Making the Most of Your Pantry: 4 Yummy Recipes Using Peanut Butter - Part 2

As we’re all adjusting to the practice of social distancing, finding ways to spend time productively has become a challenge for many, including myself. To pass the time, I’ve started experimenting with some new peanut butter recipes.

As a college athlete, I’m always looking for nutritional snacks that positively impact my personal wellness and athletic performance, and Hampton Farms’ peanut butter and other peanut products fit the bill. Peanut butter is a great snack that supports an active lifestyle and satisfies my taste buds. Recently, I have been exploring new peanut-influenced recipes for a fresh take on my favorite snack so I can incorporate more plant-based foods into my diet. Check out my four new favorite recipes to whip up featuring peanut butter below—they’re fun, simple and delicious! 

Peanut Butter Frosting

One of my good friends from college loves to bake and introduced me to this peanut butter recipe, and it’s been a staple in my repertoire ever since. Peanut Butter Frosting is super simple to make and is a great topping for cupcakes and cake or as a nutty dip for snacks—such as my personal favorite, pretzels.

This recipe is always a crowd favorite when I’ve made it for friends and family. Make a batch of this creamy spread in just three easy steps—your sweet tooth will thank you! 

Recipe:

Ingredients

• 1 cup butter at room temperature
• 1 cup Hampton Farms Creamy Peanut Butter
• 3 cups powdered sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 2 tbsp milk

Instructions

1. Mix butter and peanut butter in a mixer or with a hand mixer until combined.
2. Add powdered sugar a little bit at a time while mixing.
3. Add vanilla and milk as needed and stir until contents are evenly mixed together.

Peanut Butter-Acai Smoothie Bowl

This cool and refreshing smoothie bowl recipe is perfect for summertime! Our current circumstances have brought me back home to South Florida, and although I love the warm weather, it’s hard to keep cool while staying active under the sun. I used to purchase smoothie bowls whenever the craving hit, but recently realized how easy it is to make them on my own. Over the past year, I have ditched the store-bought bowls and have been making this recipe as a delicious way to help me replenish and recover.

The Peanut Butter-Acai Smoothie Bowl recipe is always my go-to for a snack or meal after a long workout. The combination of protein powder, peanut butter, and granola makes for a meal that’s protein-packed and very low in saturated fats to support muscle growth and fat loss simultaneously. Fruits and peanut butter are both great sources of vitamins and antioxidants, which support a strong immune system.

I encourage you to get creative with your bowl—whether you use different fruits and cereals or design a bowl that’s Instagram-worthy. 

Recipe:

Ingredients

• 100g or 1 packet of frozen acai
• ½ frozen banana
• ½ cup frozen strawberries
• 1 serving of vanilla protein powder (if desired)
• ½ cup almond milk or enough to blend
• Toppings (personal preference, but don’t forget the peanut butter!!!)
• Shredded coconut
• Granola
• Mixed berries (raspberries, blueberries, blackberries…)
• Honey
• 1 Scoop Hampton Farms Creamy Peanut Butter

Instructions

1. Combine all the ingredients (excluding the toppings) into a blender and blend until it reaches a smooth, but thick consistency.
2. Pour into a bowl and add toppings as desired.
3. Organize the toppings and make it look good. Enjoy!

Chocolate Peanut Butter Banana Crepe

This recipe is a mouth-watering breakfast option that’s perfect for all of the peanut butter-chocolate lovers out there. Peanut butter and chocolate are the dynamic duo of flavors, but when banana is thrown in the mix, it becomes the perfect combination. The satisfying mix of these three ingredients is then wrapped up inside a buttery-sweet crepe to complete the dish. This recipe is easy and convenient and only takes a whopping 5 minutes to make from start to finish. I love starting my day off right by whipping up this decadent breakfast that’s so easy and has so much flavor. Just when you thought this peanut-influenced recipe couldn’t get any better, topping off your crepe with whipped cream and powdered sugar are truly “the icing on the crepe.”

Recipe

Ingredients

• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 2 raw eggs
• ½ cup milk
• ½ cup water
• ¼ tsp salt
• 2 tbsp melted butter
• Scoop of Hampton Farms Creamy Peanut Butter
• Chocolate chips
• Chocolate syrup
• Sliced banana
• Powdered sugar
• Whipped cream

Instructions

1. In a mixing bowl use a whisk to stir together the flour and eggs.
2. Add milk and water gradually while continuing to stir it.
3. Add salt and melted butter and beat until the mixture is a smooth consistency.
4. Pour the batter onto a pan and spread it evenly by tilting the pan in a circular motion.
5. Cook via stovetop over medium heat for 2 minutes on each side or until bottom is golden brown.
6. Place crepe on a plate and smear Hampton Farms Creamy Peanut Butter to cover it.
7. Scatter chocolate chips and banana slices on it.
8. Fold both sides to overlap each other.
9. Top with chocolate syrup, whipped cream, and powdered sugar as desired.

Peanut Butter Cinnamon-Sugar Baked Apple

This final recipe is the most intriguing in terms of the ingredients, the cooking process, and the aesthetics of the final product. The Peanut Butter Cinnamon-Sugar Baked Apple is very unique and unlike any other dish that I’ve ever cooked in an oven. For the first 15 minutes in the oven, allow the apple to absorb the butter, cinnamon and brown sugar from the inside out. This gives the apple a rich, caramelized flavor while the cinnamon adds a subtle spice for an additional flavor pop. 

On its second trip to the oven, the warm and gooey Hampton Farms Peanut Butter fills the apple’s core and completes the dish. The result is a sweetly spiced apple with creamy peanut butter in every bite. For a dessert, this dish even packs some nutritional benefits—it is fruit after all! The peanut butter and apple boast health benefits, such as reducing inflammation, balancing blood sugar, and promoting a healthy immune system. This snack is delicious and nutritious!

Recipe:

Ingredients

• 3 apples halved
• 2 tbsp of melted butter
• Dash of brown sugar & cinnamon
• 1 cup Hampton Farms Creamy Peanut Butter

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
2. Remove the core from the apples using a melon baller.
3. Place the apples in a baking dish with the core side facing up and brush melted butter onto each of them.
4. Add a dash of brown sugar and cinnamon.
5. Bake in oven for 15 minutes.
6. Remove from the oven and apply a scoop of peanut butter to the well in each apple.
7. Bake for an additional 15 minutes and serve while hot.

My hope in sharing these recipes is that everyone can discover new and exciting ways to cook with peanut butter. These nutty recipes deliver huge flavor, yet are simple enough for anyone to create. Hampton Farms’ Creamy Peanut Butter is the perfect addition for each of these recipes because of its rich texture and natural ingredients.

Hampton Farms’ line of PB Crave offers unique flavor combinations to add a twist to these dishes. You can experiment with flavors like Raspberry White Fudge or Banana Chocolate Chip! I encourage you to get creative and change up these recipes to suit your personal preferences. Use your imagination and step out of your comfort zone. Let’s be honest here, peanut butter goes with just about anything!