Peanut Butter Pancakes

I am dedicating this blog post to my intense, almost borderline unhealthy, love for all-things peanut butter. I was browsing the web this morning and came across "Posie's Place," a food blog in the same vain as my very own. When I saw this stack of pancakes with peanut butter oozing out, I nearly had a coronary! I knew that, while I hadn't created this recipe, it was well worth the acknowledgment and accreditation on my own page.

I know, you might be saying, "Geez Robin, this certainly is not one of your more 'svelte' recipes...," however, I plan on a very good explanation so hear me out. Like I said, every once in a while, it is absolutely necessary to give in to certain cravings. For me, it seems as if peanut butter is one that cannot be ignored for less than a few days. So, I try to incorporate the relative nutritional value of peanut butter into my diet and lifestyle. While peanut butter certainly contains an arguable amount of fat, the fat content can often (when ambitiously going out of ones way to purchase all-natural peanut butter as opposed to commercial peanut butters like "Jif," "Skippy," etc.) be beneficial in regards to satiety and "good" fats. Unfortunately the commercial brands, while scrumptuously tasty, often go through a process of converting the existing oils into saturated fat, which is certainly not the kind of fat you want to make a habit of ingesting. However, natural peanut butter will contain fat that is healthful, especially if you're an athlete.

One of the perks of eating peanut butter is its amazing ability to fill up the belly with only a small amount. One of my favorite snacks (photos to come in due time) before/after training for intense/vigorous cardiovascular workouts is my specialty of "Peanut Butter & Banana Toast." It's the absolute perfect and rewarding snack for before or after a vigorous workout such as training for marathons and/or triathlons. My sister, who inspired me to train for the marathon, has also given me some great and healthy (while still ultimately rewarding in regard to taste) ideas for snacks and meals during training. This was one of them. It's a pretty self-explanatory snack:

whole wheat toast/wrap-chopped banana-all natural peanut butter!!!!

Anyway, I absolutely adore peanut butter and can/will find any way to incorporate it into any sweet or savory dish. One of my absolute favorite, and quite possibly addictive, takes on peanut butter is frshly ground honey roasted peanut-butter. I get this sinful treat at a wonderful Italian market called Uncle Giuseppe's Marketplace on Long Island, but I understand that this decadent treat can be purchased at Whole Foods (more readily accessible to metropolitan New Yorkers) as well. If so, it's a must try!!!!!!!

Well, I know that this was a short post, but sometimes the very BEST things don't need much discussing! Peanut Butter...it's a beautiful thing.

ENJOY!