LilSugar

Delilicious: Heart-Shaped Sandwiches

babysugar — Tue, 12 Feb 2008 12:00:13 PST

Surprise your lil love on Valentine's Day by slipping a heart–shaped sandwich into their lunch bag. Lots of lil eaters are picky about their peanut butter and jelly sandwiches - so whether they like crunchy or creamy, crust or crustless, this handy gadget is sure to sweeten their meal.

The large heart cookie cutter can be placed over any creation and sliced into shape. And, if you've got a couple children sharing the sandwich, it eliminates the argument about who got the better half.

Nutty Competition: Vote For Jif's Most Creative Sandwich

LilSugar — Tue, 05 Feb 2008 07:00:16 PST

If you're a choosy mom who thinks outside of the lunchbox, cast your vote for Jif's Most Creative Sandwich.

The top 10 "most tasty nutritionally balanced, creative, appealing and easy-to-make recipes" include: Peanut Butter Butterfly Panwiches, Monstwich, Crunchy Chinese Fortune Cookie Sandwich and a Peanut Butter Meatball Sub.

The winner of the the nutty competition gets a $25,000 scholarship fund and a gift basket. Voting ends February 11.

If you want to see the rest of the peanut butter creations, read more.

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Source

Healthy Treat: Peanut Butter Oatmeal Sandwich Cookies

Jenny Sugar — Wed, 02 Mar 2011 10:50:02 PST

If you're craving a chewy peanut buttery treat, this might just become your new new favorite cookie. While a cookie is still a cookie, this recipe offer a slightly healthier goody. The chewy oatmeal cookie coupled with the creamy peanut butter and mashed banana mixture makes a perfect flavor combination. The only downside to whipping up a batch of these cookies is you may find it impossible to hold back from eating the entire batch. Plus, it's National Peanut Butter Month, so get baking and celebrate.

Ready to see the recipe?

5 Surprising Ways to Eat Nut Butter

FitSugar — Mon, 06 Feb 2012 13:49:49 PST

Nut butters are good for more than just sandwiches. As a source of healthy fats and plant-based protein, nut butters can be a nutritional powerhouse. Whether you prefer classic peanut butter or one of the healthy peanut butter alternatives, here are five unexpected ways to incorporate nut butter into your diet:

Blend it into your smoothie: Make your breakfast sip a bit creamier - and more satisfying - by adding some nut butter to the mix. For a bit of indulgence, try a chocolate strawberry banana smoothie. The healthy fats and dose of protein will help you to stay full and get your day off to an energized start.
Add it to your soups: Boost pureed soups with a spoonful of nut butter. Not only will it create a thicker texture, but it will also add rich, unexpected flavor to standard recipes. Surprise your taste buds by adding almond butter to butternut squash and or blending walnut butter into a beet soup.
Turn it into a dipping sauce: Marinate meats in your favorite nut butter before grilling, or use it as a dipping sauce for fruits and vegetables. Get creative with your combinations: try jicama dipped in cashew butter for a fresh twist on peanut butter apples.
Toss it into Greek yogurt. Get double the protein punch by mixing nut butter into your serving of Greek yogurt. For extra energy and nutrients, add fresh berries and rolled oats to the bowl.
Use it in your salad dressing. Blend nut butter with other oils and spices to create a smooth, rich salad dressing. Not sure where to start? Try a Thai dish, like this kale slaw with peanut dressing recipe.

Source: Flickr User Rusvaplauke

The Best and Worst Girl Scout Cookies

Shape — Thu, 26 Jan 2012 04:33:58 PST

We are excited to share one of our fave stories from Shape here on FitSugar. This week Shape turns to certified trainer, fitness blogger, and wellness coach Jennipher Walters for some help!

While it's hard to call Girl Scout Cookies health food exactly, some varieties are certainly easier on your waistline than others. In order to help you decide which boxes of Girl Scout Cookies to order this year (because, honestly, it's hard to say "no" to those little girls!), here's a list of the best and the worst Girl Scout Cookies when it comes to serving size, calories, and fat. Obviously, not ordering or eating Girl Scout Cookies is the best way to avoid overindulging, but hopefully this information comes in handy in case you do have a craving or a box arrives on your doorstep!

Keep reading to see which Girl Scout Cookies are the best and worst after the break!

5 Reasons to Love Peanut Butter

Camilla Salem — Tue, 24 Jan 2012 13:11:11 PST

It's creamy (and sometimes crunchy!), salty, and sweet. It goes really well in sandwiches and baked goods, with chocolate, and even in sauces. It's the ultimate comfort food. Today is National Peanut Butter Day and whether you like to cook with it, bake with it, or simply eat it out of the jar with the spoon, we've got five reasons to love peanut butter.

