Products, Peanuts, and Protein

Oh, the things I do to avoid the stress of homework these days! I've been hiding out in the kitchen (as always!) surrounded by various, peanut butter and carb-laden objects (that I'm forcing onto others in order to live vicariously through them!), and I'm finding every excuse I can to not deal with the impending doom this semester has brought upon us. It's a lot of work this time - not particularly hard work, but a lot of it! Anywho, enough whining for one post. Onto yumminess...

Now I more than anyone am surprised that I picked up yet another "high-protein" gimmicky item recently - you'd think I'd have learned, right? Well, I did - a bar this time by Chocolite in peanut butter + chocolate flavour. Come on, you really can't go wrong with that combo, right? I had it for "first" breakky yesterday before my insane, 1-hour 8:30AM class and was beyond pleasantly surprised... I was freaking thrilled! Chewy, not too sweet, nutty and definitely not "protein-bar" tasting (like Powerbars are...ick). I have a "triple-chocolate fudge" one too to try out. They're gluten free and low fat too (bonus: I CAN EAT THEM!). Definitely handy snackage food.

Okay, unpaid rave over. I promise! I'll share the No Name schwag I got the other day later on.

With all the peanut-butter shenanigans going on these days, I bet you're surprised to see it not once, but thrice in one post! Well, I figure that nobody in our house has keeled over yet, and they've been eating the stuff for the past, oh, two years (can you believe they're recalling it from that long ago? Really... if your PB is that old, you have bigger worries). Anyways, it's not green, it's not walking around on it's own, and in the case of the next two things I've got going on here, it's getting stuck into a 350 degree inferno for a while... I'm thinking we're probably good here.

The first thing I made with my non-diseased peanut butter (which, btw, is on sale at Bulk Barns near me at any rate... yay for recall prices! Yes, I'm a cheap student. So sure me.) was actually an attempt for me to use up the aforementioned icky protein powder I bought. Hey, I figured if you throw enough fat and sugar at anything it can taste good. Isn't that how they market McDonalds? I chucked in some leftover candy from Christmas cookies too... I figured it was probably beginning to lose it's sugary charm.

Turns out I was right about the whole fat/sugar magic idea - the cookies disappeared like wildfire (I didn't even get to save one for my dad!) and I even got lunch out of the deal from a grateful employee of my mom's, who ate 5 of them as his only sustinance the day they went into the office because he forgot his lunch and didn't want to order in. Note: I DON'T advocate doing that... these are cookies, y'all, not health food.

Hempy Peanut Butter Discs

Makes 18

This used Nutiva Hempshake Chocolate, I'm sure any chocolate protein drink mix would be fine too.
2.5 oz flour
2.2 oz whole wheat flour
1 oz chocolate protein powder
1 tsp baking soda
2 oz shortening
5 oz smooth peanut butter
2/3 cup sugar
2 tsp honey
1/2 tsp vanilla
1 egg
1/3 cup mini M&Ms

1. Preheat oven to 350F, line cookie sheets with parchment or SilPat (do not grease).
2. Whisk together flours, protein powder and baking soda, set aside.
3. Cream shortening, peanut butter and sugar.
4. Beat in honey, vanilla and egg.
5. Mix in dry ingredients until just moistened.
6. Fold in M&Ms.
7. Shape into balls, place on prepared sheets and flatten with a fork.
8. Bake 10 minutes, cool completely on sheets.

Amount Per Serving

Calories: 174.1

Total Fat: 9.6 g

Cholesterol: 12.2 mg

Sodium: 58.0 mg

Total Carbs: 19.3 g

Dietary Fiber: 1.9 g

Protein: 4.6 g

These next cookies also use the hemp powder, along with a healthy dose of tofu, with a blend of peanut butter and (the kicker) Nutella spread. The ingredients look all high-and-mighty health wise, but these are still a seriously indulgent, rich dessert. AND, it's just in time for World Nutella Day, being hosted again by Ms Adventures in Italy and Bleeding Espresso (it's the 5th of February this year - that's only TWO DAYS AWAY!! I'm early in submitting, but God knows if I'll be near a computer on Thursday, so I'd better do it now!). Embrace the Nutella love, guys! Don't have a clue what I'm talking about? Look at last year - Part I and Part II - for info!

Two - Nut Butter Cookies

Makes 24 HUGE cookies

5 oz lite silken tofu
1 tbsp corn syrup
1 tbsp vanilla extract
5 oz flour
4.5 oz whole wheat flour
2 oz chocolate - flavoured hemp protein powder
2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
4 oz shortening
5 oz smooth peanut butter
5 oz Nutella (chocolate-hazelnut spread)
1 cup sugar

1. Preheat oven to 350F. Lightly grease or line baking sheets, set aside.
2. In a food processor, combine tofu, syrup and vanilla. Puree until smooth and set aside.
3. In a bowl, whisk together flours, hemp powder, baking soda and salt. Set aside.
4. In a large bowl, cream shortening, peanut butter, Nutella and sugar.
5. Add tofu mixture and beat well.
6. Mix in flour mixture until just combined.
7. Drop by tablespoons onto prepared sheets, flatten with fingertips or a floured fork.
8. Bake 12-14 minutes and cool completely on sheets.

Amount Per Serving
Calories: 229.2
Total Fat: 12.0 g
Cholesterol: 2.5 mg
Sodium: 50.9 mg
Total Carbs: 27.5 g
Dietary Fiber: 2.6 g
Protein: 5.6 g