Peanut Butter, Cheese, and Chocolate
I thought it appropriate that I begin with my favorite foods. First up is the widespread favorite: peanut butter.
From the wonderful Saratoga Peanut Butter Company.
While I happily slurp down natural peanut butter in all its grittiness, this stuff is as smooth as it gets. For those who grew up on Jif or Skippy (like me), this PB is the closest I’ve found to that buttery texture, but the only ingredients are peanuts and salt. No palm oil (aka saaaaaturated fat) or high-fructose corn syrup.
I use cheese to give my food a lot of flavor with just a little sprinkle (or shred, slice, whatever):
This extra sharp sage cheddar is one of my favorites.
This cheddar, from Sugarbush Farm in Woodstock, VT, is a perfect example of tons of flavor in a little package. I shred this on salads, veggie burgers, soup, sandwiches, anything. I don’t need a lot to put a smile on my face.
Another ubiquitous favorite:
Crisp and dark.
A piece of this after lunch or dinner is richer than any other dessert I can think of. For those interested, this is a bar of Valrhona Guanaja Grué 70%.
These are foods I have nearly every day. Yes, they are high in fat, but they aren’t forbidden foods. Having just a little of each every day is a wonderful treat that I savor. By keeping my portions small, I enjoy the flavor without worrying about the saturated fat. Besides, I’ve definitely overdone it on the PB and felt pretty bad afterward. Lesson learned.
