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 am officially obsessed with PB & Co’s dark chocolate dreams (thanks to this blog!). good old almond butter is a nice standby, too.
My favorite nut butter is coconut butter 🙂 Oh so creamy, melty, and yummy on toast!
At the moment I’m in love with chocolate chip PB, but if they created a triple chocolate chip peanut butter, I would be in heaven!
it looked like you got so many gifts! You’ll have to tell us what you got :p
I love honey almond butter! I’m glad you had a great birthday and I am so jealous of your box of nut butters!
Oohhh any kind of chocolate peanut butter is awesome! I love nut butters so much! 😀
Everything you post about is (or at least looks) delicious, CCV!!! Thanks for the opportunity to try this delicious concoction!
-Jessica
I like good old chocolate peanut butter!
I loves me some maple vanilla almond butter!
I love the chocolate/peanut butter combo…so that would be my favorite!
To be honest, even just plain old almond or peanut butter is good enough to make me sigh contentedly, but my more recent encounters with Dark Chocolate Dreams were pretty memorable.
FAAAAAAABULOUS giveaway! I hope your birthday was awesome!
I love almost all nut and seed butters. Almond, peanut, coconut chocolate! and recently sunflower seed butter.
My dream flavor might have to be macadamia coconut pumpkin spread/butter with hints of pumpkin pie spices.
That is one I’ll probably have to concoct myself… somehow I don’t see it appearing in a health food store near me.
my favorite flavor of pb?? i’m going to be boring and go with no sugar added, all natural, plain. I don’t like people messing with my pb! (unless its me, adding a banana 🙂 )
I’ve recently fallen for cashew butter. My oh my!
A. I love nut butters! ( I think white chocolate wonderful would be my favorite peanut butter, but out of all the nut butters, almond and walnut are tied for taste and texture. Add cinnamon to any of these, and I’m hooked like Captain.)
B. I love to dream &
3. Use my imagination so…
2+2. I’m bored out of my mind and feel inspired to dream up flavors (Sorry if this is too nonsensical!)
In a nut galaxy far far away, in a place not too distant from your home, the Peanut race suddenly encountered a deliciously diabolical threat to its very existence. This threat surfaced, as such enemies often do, in the most seemingly interesting, and unlikely of places…the kitchen. Until recent events, the Peanut population was thought to rule the world. From restaurant entrees, to candy bars, and perfumes, Peanuts were powerful. With explosive creativity though, Sir Sparkling Almond, chief chef to Her Majesty Princess Pecan concocted the most delicious array of nut butters imaginable and thus established new harmony in the nut galaxy. Here are some of his latest creations…
Pristine Pistachio Butter
Apple Cinnamon Soy Nut Butter
Dark Chocolate Raspberry Almond Butter
Crunchy Coconut Cashew Butter
Toasted Vanilla Almond Macadamia Nut Butter
Seriously Cinnamon Walnut Butter
Sweet Honey Pistachio Butter
Coco Hazelnut Butter
Lovely Lavender Almond Butter
Creamy Cranberry Cashew Butter
Then End!
-H.B.
P.S. Happy Birthday to you
* May all your dreams come true *
I love the Better n’ Peanut butter that I recently bought at Trader Joe’s (Don’t tell Whole Foods Boy!). I like that it’s the great peanut butter taste, but I don’t have to feel guilty eating it out of the jar like a little piggie b/c it’s so low in fat and calories.
I also LOOOOOOOOOOVE nutella. It’s the best thing in the world, but I don’t partake very often.
i love pb&co’s cinnamon raisin swirl…but i’ll also vouch for freshly ground, natural peanut butter! yum!