Native to South America, despite its name, the peanut is a legume, although, unlike other legumes, peanut pods develop underground rather than above ground. Notwithstanding, peanuts are similar in taste and nutritional profile to tree nuts such as walnuts and almonds. Peanuts are widely grown in the tropics and subtropics, and are cultivated for their edible seeds as well as for cooking oil. Like other legumes, peanuts can fix nitrogen in the soil and so need less fertilizer and improve soil fertility, making them valuable in crop rotations.
While the Incas developed a peanut paste hundreds of years ago, peanut butter as we know it today is an American invention. A spread made of boiled and ground nuts was first advocated by eccentric doctor, nutritionist and cereal pioneer John Harvey Kellogg as an alternative to meat. He filed his first patent for the spread in 1895, but several technological hurdles had to be overcome before peanut butter could be mass produced and widely distributed in the 1920s. A great favourite in the United States, peanut butter is also widely enjoyed in the UK and Australia.
Unfortunately, peanut allergies seem to be on the rise, so please be careful when giving peanut butter to children. For the rest of us, peanut butter is a good source of healthy fats, fibre, protein, folate, potassium, vitamin E and B vitamins. Peanut butter also has less calories than butter or margarine, making it a healthy alternative spread for your morning toast or lunch time sandwich. It is also used in cooking, most commonly in baking, and in satay sauce.
One of the great mysteries of life is how to get that last bit of peanut butter out of the jar and onto your toast. The secret is not to try, but instead to do something much more interesting with it. The last three recipes in this list call for an almost empty peanut butter jar. To make the most of them, make sure you leave at least a tablespoon of peanut butter in the jar. (NB: These recipes assume that your peanut butter comes in a plastic jar, so stipulates warm water. However, if your peanut butter comes in a glass jar with a metal lid, you can use boiling water, though beware when touching the jar.)
As it’s a key ingredient in a Satay, of which there are several on this website, to find more uses for peanut butter, simply enter ‘satay’ or ‘peanut’ in Search.
Recipes:
Peanut Butter and Banana Smoothie
Peanut Butter Oatmeal in a Jar
Peanut Butter Hot Chocolate in a Jar
Satay Noodles
- 1 portion instant noodles
- ½–1 tbsp. peanut butter
- 1 tsp. soy sauce
- 1 tsp lime or lemon juice
- Mild curry powder, coriander and chives
- Douse noodles in boiling water for 3 minutes, drain, reserving some of the water
- In a small saucepan over a low heat melt peanut butter with soy sauce, lime juice and spices
- Stir in ¾–1 cup retained noodle water, mix thoroughly and bring to a gentle simmer
- Stir in noodles and simmer for 1–2 minutes
- Sprinkle with chives
Tip: alternatively, make ‘Satay Sauce in a Jar’ with ½ cup noodle water (see below), add to saucepan with ¼–½ cup additional noodle water and stir in drained noodles.
Peanut Butter and Banana Smoothie
- 1 tbsp. peanut butter
- 1 small ripe banana
- ½ cup natural yoghurt
- Cinnamon
- 1 tbsp. quick oats (optional)
- 1 tbsp. almond meal (optional)
- Cinnamon
- Place all ingredients in a serving mug of a bullet blender and liquidise thoroughly
Variations:
- substitute 1 cup low-fat milk for yoghurt to make a milk shake
- substitute chia, hemp or flaxseeds for the quick oats
- place in small cup of bullet blender and reduce yoghurt to 1 tbsp. to make a Peanut Butter and Banana Cream
Peanut Butter Cake in a Mug
- 1 tbsp. peanut butter
- 2 tbsp. wholemeal plain flour
- 1 tbsp. quick oats
- ½ tsp. baking powder
- 1 tbsp. almond meal
- 1 tbsp. desiccated coconut
- ¼ cup low-fat milk
- Ginger
- 1 tbsp. chopped peanuts or mixed nuts (optional)
- 1 tbsp. natural yoghurt (optional).
- In a wide mug or small bowl, mix together flour, oats, baking powder, almond meal, coconut and ginger
- Add peanut butter and milk and stir in thoroughly
- Stir in chopped peanuts or mixed nuts (optional)
- Microwave on high for 2 minutes
- Serve with natural yoghurt (optional)
Satay Sauce in a Jar
- An almost empty peanut butter jar
- 1 tsp. soy sauce
- 1–2 tsp. lime or lemon juice
- Mild curry powder and coriander
- Place all the remaining ingredients in jar with ¼–½ cup warm water
- Seal jar and shake vigorously until all the peanut butter is dissolved (using a long spoon to reach it all if necessary)
Tip: allow to cool and use as a dressing on Gado Gado Salad or with any satay dish. Enter ‘satay’ in ‘Search’ to find several on this website.
Peanut Butter Oatmeal in a Jar
- An almost empty peanut butter jar
- ¼ cup quick oats
- 1 tbsp. sultanas (optional)
- ¼ cup low-fat milk or 1 tbsp. natural yoghurt (optional)
- Place oats and sultana (optional) ingredients in jar
- Cover with hot (not boiling) water
- Seal jar and shake vigorously until all the peanut butter is mixed in (using a long spoon to reach it all if necessary)
- Pour into a bowl (stirring in a little more hot water as required) and microwave on high for 90 seconds
- To cool, stir in milk, yoghurt or some cold water
Variation: top with sliced banana or apple
Peanut Butter Hot Chocolate in a Jar
- An almost empty peanut butter jar
- 1 cup low-fat milk
- 1–2 tsp. drinking chocolate (or cocoa and sugar to your taste)
- Place milk and chocolate in jar
- Microwave uncovered on high for 45– 60 seconds and stir
- Seal jar and shake vigorously until all the peanut butter is dissolved in the milk (using a long spoon to reach it all if necessary)
- Pour into a mug and microwave on high for a further 30–60 seconds