Peanut butter sandwiches are what my daughter can eat 3 times a day! My elder twin (that does sound weird in reading it, but technically she is 2 minutes older and takes serious pride in it) doesn’t really know if peanut butter and jelly sandwiches are a breakfast or lunch meal and it really doesn’t matter to her as she can literally eat peanut butter out of a jar for lunch.
Fun Fact 1: There’s no denying that this most popular meal of the United States definitely deserves to be the most favorite and is staple for almost 75% of its population.
When your fussy eater starts loving a particular food, there are 2 ways you as a mom react to it:
- stock up on that particular food product so you never run out of it, and
- frantically research about it online to see what good (or bad) that stuff is actually doing to your kid.
I did the same. While I made sure there’s always a jar of this “delicious gold” in my pantry, I also did my homework to dig deeper in to the nutrition values that it brings along.
Is peanut butter good for my kid?
I was extremely relieved that this time at least my kid was binging on something healthy (although binging on anything, even peanut butter is not suggested and it is advised to be consumed in moderation). My Google search for nutrition values of peanut butter revealed that natural pure peanut butter is:
- rich in essential vitamins (vitamin E, vitamin B-3 and vitamin B-6),
- rich in minerals (like magnesium, zinc, phosphorous to name some),
- an excellent source of plant-based protein for kids and adults both.
The only thing that bothered me with store-bought peanut butters was the amount of sugar, salt and added preservatives, which pushed me to make my own peanut butter at home. Turns out it is as simple as licking a spoonful of peanut butter! And that’s just the beginning of it. Once I figured how easy it is to churn my own peanut butter at home, it pushed me to come up with different ways it can be consumed, other than between bread slices of course.
In this article, I will be sharing:
- How to make peanut butter at home
- Plain
- Chocolate spread
- How to use the homemade (or store-bought) peanut butter in these recipes (some of which you can cook along with your young ones):
- Mexican mole (a simple version, of course)
- Thai peanut sauce
- Chicken satay
- Pad Thai for kids
- Indian curry with peanut butter
Fun fact 2: Did you know peanuts are not really nuts but legumes?
How to make peanut butter at home
It is pretty amazing how something as delicious as this peanut spread is actually so simple and easy to whip up at home. All in all, 3 to 4 ingredients and few minutes of mixer time and you get for yourself (and your little one) a jar full of homemade deliciousness!
For the basic natural version of peanut butter, you just need roasted peanuts, salt to taste, and oil. I highly recommend using peanut oil but if it’s not available where you live, go for vegetable oil. You might need to add a little more oil than prescribed in recipe for the right, creamier texture.
I would also recommend adding a little bit of honey to it. It helps in 3 ways: it compliments and enhances the nutty flavor of peanuts perfectly, gives a mild sweetness without adding sugar, and also adds to the shelf life of the final product.
If you wish to make flavored peanut butter, the easiest and most popular choice would be chocolate-flavored peanut butter (this comes really close to Nutella), which requires two additional ingredients: cocoa powder and powdered sugar in place of honey. Adding a pinch of salt takes the flavor and taste to another level.
Easy homemade peanut butter recipe
This yields approximately 1-1/2 cups peanut butter
Ingredients:
- Raw shelled peanuts: 2 cups (get the roasted ones to save a few minutes)
- Honey: 1 tablespoon (or more if you like it sweeter)
- Oil: 1 tablespoon (or more if using vegetable oil)
- Salt: a pinch
Method:
- If you have raw peanuts, your first step would be to dry roast them. Line a baking tray with parchment paper. Spread peanuts on it and put it in the over for around 10 minutes at 375-degree Fahrenheit or 190 degree Celsius. Roasting peanuts brings out delicious nutty flavor and also speeds up the oil release while grinding. You can adjust the time for roasting according to the amount of nuttiness you prefer in you butter.
