Sweet Potato & Peanut Butter Gratin

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This little dish was super tasty and nutritious too, Sweet Potatoes are an excellent source of vitamins A and C, and a good source of fiber, vitamin B-6 and potassium. And like all vegetables, they’re relatively low in calories — one-half of a large sweet potato has just 81 calories.

Peanuts, they’re an excellent plant-based source of protein and high in various vitamins, minerals, and plant compounds. They can be useful as a part of a weight loss diet and may reduce your risk of both heart disease.

INGREDIENTS

500g Sweet Potato – Peeled and sliced

3 Large Tbsps of Crunchy Peanut Butter

2 Tbsps Sunflower Oil

2 Clove Garlic, chopped or crushed

2 Chillies, chopped finely

150ml Double Cream

1 Lime & Lime Zest

Salt & Pepper

METHOD

  1. Mix the sweet potato, chillies, garlic and 1 tbsp of oil in a large bowl until coated
  2. Pour in the double cream and season with salt & pepper, mix well.
  3. Beat together the peanut butter and 1 tbsp oil with the lime juice and zest
  4. In an oven proof dish, lay 1 layer of the sweet potato mix, then dollop on top evenly the peanut butter mix.
  5. Finish with a final layer of the sweet potato mix and pour over the remaining cream, season to taste.
  6. Bake covered with foil in a fan oven at 190 deg for 20 minutes, remove foil and continue to bake for about 30 minutes until nice and browned on top.

Enjoy!

Peanut Butter & Chocolate Squares

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Peanut Butter Squares

OMG! Well what can I say, if you love Peanut Butter like me these are delicious. They are also very light and cut up into small squares they are only about 70 calories per square, so in my book that’s a guilt free treat with my cup of coffee.

We always have a little treat on a Sunday, it’s something to look forward to while we relax and chill after our working week. Peanut butter is a good source of protein, fiber, folate, phosphorus, potassium & magnesium. And yes, peanut butter does have fat, but the fat is monounsaturated, which is more cholesterol-friendly.

I first saw this recipe from a Diabetic Website https://diabeticgourmet.com/ when my mum was a Diabetic, unfortunately I never got round to making them for her. This recipe I change a little to suit our sweet tastes….lol!

Makes 16 small squares

60g Butter

120g Caster Sugar (Splenda if diabetic)

40g Light Brown Sugar

100ml skimmed or semi skimmed milk

60g Peanut Butter

1 tsp vanilla extract

1 egg

120g Self Raising Flour

90g Rolled Oats

1/2 tsp baking powder

Pinch salt

120g Chocolate Chips

1. Beat the butter, caster Sugar and brown sugar until well combined.

2. Stir in milk, peanut butter, egg and vanilla until blended. Gradually mix in combined flour, oats, baking powder and salt until blended. Stir in chocolate chips.

3. Spread mixture evenly into a 9 x 9-inch baking pan covered with greaseproof paper. Bake in preheated 170 deg oven for 25 minutes or until a knife inserted near center comes out clean. Leave to cool on wire rack. Cut into squares.

4. Store in airtight container at room temperature, will be best for up to 3 days.

Nutty Energy Balls

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Nutty Energy Balls

As the Covid19 Lockdown is slowly and gently easing, we are now allowed to travel to the mountains again. We have longed to get back outdoors and into the picturesque landscape we call home. The Scottish Mountains are my headspace, a place where I grow, think, be at peace, laugh and get fitter…lol! To read more about the Scottish Munros, Corbetts, Grahams etc, head over to my travel post https://atomic-temporary-46532287.wpcomstaging.com/2020/07/08/a-list-of-scotlands-mountains/.

Anyway, back to food, my first passion. To walk or climb the Scottish Mountains you need energy firstly (then waterproofs…lol), so I made these to pack and take with us for a wee boost when needed. Great for a pre workout snack too & also Gluten Free.

Nutty Energy Balls

Makes about 16

For the Balls:-

4 heaped tbsp of Crunchy Peanut Butter (good quality, I use Whole Earth)

200g chopped mixed nuts & raisins (I used a food processor to chop finely)

2 tbsp Icing sugar

Coating/Topping:-

Choice 1:-

Dark or Milk Chocolate, 1 tbsp Butter – Melted together

Chopped Pistachios

Choice 2:-

Butter icing – Icing Sugar 80-100g, 1 tbsp butter – Melted together

Desiccated Coconut

  1. Place all ball ingredients into a bowl and mix together until combined. You may find it best to us clean hands for this. Take a tsp size and roll into a ball.
  2. Dip the rolled balls into your wet mixture of choice and then roll into the coconut or pistachio toppings to coat. Place onto a greaseproof lined baking tray and refrigerate to harden.
  3. These can be stored for up to 2 weeks in an airtight container. Enjoy!

