How to include goodness of peanut butter in diet

Go beyond just using peanut butter on a toast, and get innovative with it for healthy options, say experts.

With increasing awareness about super foods and their health benefits, peanut butter has now made its way to most of the Indian households. It is rich in proteins, energy, carbohydrates and good fat.

Nutritionist and weight management consultant Kavita Devgan said: "Peanut Butter is the most innovative ingredient to complement the benefits peanut in our daily diet. For vegetarians, it can be added to pulses, baby spinach roasted peanut bowl, basil peanuts pesto or sesame peanut chikki. Peanut Butter also goes well with pork and prawns recipes and even pairs very well with tofu."

Chef Gaurav Chadha, in-house chef, FunFoods by Dr. Oetker, has shared some easy-to-make recipes with peanut butter:

* Peanut Butter Museli Bar: Eat healthy and tasty muesli bars while on the go. To make delicious bars add muesli, sesame seeds, coconut, and cinnamon powder and nuts in a pan and dry roast all. In another pan cook peanut butter, honey and dates for one minute. Pour the peanut butter mixture in the bowl with the dry ingredients and fold the ingredients together, freeze and serve.

* Bengal PB Chop: Grace your snack time with easy to make peanut butter chops. Make round balls from a mixture of cooked green chili, ginger, beetroot, potato, carrot, red chili powder, cumin powder, coriander powder. Stuff them with a mixture of peanut butter, raisins and nuts. Then make cutlets and deep fry with coating of suji and breadcrumb.

* Peanut Butter Chicken Skewers: Give a delicious twist to chicken with Peanut Butter. Prepare a mixture of yoghurt, peanut butter, coriander leaves, garlic, salt and red chilli for marination. Place chicken alternatively in skewers and refrigerate for 30 minutes. Heat oil in a non-stick pan (medium flame) and grill skewers for three to four minutes from both sides or until cooked. 

* Thai Style Peanut and Vegetable Curry: In a blender jar, add garlic, onion, red chilli, turmeric powder, cumin powder and 50 ml water and grind it to form a thick paste, cook the paste for three to four minutes till dry. Add coconut milk, peanut butter, coriander, remaining water, salt and cook for 2-3 minutes until sauce thickens. Then add lemon juice, broccoli, mushroom, carrot and pineapple. Serve hot with boiled rice.

* Fitness PB Smoothies: Smoothies are a perfect filling snack and quick on-the-go choice for both adults and children. Choose your favourite base -- be it strawberry or banana or chocolate dessert topping. Add peanut butter, yoghurt, milk, honey, ice-cubes and blend it until smooth in a blender jar. Pour in a glass and serve chilled.