Peanut butter and jam is an old stand-by for many families. To celebrate back-to-school, here are some Creative Kids twists on the classic PB and J.
A peanut butter and jam sandwich consists of three main ingredients: peanut butter, jam, and bread. For the Creative Chef however, the sky is the limit for how many tasty variations you can make.
Ideas for Bread – muffins, English muffins, scones, pita, flour tortilla (to make a roll up), French bread, rolls, buns, challah, crackers, cinnamon raisin toast, soft pretzels, bagels, pancakes.
Ideas for the (Peanut) Butter – almond butter, cashew butter, Nutella, hazelnut butter, tahini, macadamia nut butter, soy nut butter.
Customize your peanut butter! You could add honey, cinnamon, vanilla extract, cayenne pepper, garam masala, nutmeg, pumpkin pie spice, or any number of other things.
Ideas for Jam – You could try making your own or find a local producer to support. Some unique flavors to try: crab apple, quince, rhubarb, mountain huckleberry, ginger orange, rose hip. See what summer bounty is turned into jam in your area, try jelly too!
Special Add-ins: – Slices of banana, raisins, crushed nuts, chocolate chips, fresh berries, even bits of pretzels are all things you could add to your sandwich to make it extra special.
Other creative ideas for PB&J:
Stuffed French Toast – Take your favorite PB and J sandwich – add sliced banana if you like – and soak it briefly in a mixture of beaten eggs, milk and a touch of cinnamon. Pan-fry until golden brown and serve with maple or fruit syrup. This would be a great special breakfast treat for mother’s or father’s day or another special occasion like the first day of school.
PB and J Oatmeal – Stir a little creamy peanut butter and your favorite jam into your oatmeal at the end of cooking right before you serve.
PB and J Smoothie – Add a dollop of peanut butter and jam to your favorite smoothie recipe. (I use plain yogurt, almond milk, a frozen banana, flax oil, wheat germ, ground flax and protein powder).
Peanut Butter Boy!
A while ago I came across a fantastic blog called Peanut Butter Boy – a site dedicated to one man’s love for peanut butter and healthy cooking. His site brings the creativity of peanut butter to a whole new level. Now I’m inspired and hungry!
Nick AKA the Peanut Butter Boy has agreed to share his recipe for Creamy Strawberry Peanut Butter Fruit Dip. It’s an easy recipe the kids can help you make and is a fantastic dip for both fruits and veggies! I particularly like it with slices of Asian Pear. I have adapted the directions slightly, but you can read the full version here: Strawberry Peanut Butter Fruit Dip. Nick has a very creative writing style and it is worth taking a look through his fantastic recipes.
Ingredients
1 (6oz) container light vanilla yogurt
1/4 – 1/3 cup reduced-sugar strawberry preserves, or to taste (Trader Joe’s is good)
1/4 cup creamy natural peanut butter w/ salt
2 green apples, sliced thin
2 crisp red apples, sliced thin (pink lady or honeycrisp)
Instructions:
- Combine the first 3 ingredients into a medium bowl and stir until mixed. If there are a lot of chunks from the preserves, puree in a blender until smooth, if desired.
- Stir in the peanut butter until well combined. Refrigerate dip and apples until chilled.
There are many ways you can add some creative flair to the classic Peanut Butter and Jam and have some fun with the kids in the kitchen.
How does your family like their Peanut Butter and Jam?
There are some great ideas here for making my daughters favorite lunch have a little more variety, thanks!
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