Few dishes evoke childhood comfort food better than a PB & J sandwich. As an adult, I still crave the combo of salty peanut butter w/ sweet, sticky jelly! In honor of summer break…
Let’s UPGRADE the classic kid sandwich!
UPGRADE YOUR PB & J
drop: bread made with white flour
swap: for sprouted whole grain bread
drop: jam/jelly made with HFCS
swap: for fresh fruit
drop: nut butters made with hydrogenated oils
swap: for 1-2 ingredient natural nut butters
Ingredient list ex: almonds, sea salt
ADULT PB & J: 1 T almond butter + 1 slice sprouted whole grain bread + 1/2 cup smashed blackberries
THINK BEYOND SANDWICH
When I hear “PB & J,” no doubt the first thing I think is “sandwich.” But bread slices aren’t the only way to get your fix. Try these, too:
PB & J OATMEAL: 1/2 cup cooked oatmeal + 1 T peanut butter + 1/4 cup grape chia jam
PB & J SMOOTHIE: 1 cup unsweetened plant milk + 2 T peanut or almond butter + 3/4 cup fresh strawberries (or unsweetened frozen) + handful of spinach
PB & J GRANOLA: 1.5 cups rolled oats + 1 T peanut butter + 2 T grape or strawberry chia jam + 1/4 cup chopped peanuts + 1 tsp honey + 1/8 tsp sea salt. Bake at 325°F for ~15 mins, turning once, until golden. Keep extras in airtight container for 1 week.
PB & J TRAIL-MIX: 2 T peanuts + 1/2 cup freeze-dried strawberries
Cue the PB & J Music: tiny.cc/PBJsong
Nancy says
Great ideas! Love the smoothie idea but I’m curious as to why you recommend plant milk over dairy milk. I noticed a lot of them are very low in protein.
Dawn says
Yes! Unsweetened plant milk is great for a low calorie option to get calcium & vitamin D, but it’s horrible for protein. You can absolutely use 2% organic dairy milk for more protein (and calories). PS: By adding 2 tablespoons of nut butter you will get as much protein as about 1 egg.