Photo courtesy Pixabay
by Dawn Smith-Pfeifer
It's #peanutbutterandjellyday, and instead of the usual PB&J sandwich, maybe today's the day to try a PB&J smoothie.
I have tried a bunch of different smoothie recipes, but it seems like the ones I enjoy most have peanut butter in them. There is something seriously satisfying about sipping something that smacks of peanut butter. (How's that for some fancy alliteration?)
If you're not sure where to start, just type "peanut butter and jelly smoothie" into your browser and you'll get tons of interesting PB&J smoothie ideas. At least it will give you a general idea of how much of this or that to add.
I generally don't follow a recipe. I dump ingredients in based on the consistency I want, and from what I have on hand. The peanut butter is always the star of the show, of course, but my jelly (since I'm not a big jelly eater) is usually half a banana, frozen blueberries or strawberries or sometimes raspberries (because they give the smoothie a -- wait for it -- crunchiness that I like), and enough milk to make it easy to blend. Sometimes, I will substitute low-fat, high-protein vanilla yogurt for something a little sweeter and creamier than milk. But it's a pretty simple process. Just throw it all in the blender and give it a whir. That's it. If it doesn't tickle your tastebuds, add a little more of whatever. For me that usually means extra banana or peanut butter.
While you wouldn't expect a smoothie to keep you full and satisfied for the morning (or, in my case, the afternoon because I usually make them for lunch), they do. I'm guessing it's the protein in the peanut butter and the yogurt.
Full disclosure: the yummy-looking smoothie in the header photo looks much more appetizing than what I make. To be honest, I'm not great at the presentation. Food photography is not my jam. I rarely have fresh berries. And my see-through glasses have a brown tint to them.
My smoothies are usually much more "industrial" and poured into a green disposable cup, which is used several times before it is eventually disposed of (I have a stack of them left over from my daughter's high school graduation party five years ago, LOL!).
So, if you're looking for a new way to celebrate #peanutbutterandjellyday, why not blend up a PB&J smoothie? It’s quick, tasty, and more fun (for adults, anyway) than slapping peanut butter and jelly on bread. It's a delicious, dare I say even healthy, twist on a classic! 🍓🥜🥤