You have options: Not a fan of crunchy peanut butter? Not to worry, there's a creamy version. Are you worried about hydrogenated oils? Opt for a natural variety. Chances are you'll be able to find a peanut butter that fits your taste buds.
It's sweet and salty: One of nature's best combinations of tastes, peanut butter embodies what it means to be sweet and salty. It satisfies so many cravings in one creamy spoonful.
It's an American classic: Peanut butter as we know it today was invented in America in 1884, and it has been deeply loved by Americans ever since. The United States is one of the leading exporters of peanut butter in the world and the majority of peanut butter is eaten by Americans.

Keep reading for more.

4 More Facts You Don't Know About Calories

Prevention — Mon, 09 Jan 2012 04:08:37 PST

We are excited to share one of our fave stories from Prevention here on FitSugar!

Only 12 percent of Americans can estimate the calories they eat in a day! Find out why we're so clueless and get easy ways to stop calorie confusion
By Mara Betsch, Prevention

You know what calories are, and you probably know that if you eat too many, you'll gain weight. But do you know how many are in your favorite deli sandwich? Or how many calories you should really eat each day? Most Americans don’t. Only 12 percent can accurately estimate the number of calories they should consume in a day someone their age, height, weight, and physical activity, according to a 2010 survey by the International Food Information Council Foundation. So what is it about calories that keeps us baffled? Last month, we shared some reasons you might be confused about calories - here are four more and the simple steps that will help you do the math.

1. Exercise makes you hungry
Though studies are mixed when it comes to whether exercise actually stimulates or suppresses appetite, many people think of working out as a way to eat whatever they like. "There’s definitely a mentality of 'I have sweated therefore I deserve,'" says Bonci. However, with most people burning about 100 calories per mile, a short workout won't give you a free pass to eat junk food. "If you walk two miles, eating a handful of chips post-workout can undo the calories you burned," says Bonci. As mentioned above, gym machines don’t accurately measure calories burned, either.

Stop the confusion: To stop an after-workout binge, fuel up pre-gym, Zied suggests. "Have something before - something with carbs and a little protein, like whole wheat toast and peanut butter or a banana and milk." Depending on the intensity of your workout, you may need something afterward as well. After a workout longer than 45 minutes, you should aim to eat about 200 calories.

Tips to Stop Overeating After Workouts

2. Liquid calories are ignored
"People are spending hundreds of calories on beverages each day," says Zied. Unfortunately, a lot of those calories are from sugar-sweetened drinks and alcohol, not milk and 100 percent fruit juice. According to a 2007 study, beverage intake accounted for roughly 12 percent of total calories in 1965 and steadily increased to 21 percent in 2002 - that's 222 extra calories a day from drinks alone! Because bottled drinks often contain multiple servings, it’s best to either pour a serving in a glass or look for mini soda cans and juice boxes.

Keep reading for more info about calories and weight loss after the break.

Fast & Easy Dinner: Tofu Sandwich With Peanut-Ginger Sauce

partysugar — Thu, 07 May 2009 07:50:55 PDT

Tonight, be inspired by Tom Colicchio's philosophy to "craft a sandwich into a meal and a meal into a sandwich" and make this complex vegetarian dish. It combines char-broiled vegetables with crisp, golden brown tofu.

A peanut butter sesame oil sauce ensures that the sandwich is moist and delicious. Even if you don't put it together for dinner, it's an awesome portable lunch, so get the recipe and

100-Calorie Sweet Treats to Satisfy PMS Cravings

Jenny Sugar — Wed, 09 Nov 2011 13:51:25 PST

If decadent desserts are what you crave that time of the month, here are some sweet, low-calorie, healthy options you can feel good about indulging in.

One small apple (77 calories) drizzled with half a tablespoon of honey (32 calories): 109 calories
Six dried apricots: 100 calories
Yogurt and fruit: Half a container of vanilla Greek yogurt (60 calories) and half a cup of frozen organic blueberries (35 calories): 95 calories
One and a half Newman's Dark Chocolate Peanut Butter Cups: 90 calories
30 frozen grapes: 101 calories
One four-ounce cup of Santa Cruz Organic Applesauce (50 calories) topped with eight chopped peanuts (47 calories): 97 calories
One Julie's Organic Sorbet Bar: 60 calories
One So Delicious Mini Chocolate Sandwich: 90 calories
Two clementines (70 calories) and two pieces of Green & Black's Organic Dark Chocolate with Cherries (36 calories): 106 calories
Half a Cherry Pie Larabar: 80 calories

Source: Flickr User slgckgc

Canning Fall's Bounty: How to Make Concord Grape Jam

Anna Monette Roberts — Mon, 07 Nov 2011 15:41:49 PST

Last Fall when living in Manhattan, I experienced fresh concord grapes for the first time and was dazed by the naturally jelly consistency and supersweet interior. I probably went through five pounds a week, so you can imagine my excitement when grapes started popping up at the farmers market here in San Francisco. Preserve the season's bounty by making homemade jam. A few serving suggestions: offer it for breakfast with English muffins and butter, or use it as a filling for cakes or mix it into vanilla frosting. Slip some in a peanut butter sandwich, and you'll find that PB&Js never tasted so good.

Fall back in love with this sandwich staple when you get the recipe.