Tuesday, May 12th 2009

Try This! A Yummy Peanut Butter Spread

During my recent trip to Canyon Ranch, they served a delicious spread that everyone told me I must try. Once I did, I was hooked. I ended up eating it every single morning, either on my bran muffin or whole grain toast. If you like peanut butter, you'll love it, too. It's easy to prepare and full of healthy ingredients.

Here's the recipe, compliments of the chef:

Almond or Peanut Butter Delight

1 cup part-skim ricotta cheese
1/2-cup natural-style smooth almond or peanut butter, drained of excess oil
2-1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon ground cinammon
4-1/2 teaspoons honey

Combine all ingredients in a food processor with a metal blade and process until satiny smooth. Place in covered container and refrigerate. (I did not use a food processor and found that with some heavy stirring, I got it to a smooth consistency.)

Makes 10 2-tablespoon servings, each containing approximately:

69 calories
3 gm fat
6 mg. cholesterol
5 gm. protein
12 mg. sodium
Trace of fiber

I'm sure you can think of your own ways to eat this yummy mixture (maybe even right off the spoon) Enjoy!