Of course you can use any coating or topping you like.

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Nutty Energy balls
Enjoy these bite size energy boosters

Sweet Potato & Peanut Butter Gratin

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Oh Yum, this dish I found on the Whole Earths website, I just love their Peanut Butter especially the crunchy one….yum!  My curiosity got the better of me because I wouldn’t have thought to put sweet potato and peanut butter together but wow, this was so tasty.

I also used my automatic setting on my Hotpoint Class 9 oven, the Potato Gratin setting. This was great as I didn’t need to worry about what temperature or oven function to set for a perfect bake the oven worked it all out for me.

This made 4 small servings (2 bakes in a 19cm x 30cm baking dish)

3 large Sweet Potatoes

2 tsp Crushed Chillies (or 2 chopped chillies)

100g Spinach – Chopped

300g Creme Friache

3 tbsp Peanut Butter, Crunchy

2 tsp dried coriander leaves

Salt & Pepper to taste

 

  1. If not using automatic programmes, preheat oven on fan to about 200 deg then finish off under the grill to crisp and brown.
  2. Peel & Slice the sweet potatoes to about 1/2 cm thick and place in a bowl, add the chopped spinach, coriander, chillies, salt & pepper.                                              20200210_122807
  3. Mix the creme friache and peanut butter together until smooth ad combined then pour into the sweet potatoes and mix until potatoes are coated.                              20200210_123350
  4. Spray a baking dish with spray oil and then layer the sweet potato in the dish making two rows.                                                                                          20200210_124357
  5. Cover with Tin foil and bake for about 30 minutes, remove the tin foil and continue to bake for the further 30 minutes or until sweet potatoes are softened and slightly browned.
  6. Serve.

 

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Banana, Peanut Butter & Oat Choc Chip Muffins

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Today was a day of using up leftovers and I had bananas that were crying out to be used. This little recipe is so easy to make and delicious too, you can store for 2-3 days in an airtight container or freeze if you are making a large batch. Gluten Free too.

A great healthier option too with the oats having 4 grams of fiber & 6 grams of protein. In addition to fiber, oats are rich in magnesium, zinc and iron. The bananas which are loaded with fiber, potassium, vitamin B6, vitamin C, and various antioxidants. The Peanut Butter is a good source of magnesium too.

A great grab & go breakfast option or simply a little snack in between meals.

 

Makes 12

200g Scottish Oats

60g Peanut Butter

2 small bananas, mashed

1 egg

3 tbsp Maple Syrup

120ml milk

1/2 tsp cinnamon

1/4 tsp salt

1 tsp baking powder

1 tsp vanilla extract

3 Dark Chocolate squares, chopped (or you can used choc chips)

 

  1. Preheat your oven on fan to 175 deg and grease a muffin tin.
  2. Put ALL ingredients into a bowl or mixer bowl and combine together.                        20200209_113300
  3. Pour into muffin tin, filling approx 3/4 way.
  4. Bake for about 25 minutes or until a knife comes out clean and muffins are set.
  5. Remove and allow to cool for a few minutes. If freezing allow to cool completely.
  6. Best served slightly warm. Yum!

 

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Peanut Butter & Chocolate Baklava

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I’ve been dying to try this recipe for a long time & it was just as dreamy as I thought. I love peanut butter, so any recipe with it in I simply have to try.

This was so easy and quick to make, just 3 ingredients.

 

1 packet of Filo Pastry (I only used 8 sheets)

3 tbsp Peanut Butter (I used crunchy but you could use smooth if preferred)

3 tbsp Nutella (got to be Nutella…lol)

 

  1. Line a baking tray with baking paper and preheat oven to 220 deg
  2. Place 4 filo sheets onto tray and gently spread nutella chocolate over the sheet, lay another 4 sheets of filo over the chocolate spread and then gently spread the peanut butter over.
  3. Gently roll up the filo (not too tight) and bake in the oven for about 20-30 minutes.

Slice up and serve.

