If peanut butter were a U.S. President, it would be John Adams.
John Adams' unyielding, unwavering nature and work ethic made him at times an unpopular president and politician. I would say the same is true for peanut butter...its obstinate denseness finds many of the same critics. John Adams did a great deal of legwork in writing the Constitution, but we often overlook him in lieu of the giants Washington and Jefferson. Peanut butter is often the neglected foodstuff, passed over for the sweet jams, Nutella, and "healthier" nut butters.
Argument: John Adams should have been carved into Mount Rushmore. So should peanut butter. I think I've offered a pretty sturdy argument for this hypothesis, and I shall be soon writing my Congressman.
Peanut butter is a pretty ubiquitous product here in the U.S. Wikipedia refers to it as a "food paste", and perhaps that is why so many of us 30-somethings and beyond ate paste in school...we were looking for some amazing peanut experience. Alas...
Anyway.
My daughter spied this in the $1 clearance cart at our local grocery store. Of COURSE we needed to jump all over it. After all, it was the last jar...
Powdered peanut butter. I know, right? Seems to go against everything we were taught was right in this world. But times have changed...
According to the label on the back, the peanuts are slow-roasted and pressed to remove 85% of the fat and oil...as opposed the grinding and processing that happens in a regular jar of peanut butter. Adding water to the powder reconstitutes the paste, which then can be enjoyed on bread, etc. Seems easy. Weird, but easy.
As it turns out, the taste is not that far off...although I did miss the creaminess of processed PB. There's a little something right there at the end, tastewise, but I was the only end who noticed it. Otherwise, my youngest son, who we'll refer to as 'Bean' liked it, as did the oldest, who we'll call 'Monkey Boy'.
The numbers are compelling comparing the powder PB to a jar of regular Skippy...
PB2 - one serving = 2 Tbsp Skippy - one serving = 2 Tbsp
Calories: 45 Calories: 190
Total Fat: 1.5g (0g Sat Fat) Total Fat: 16g (3g Sat Fat)
Sugars: 1g Sugars: 1g
Of course, price is a significant factor here. We bought the PB2 for $1. Clearance, mind you. Brent saw it on the shelves some time ago for at least three to four times that. Peanut butter in general is expensive...and the powder form is no exception. Perhaps, though, it doesn't matter so much when the ingredient list is considered:
PB2: Roasted peanuts, sugar, and salt.
Skippy: Roasted peanuts, sugar, hydrogenated vegetable oils, salt
Funny, isn't it? Peanuts are naturally oily...so why add more oil, Unilever? To prevent separation of the oil from the solid in the final product. Oh. It's a cosmetic addition. Nothing to do with flavor.
Maybe I would rather go with the funky powdered stuff.
John Adams' unyielding, unwavering nature and work ethic made him at times an unpopular president and politician. I would say the same is true for peanut butter...its obstinate denseness finds many of the same critics. John Adams did a great deal of legwork in writing the Constitution, but we often overlook him in lieu of the giants Washington and Jefferson. Peanut butter is often the neglected foodstuff, passed over for the sweet jams, Nutella, and "healthier" nut butters.
Argument: John Adams should have been carved into Mount Rushmore. So should peanut butter. I think I've offered a pretty sturdy argument for this hypothesis, and I shall be soon writing my Congressman.
Peanut butter is a pretty ubiquitous product here in the U.S. Wikipedia refers to it as a "food paste", and perhaps that is why so many of us 30-somethings and beyond ate paste in school...we were looking for some amazing peanut experience. Alas...
Anyway.
My daughter spied this in the $1 clearance cart at our local grocery store. Of COURSE we needed to jump all over it. After all, it was the last jar...
Powdered peanut butter. I know, right? Seems to go against everything we were taught was right in this world. But times have changed...
According to the label on the back, the peanuts are slow-roasted and pressed to remove 85% of the fat and oil...as opposed the grinding and processing that happens in a regular jar of peanut butter. Adding water to the powder reconstitutes the paste, which then can be enjoyed on bread, etc. Seems easy. Weird, but easy.
As it turns out, the taste is not that far off...although I did miss the creaminess of processed PB. There's a little something right there at the end, tastewise, but I was the only end who noticed it. Otherwise, my youngest son, who we'll refer to as 'Bean' liked it, as did the oldest, who we'll call 'Monkey Boy'.
The numbers are compelling comparing the powder PB to a jar of regular Skippy...
PB2 - one serving = 2 Tbsp Skippy - one serving = 2 Tbsp
Calories: 45 Calories: 190
Total Fat: 1.5g (0g Sat Fat) Total Fat: 16g (3g Sat Fat)
Sugars: 1g Sugars: 1g
Of course, price is a significant factor here. We bought the PB2 for $1. Clearance, mind you. Brent saw it on the shelves some time ago for at least three to four times that. Peanut butter in general is expensive...and the powder form is no exception. Perhaps, though, it doesn't matter so much when the ingredient list is considered:
PB2: Roasted peanuts, sugar, and salt.
Skippy: Roasted peanuts, sugar, hydrogenated vegetable oils, salt
Funny, isn't it? Peanuts are naturally oily...so why add more oil, Unilever? To prevent separation of the oil from the solid in the final product. Oh. It's a cosmetic addition. Nothing to do with flavor.
Maybe I would rather go with the funky powdered stuff.
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