- Put roasted peanuts in a grinder and start grinding. The peanuts will start crumbling and as you keep churning, it becomes creamier. When it is quite close to your desired consistency, add honey, oil, and salt and churn it till it is smooth, creamy, and buttery in texture.
- Pour it out into a glass jar and it’s ready!
For chocolate peanut butter/peanut “Nutella”
Ingredients:
- Raw shelled peanuts: 2 cups (get the roasted ones to save a few minutes)
- Oil: 1 tablespoon (or more if using vegetable oil)
- Unsweetened cocoa powder: 1/2 cup
- Powdered sugar: 1 cup (you can grind regular sugar)
- Salt: a pinch
Method:
- Roast peanuts as directed in previous recipe and start grinding.
- Once the mixture reaches slightly creamy texture, add in oil, cocoa powder and powdered sugar and grind until desired creamy consistency
- Your peanut Nutella is ready.
Peanut butter recipes from across the globe
Now that you have a jar full of your own homemade goodness, aka peanut butter, here are simplified, kid-friendly versions of some of the most popular international dishes, which are going to be an instant hit with your kids as well.
1. Mexican mole
This versatile sauce can be used with chicken, pork, beef, over your rice bowl or in enchiladas. This is quite a flexible and simpler version of the original recipe as the authentic formula calls for a long list of Mexican ingredients, which are not available in every country easily. Since I live in the part of world where the odds of finding Mexican chilis is the same as finding a needle in a haystack, I have to use locally available chilis (which are too hot for kids and I avoid adding chilis altogether most of the time when cooking for my girls). Also, instead of shredded tortillas, I use flour/cornstarch to get a thick consistency. I have easy access to some of the whole spices such cinnamon, clove, and cumin which I prefer adding to my sauce as these spices are good for health and immunity. You can adjust the quantity, depending on how much spice your kid can handle. And of course, replace crushed peanuts with your very own peanut butter.
Ingredients:
- Lard/ oil: 1 tablespoon
- Onion: 1 (sliced)
- Garlic: 5-6 cloves
- Tomatoes: 4 (ground to a paste. You can also use store bought puree)
- Chili/chili powder to taste (avoid if your kid doesn’t eat chili)
- Mixed powdered spices to taste (cinnamon, cumin, clove, pepper)
- Flour/cornstarch: 1 tablespoon
- Chicken stock: 3 cups
- Chocolate/cocoa powder: 1 tablespoon
- Peanut butter: 2 tablespoons
- Raisins/maple syrup: as needed (for sweetness)
- Salt to taste
Method:
- Heat oil in a pan. Add onion and garlic and sauté for 2 minutes. Add tomatoes/puree and chilis (if using) and cook for few more minutes.
- Add raisins and cook for 8 to 10 minutes more till everything is cooked and mushy.
- Remove from flame. Using an immersion blender, blend this mixture till smooth.
- Put it back on the flame and add chicken broth, flour (mixed with 1 tablespoon water or stock), peanut butter, chocolate, salt, and maple syrup (if using instead of raisins)
- Simmer it for 15 minutes so that it is cooked well and reduced.
- Remove from flame and enjoy!
Thailand: Thai peanut sauce, chicken Satay and Pad Thai
I live in Thailand and naturally 2 of my favorite quick to make dishes in my kitchen are chicken satay and pad Thai. The key sauce in both these recipes is the authentic Thai peanut sauce. You can easily enlist your kid to mix the sauce; mine loves to act like she is making a potion in her magic kitchen!
2. Peanut sauce
Ingredients:
- Soy sauce: 1 tablespoon
- Garlic (minced): 2 cloves
- Ginger (minced): 1 teaspoon
- Brown sugar: 1 teaspoon
- Fish sauce: 1 tablespoon (optional)
- Peanut butter: 3 tablespoons (of course!)
- Rice vinegar/Lime juice: 1 teaspoon
- Water: as needed
Method:
- Add all the ingredients to a bowl (except water) and get your mini-chef to beat and whisk it well. Beware: there might be a little splatter or splash involved.