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Steamed Chicken Meatballs with Peanuts on Spinach

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So delicious! If you love peanut butter, you will love this.

With my new Hotpoint oven came a Steam pot so I’ve been trying to experiment with steam cooking, not only is it more nutritious but also so much more healthier. First, since food is cooked by direct contact between steam as well as the movement of the hot vapor through the food, no fat is needed to conduct the heat.  This makes steaming a lower-calorie, low fat cooking method.  Food stays moist, too, since it is being bathed in water vapor.  Also, since water soluble nutrients (namely Vitamins C and B) don’t leach out into vapor, steaming preserves up to 50% more nutrients than other moist heat cooking methods.

Just because steaming is a healthy way to cook doesn’t mean it has to be bland. There are many ways of adding extra flavor to steamed food during the cooking process. You can bring extra flavor to your food by adding all sorts of complementary herbs and spices to your cooking liquid. Further up the flavor by substituting stock, fruit juice or wine for water. The additional flavors will permeate the food as the steam cooks them.

 

Makes 9

2 Chicken Breasts

1 shallot

1 tsp garlic granules or 1 garlic clove

1 leek

40g whole peanuts

1 tsp salt & pepper

350ml chicken stock

1 tbsp peanut butter

spinach

1 tsp peanut oil

 

  1. Slice the Leek, using a bit with the green on
  2. Peel and slice the shallots
  3. Shell and peel peanuts (if not predone), blitz in a blender until fine  20180311_113325
  4. Cut the chicken into small pieces and season
  5. Add chicken, leek, shallots, garlic and seasoning to the peanuts in blender and blitz together.                                                                                                                                                20180311_113736
  6. With your hands roll into meatballs and place on a greased baking tray, then refrigerate for about 1 hour.                                                                             20180311_114223
  7. Pour the chicken stock into the steam pot and then place the meatballs onto the grid and place in pot, cover with lid. Set steam time to 10 minutes.
  8. 2 minutes before ready place the spinach in the pot also.

     

  9. When ready remove the chicken stock from the pot and place in a pan on hob. Reduce by half and then emulsify 1 tbsp peanut butter and 1 tsp peanut oil until sauce thickens. (about 1-2 minutes)                                                                           20180311_143128
  10. Serve meatballs on the bed a spinach and pour sauce over. Yummy!

 

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Satay Stir Fry Sauce

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Another one of my must makes this year is Satay Sauce, and yay…I’ve done it! So simple and healthier than shop bought versions. I went for a mild version tonight, but I also think that adding a little chilli or tobasco could work just as good if you wanted a little kick to it.

 

Makes enough for 2 portions of stir fry.

3 tbsp Peanut butter – I used Whole Earth Crunchy as I like the bit of crunch, but you can use smooth and any brand you wish.                                                                                                                                                                                                 1_pb-crunchy

2 tbsp Soy sauce

1 tbsp Light Brown sugar

1 tsp garlic powder

1 tsp sesame oil

1 tsp peanut oil

2 tbsp lime juice

 

  1. Put everything in a microwave jug with 2 tbsp water and microwave for 1 minute. Stir and add to your stir fry.

As easy as that!   Yummy!

 

Chocolate, Banana & Peanut Butter Shake

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This is so moreish and so healthy, you can have as your morning shake, lunch shake, snack shake, pre or post workout shake…….oh yes this is good anytime of the day….so yummy!  At only 200 calories its even better!

Makes 2 shakes

2 bananas – preferably frozen

4 tbsp of peanut butter – chunky

2 tbsp cocoa powder

250ml water

pinch sea salt

 

  1. Simply put everything into a blender and wiz up until smooth. Divide into glasses.

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Chocolate Cake with a Gooey Peanut Butter Centre

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Oh WOW…..oh WOW…..oh WOW! That’s all I can say about this………super tasty! My boyfriend said to me I could go a snickers bar…..so off I went into my creating area (my kitchen) and looking around my cupboards I had all the ingredients to mimic the flavours, so off I went and made an absolute master piece….so moreish!

