However, many others are unable to satisfy their cravings with low fat, low calorie fruits and vegetables. This is where problems start and people start reaching for potato chips and doughnuts. I, while not overweight, often grab peanuts or popcorn. I eat them in moderation, but before bed, when I know I don't need the fat, oils, preservatives, and chemicals in common "snacks," I use this method as well.
The method is my own. I'm not a chef so it's far from glamorous so I would never dare print it in a book or pamphlet. The Internet, however, is a great place to share it. And, while it's not the prettiest, most lavish snack, IT WORKS! That's what you came here for, right? Well, first let me tell you a little story about how and why this peanut butter snack with curb hunger.
When I was about 11 I lived far out in the woods and didn't have too many other kids to play with. I succeeded in using rope to hang my basketball hoop on the tree and would practice everyday after school. I was terrible at the game which had suddenly become popular, so I wanted to learn to play with the other kids at school.
I would play for hours. Sometimes I would run out of energy and start to black out. Simply stopping for a few minutes let me continue practicing, but when I had those episodes of exhaustion, I would always crave peanut butter. Sure, a Mt. Dew or Coke would have made me happy as well, but I wanted peanut butter. It was just what I craved.
Now I know a banana or some fresh fruit juice would have been the best choice, but I was 11, and I wanted peanut butter. Then, several years later, I learned that peanut butter was often the desire of pregnant women's cravings. I thought that was interesting.
Have you ever heard "Packed with peanuts, Snickers really satisfies"? Have you ever heard a pregnant woman ask for peanut butter? Nuts are desirable. They are fatty, full of protein, taste great, have a satisfying crush, and so on. In peanut butter there is a lot of sugar and a lot calories packed in a small space. Eating a lot of peanut butter is not good for you, but eating a small amount, such as used in this recipe, is much better than the chips or cake alternative.
Peanut Butter Indulgence Recipe
First let me note, that as always, I recommend you buy organic food. Not only because it's good for you, because as more people buy it, the more it sends messages to the companies that we want healthy food void of pesticides and chemical preservatives. However, for simplicity, since you may just be starting on your path to a healthier lifestyle
Ingredients
- 1 heaping teaspoon of crunchy peanut butter (creamy might work, but I haven't tried it. If you only have creamy I suppose you could just add nuts or seeds to it. This recipe works in part due to its bulk, so I really would recommend getting peanut butter with whole peanuts in it)
- 1/2 teaspoon of raw, dried, shredded coconut (I can get a full sandwich size Ziploc bag of unsweetened coconut for $1 at my local organic food store. I haven't this recipe with sweetened coconut, because it is not natural and I only buy organic. I guess you could try it, but I think the finished product would come out too sweet because I wouldn't recommend omitting the sugar)
- 1/2 teaspoon of sugar (again, $1 at my local organic store. Regular sugar will for sure work, no problem. No fake NutraSweet or Equal here or EVER! Stevia is a natural sweetener that is very healthy, but it's not recommended for this recipe, for the same reason sweetened coconut is not recommended, because the grains of sugar in your mouth actually help satisfy you and suppress hunger
- 1/2 teaspoon of a healthy grain, such as steel cut oats or even regular dry oatmeal or crushed up corn flakes
- Optional: a few chocolate chips, cinnamon (a know appetite suppressant), flax seeds, sunflower seed, extra peanuts, etc.
Instructions
Mix sugar, coconut, and oatmeal (or your choice of grain) in a cereal bowl. Just throw it in there basically. Then, you add the peanut butter to it. Don't mix it, simple roll the peanut butter over the mixture. It won't take a good shape but it will stick together. If you get the mixture inside of the peanut butter it will fall apart, so that's why you want it on the outside. Personally I mix, roll, and eat it with a spoon, but you can do it however you want to. See the finished product:
How to Eat
This is the most important step! You must sit down, relax, and do absolutely nothing while you eat this. And you must take baby bites. You can see the small size of it. It's about the size of a very soft cookie. Take small bites and try to make it last 3-4 minutes.
Next, a strange thing might happen: you won't want to finish it! After you get all that sugar in a compact form, you body tells you it doesn't want anymore! You're getting the sugar, you're getting the crunchy satisfaction, you're getting the wonderful tastes, and you're getting the feeling of sugar crystals in your mouth. Do you see how these things all work together?
But, you must finish it! It's mandatory. And eat the remaining mixture in the bowl too. And when you're done, don't drink anything. Your mouth will be dry and you'll want to drink. Your desire for water will outweigh your hunger. Then, go do something constructive; or go to bed. Your hunger will be curbed for an hour or two!
Isn't all that sugar unhealthy?
This recipe is less than 100 calories. The peanut butter is about 50 kcal, the sugar around 30, coconut less than 10, and the grain maybe 5. Consider a quarter bag of potato chips (400 kcal), a slice of pizza (400 kcal), a candy bar (2-300 kcal), or a back of microwave popcorn (500 kcal). Plus if you use organic sugar and peanut butter and other ingredients, this recipe is much, much better than its alternatives. Tell me how you like it!
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