Ok, I don’t want to go on and on about this but…if you’ve not yet checked out the Mini-Caramel Cream Cakes…you MUST. Here’s a link so you can take a peek. I’ll wait…

You back? GOOD!

Ok, so this morning several of my Foodies informed me that today is National Peanut Butter Lovers Day (not to be mistaken with National Peanut Butter Day, which is January 24).

It’s a subtle distinction, I know, but to me one day is to celebrate the wonder that is peanut butter (thank you George Washington Carver!!!) and one is to celebrate being a lover of peanut butter.

So to celebrate this most auspicious occasion, I figured I’d share with you the top 5 most “unique” things I’ve tried for the love of peanut butter.

#5: My love for PB has gotten “cheesy” at times

One of my fave ways to have peanut butter is with cottage cheese (pause for obligatory face-making/”eeeeew”-ing from people who either hate cottage cheese or hate sweet cottage cheese or simply cannot fathom peanut butter and cottage cheese together).

It’s gooooooood. I simply nuke a tablespoon of peanut butter in a bowl for a minute in the microwave (that’s a good trick, btw, to making a tablespoon stretch), add my cottage cheese and Splenda and mix! Top with Fiber One and you get the recipe for a wonderful bathroom experience…er, great snack!

#4: Peanut Butter Alternatives

Peanut Butter is a source of FAT (which also happens to have a decent amount of protein so far as fat sources go). In trying to recognize that I have, at times, employed the use of peanut butter alternatives. Here’s the basic run-down.

PB2 is what happened when Bell Plantation pressed its peanuts for oil. They had all this powder left over! They put it in a jar and called it PB2. Other places might call it peanut flour. I call it a low-cal (2 tbsp = about 55 calories vs. 200 calories for 2 tbsp peanut butter) way to make my shakes, Greek yogurt and, yes, even cottage cheese, nice and peanutty!

I’ve also tried Better’n Peanut Butter, Naturally More Peanut Butter and Power PB. The first is a reduced fat PB. In general I’m not a fan of reduced fat PB. To make up for the flavor loss from removing fat, most companies add sweetener. I like the fatty/slightly salty nature of peanut butter. Naturally More and Power PB, instead of removing the fat, replace the fat. They take out a lot of the peanut oil and replace it with flax seed oil and whole flax seeds. Better for you fat, peanutty taste = I am a fan!

#3: I’ve made frosting out of it

Who could forget my Protein Banana Rum Cake with Peanut Butter Frosting!!! Or how about “Kitten’s Love Potion #9” protein frosting that I put on my Chocolate Thingamajigee Protein cupcakes?

Now before you freak out, it made perfect sense (at the time). My Thai Waldorf salad had PB2 in it, which inspired my friend Dee to make a companion Thai Shrimp salad. I also use a peanut dip for my Thai chicken skewers that includes peanut butter. Mmmmmm!

#1: I even gave it up for Lent!

I believe for my 2nd and 3rd post-op Lent I gave up peanut butter for Lent. The point of a Lent sacrifice is to experience sacrifice. That I did. And that’s all I really have to say about that!