Healthy Cooking by design

We sometimes struggle with the “all or nothing mentality”.  Its either carrot sticks and water or a Big Mac meal with ice cream later in the day.  But let’s imagine that our dietary and lifestyle choices all equal either a positive number or a negative number on a number line, and we tally them up each day.  Viewed that way, you have an infinite number of increasingly healthy choices or increasingly unhealthy choices, with the occasional choice being neutral.   So even the smallest healthy choice - like parking a few spaces farther out in the parking lot or drinking green tea in the afternoon - are small positive numbers that get added in to the overall result of the day.  And we know this is true, because we clearly see it working in the reverse - lots of little choices over time at the drive thru, or the vending machine, or ice cream at night gradually add up to make a negative difference.

Let’s say a Big Mac meal equals negative 20 as a choice.  That same meal, if you skipped the fries might only be a negative 15 - a better choice.  And if you drank unsweetened tea instead of the coke, then that meal might only be a negative 5 choice.  Later today, you could walk around the block, a positive 10 choice, and have a fruit and yogurt smoothie instead of DQ, another positive 10 choice, and now you’re solidly in positive territory for the day.

I was thinking about all this today, because I was craving pancakes.  Now I could have bought buttermilk pancake mix, syrup, etc and had a lot of negative numbers for my day.  Or I could have made whole wheat pancakes and topped them with fruit and nuts and had only positive numbers added to my day.  Instead, I compromised.  I made whole wheat pancakes (positive), spread them with natural peanut butter (positive), sprinkled some chocolate chips (negative), and drizzled them with honey (neutral).  So, my overall effect was positive.  Not as positive as it could have been, but also not as negative as it could have been.  And it was very satisfying.

It is helpful to me to look at each small choice I make as adding positive numbers to my day - and therefore having a positive result in my overall health.  I am wanting to live in positive territory, so I look at each choice I make as either helping me get there, or negating some of the good choices I have already made.

Special photo thanks to TheD at Stock.xchng.

When you think “healthy peanut butter”, be honest, do you think of a gritty, unappealing mass that will tear bread if you attempt to spread it?  You’re not alone.  Let me point you to a couple of really great tasting, healthy peanut butters so you don’t have to compromise the flavor or texture you love.

My first favorite is from Trader Joe’s (Think of them as the Aldi’s of Whole Foods - their own brands, lower prices, great tasting healthy food, with a helpful staff.).  Trader Joe’s Roasted, Salted Peanut Butter has the smooth creaminess and flavor of any kid-friendly “Jiff-type” peanut butter.  Its very delicious and only about $1.79 for the regular 16 oz. jar.  Another one that I just tried that has the same consistency, delicious taste, and a similar low price is Kroger’s Natural Creamy Peanut Butter.

My next favorite is a little more pricey, but I bring a jar home whenever I go to Trader Joe’s.  It is their Valencia Peanut Butter with Roasted Flaxseeeds.  It is about $4.99 for the 16 oz. jar.  But, holy cow, I’ve never tasted anything like it.  I buy the crunchy, salted one.  They have all their varieties in unsalted, if you prefer.  I also splurge on their Almond Butter.  It is also about $4.99 for the 16 oz. jar.  I buy the raw, salted variety.  It does have a little texture, but is very soft and spreadable and really delicious.  Its really a great deal because most almond butter is $12.00-$15.00 a jar.  But, back to peanut butter.

My next favorite is available at Publix, Kroger, and Walmart.  Its Smuckers Natural Peanut Butter.  I buy the creamy, salted variety.  This one does have a little texture, but is still very spreadable (and its very far from gritty).  I have seen it as high at $3.16 and as low as $2.23, depending on the store.

All of these are appealing to me because when looking for a healthy peanut butter, I want:

• just peanuts (with the peanut oil) and salt (no hydrogenated oils added)
• flavorful peanut taste (not the taste of other oils and sugars)
• creamy and spreadable texture (not gritty and dry)
• reasonable price (I have a large family and live on a budget)

And to get all of those, I don’t mind the monthly trip to Trader Joe’s to stock up (on peanut butter and other things), or the minute or two it takes me to stir peanut butter to recombine the oil that first time before I stick it in the refrigerator (I think of it as exercise).  But if the stirring bothers you, go here to buy a lid with a built in crank and paddle (designed to screw onto natural peanut butter jars).  Then you could even have a child stir it without making a mess.

*Special photo thanks to Crystala at Stock.xchng

P.S. After putting up this post, a reader contacted me and suggested I try the Publix brand natural peanut butter.  So I tried their crunchy variety and thought it was delicious.  Its ingredients are simply peanuts and salt.  I’m sure there are many other natural peanut butters out there that are delicious and won’t break the bank, so get brave and try some.  Thanks for the suggestion!