- Add water as needed to dilute the sauce. Keep aside.
3. Chicken satay
Ingredients:
- Chicken breasts/thighs: 1 lb/500 grams (cut in cubes)
- Coconut milk: 1 small can (5.5. oz/150ml)
- Curry powder: 1 tablespoon
- Soy sauce: 2 tablespoons
- Garlic (minced): 3 cloves
- Ginger (minced): 1 tablespoon
- Brown sugar: 4 teaspoons
- Fish sauce: 1 tablespoon (optional)
- Peanut butter: 1 tablespoon
- Oil: 1 tablespoon
- Salt to taste (only if needed)
Method:
- Marinade: Mix coconut milk, curry powder, peanut butter, soy sauce, garlic, ginger, brown sugar, fish sauce, and salt. Add the chicken pieces and let it marinate for 1 hour or overnight.
- Take out marinated chicken, place on skewers, drizzle some oil on it, and cook it in a pan or on a grill.
- Serve hot with peanut sauce.
4. Pad Thai with shrimp and chicken
Using the peanut sauce made earlier, let’s fry some quick noodles and shrimp for the next recipe, pad Thai.
Ingredients:
- Rice noodles: 1 small pack
- Oil: 3 tablespoons
- Egg: 1
- Chicken breast: 1 cup (diced)
- Shrimp: 4-5 (cleaned and de-veined)
- Fish sauce: 1 tablespoon
- Soy sauce: 2 tablespoons
- Peanut sauce: 3 tablespoons
- Bean sprouts: ½ cup
- Cilantro: to garnish
Method:
- Boil noodles al dente.
- In a fairly larger pan, heat 2 tablespoons of oil. Add chicken cubes and sauté till almost cooked.
- Push it in a corner and add the rest of the oil. Let it heat and break the egg in it. Scramble it while it’s cooking.
- Add shrimp and cook for a minute. Add peanut sauce, soy sauce, fish sauce, and a little water and stir.
- Toss in cooked noodles and mix everything well to make sure sauce coats noodles and meat evenly.
- Remove from flame. Serve a portion in a plate. Add bean sprouts (you can omit this if you’re kid doesn’t like sprouts), garnish with cilantro and serve
5. India: Indian curry
How can a list of international recipes be complete without a delicious rich Indian curry? There’s a general notion that Indian recipes are tedious to make and involve lots of difficult-to-pronounce ingredients. The recipe I’m sharing here is extremely easy, quick, and you’ll find almost every ingredient in your pantry. This is a generic curry and you can customize it by adding your favorite protein like chicken, pork, beef, egg, paneer, or tofu.
INGREDIENTS:
- Onion: 1 (sliced)
- Garlic: 5-6 cloves (peeled)
- Ginger: ½ inch (chopped)
- Tomatoes: 2 (chopped) (you can also use canned puree)
- Cumin: 1 teaspoon
- Chili powder: ½ teaspoon (optional)
- Turmeric powder: ½ teaspoon
- Coriander powder: 1 teaspoon
- Salt: ½ teaspoon (or to taste)
- Peanut butter: 1 tablespoon
- Oil: 1 tablespoon
- Water: 1-2 cups
METHOD
- In a blender, puree onion, garlic, and ginger. Set aside.
- In the same blender jar, puree tomatoes separately.
- Heat oil in a pan, add cumin, and let it crackle.
- Add onion, ginger, and garlic and let it cook for 2-3 minutes. Be careful, it might splatter.
- Mix in chili powder, turmeric powder, and coriander powder and let it cook for 3-4 minutes.
- Pour in tomato puree/paste and peanut butter and cook it for 5-7 minutes till the water dries and oil appears on top of the curry.
- Add salt and water and bring to boil.
- Your curry is ready. Add your kid’s favorite protein and serve it over rice or with Indian bread.
