus: This recipe doesn’t make as much of a mess as trying to smush sliced banana into a sandwich. As usual, the recipe is so simple that I feel a little silly writing it down.
Banana Butter
- 1 medium banana
- 2 to 4 tablespoons peanut butter, depending on how pb-y you like it (or almond, cashew, walnut butter, etc.)
- optional: I like to add a little cinnamon
My favorite ratio is 4 tablespoons peanut butter to 80 grams (without peel) banana (about 1/2 a large banana). And I often use a frozen banana, which makes this spread taste like peanut butter ice cream!
Procedure: Whir the two ingredients in your food processor or blender until smooth. Leftovers can be stored in the fridge. (If possible, it’s best to let the mixture sit for a few hours before enjoying, as the taste becomes more robust with time.)
Above, spread over a Breakfast Pizza Cake.
Other Ideas for Use:
This creation can be used anywhere you’d use regular peanut butter—warmed up and drizzled over oatmeal, as a sandwich spread, dip, or pudding, as a smooth-and-velvety topping for waffles or pancakes, on vegan ice cream, or simply eaten plain off a spoon (or out of the blender, depending on your level of self-restraint!).
As for calories… Ok, so I’m having a bit of a dilemma: Recently I’ve been getting quite a few requests from readers asking if I can add calorie counts to my recipes. I don’t count calories, but I know that a lot of you (readers and fellow bloggers) do count. So, since I really try hard to make my recipes—and my blog in general—suitable for everyone, and since it’s not hard for me to figure out the calorie counts anyway, I thought I’d ask: Do you want me to add calorie info to my recipes? Please vote; either way, I’m interested in hearing your opinion. And until I figure this dilemma out, here are the nutritional stats for the banana butter:
Banana Butter Calories:
Serving Size: 1 tablespoon (based on my favorite combination)
Calories per serving: about 40 calories
(As a reference, regular peanut butter has about 100 calories per tablespoon.)
Variations:
Yes, there is a chocolate version.
🙂
I also say no to calorie counting. What could be more boring. Eat mostly plant food and as close to how it was intended to be eaten and as little of proccessed food as you can and you won’t have to worry about calories.
Yes to calories, that way they are there for those who want them and if you don’t want them then simply don’t look. Everyone’s happy 🙂 and more then half the time I won’t eat something without knowing what in it. I’m very concious when it cone to what I eat and j know plenty of others are as well. Thanks 🙂
I just made this! I feel so incredibly guilty saying what I’m about to say, but I think I actually like this just a tiny bit more than peanut butter.
…There. I said it. Sue me. But it’s true.
wooooooow, the banana butter concept is just phenomenal, great post. thanks. pranaworld.net
I’ve been eyeing this recipe for a few days now, and when I was blessed with a TON of bananas about to go bad, ta-da! I made a lot of this amazing banana butter. The best part is every person in my household LOVES it, even the guys. I used organic peanut butter and added some cinnamon. I could eat this all by itself it’s so good. I love your recipes Katie. Truly a fan.
I say yes to calories. may as well have them up there for those that want them. those that don’t, don’t need to take notice 🙂
Calorieshmalories. It’s OKAY to have treats. That’s what they are, TREATS. This looks amazing, I’ll have to try it out.
I say YES to adding calorie counts. To me, they’re extremely important, and I won’t even touch a recipe unless it does have accurate nutritional information. Please add calorie counts to your recipes, so I have no fear in trying them out<3
This is amazing. I only had chunky peanut butter and my blender isn’t the strongest so I added in a tablespoon of almond milk and a tablespoon of tahini to get things going and voila! So yum- oh and some agave ’cause I have a terrible sweet tooth 🙂 thank you Katie!
Whoa, people have strong feelings about calories!
This was so good. Thank you
Gosh you’re absolutely amazing, thankyou for this!
Oh my goodness. I just made this and my mind was BLOWN. I absolutely adore the flavor combo or peanut butter and bananas, and I can’t believe I haven’t tried something like this before. The flavor is amazing, and only gets better after a few hours in the fridge. I made myself a single batch (1/2 banana and 4 tbsp PB) and already ate half of it. The rest has been used (or is going to be used) in my overnight oats for tomorrow morning! Mine doesn’t look nearly as smooth and fluffy as yours, but I hand-whisked it. I think next time I’ll just suck it up and use the electric mixer, because I eat with my eyes as much as I do my stomach haha.
Such a fantastic recipe…thanks for sharing!
I love this and used to make it, although I never blended it together in a blender, just my hand with a fork/spoon. “Just how long will this recipe keep in the fridge”? Can I make it like peanut butter and it will keep? Thanks, Denise
How long does this typically last in the fridge?
This looks absolutely amazing!!! I love both banana and PB, but hate the hassle of slicing and dirtying more dishes, so thank you for making my life easier Katie!!!
As for the calorie counts, I’m the odd one out when I say yes to add them. For many years, I was overweight and have a slower metabolism due to genetics. I need to count my calories to stay at an average weight, but often times I don’t have the time because I am a single mom with a full-time job. Posting calorie counts would really help me out!!!