Makes 2

100 g Dark Chocolate 70% Cocoa (I used Lindt, which is the best….in my opinion)

50g Butter

1 medium egg

1 medium egg yolk

40g light brown sugar

20g Self Raising Flour

 2 tbps Peanut Butter

Cocoa powder for sprinkling

Icing Sugar to decorate

  1. Pre-heat oven to 200 deg.
  2. Melt chocolate and butter in a pan gently and combine.
  3. In a separate bowl whisk egg, egg yolk and sugar together until fluffy and combine together.
  4. Then add in the chocolate mix to the egg mix and combine together                                   20160508_164826
  5. Fold in the flour to the mix.
  6. Butter your ramekins all round then sprinkle the cocoa powder all over so it sticks to the inside of the ramekins. 20160508_164833
  7. Pour in half of the cake mixture into each ramekin
  8. Place 1 tablespoon of smooth peanut butter into each ramekin                                                   20160508_165325
  9. Pour the remaining cake mix on top of peanut butter
  10. Bake for about 11-12 mins in centre of oven.
  11. Remove from oven and gently remove from ramekin, it should come out easily, Sprinkle some Icing sugar over top and serve with some vanilla ice cream…….oh so Yummy!

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Peanut Butter, Chocolate and Toffee Mini Cheesecake

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Valentines Day was slowly arriving and I wanted to treat my other half with something different but something I know he would enjoy…his favourite flavours for desserts are peanut butter, chocolate and toffee, so I decided to make some cheesecakes combining all the flavours. It was absolutely delicious!

Makes 12 Mini Cheesecakes

180g Cream cheese
100ml double cream
1 tablespoon of peanut butter smooth
60g Icing Sugar
1 tsp vanilla essence
13 Digestive Biscuits
50ml butter melted
Toffee Sauce of your choice – loads of squeezes
12 chocolate buttons or shapes of your choice

 

  1. Melt butter in a pan
  2. Put digestive biscuits into a food processor and blitz, add in melted butter and mix
  3. Put some muffin cases into a muffin tin and scoop digestive mix about 2 tbsp into cases and press down.
  4. Refrigerate for about 20-30 mins
  5. Meanwhile mix cream cheese, peanut butter and icing sugar together    DSC_0064.NEF
  6. In a separate bowl mix double cream and vanilla until you get soft peaks
  7. Fold in cream cheese and cream mix together
  8. Spoon mixture into muffin cases and top with toffee sauce and a chocolate button.
  9. Refrigerate overnight or a min of 12 hours. Serve

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Nutrition Facts
Peanut Butter, Chocolate and Toffee Cheesecake

Servings Per Recipe: 12

Amount Per Serving

Calories: 134

  • Total Fat: 10.6 g
  •     Saturated Fat: 6 g
  •     Trans Fat: 0.1 g
  • Cholesterol: 30 mg
  • Sodium: 118.5 mg
  • Total Carbs: 8.1 g
  •     Dietary Fiber: 0.1 g
  •     Sugars: 5.9 g
  • Protein: 1.7 g

Chocolate ‘n’ Peanut Butter Balls

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I was looking for a quick pre or post workout snack, so made these for a quick pick me up of energy.

 

Makes approx 20 balls

200g Peanut Butter (I used Crunchy but you can use smooth)

50g butter

1 tsp vanilla essence

150g Icing Sugar (or substitute)

100g Dark chocolate (I used 85% cocoa)

 

1. Put peanut butter, butter, vanilla, icing sugar in a pan and heat on a medium heat (No. 5/6 if using Induction), when it starts to bubble, remove and set aside to cool,

2. Once cool make into small balls and place on greaseproof paper on a tray. Place into freezer to harden for approx 1 hour.

3. Break up chocolate and place into a saucepan, heat on No. 1 if using Induction, or alternatively melt chocolate using bowl over pan or in microwave.

4. Remove balls from freezer and using 2 forks cover each one in the melted chocolate then place back onto the greaseproof paper and freezer for approx 30 mins until chocolate hardens.

5. To serve, remove from freezer approx 1o mins before to allow softening……..scoff….yum!

Can be kept in freezer up to 1 month.  Yummy protein balls!

Homemade Low Calorie Hummous

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Hummous

This is only 120 calories per pot or 10 calories per dip (and I like big dips)

 

1/2 can Chickpeas (110g)

Handful of Basil

1/2 lemon zest

1 1/2 tablespoon peanut butter

Pinch Cumin

Teaspoon of Salt

150g Zero Fat Natural Yoghurt

Teaspoon of chilli (Optional) tastes great though

 

Put everything in a Food Processor and Wiz Up for a minute or until all mixed.

Chill and serve with favourite condiment.

To keep low in calories serve with Carrot sticks or Celery sticks or poppodums (no oil, cooked in microwave)