The Peanut Butter brand to supplement your workouts

For those of you who, like myself, enjoy regular exercise as part of a healthy lifestyle, what better way to supplement your workouts and help your muscles recover than with a delicious and natural source of protein in the form of my all-time favourite spread: peanut butter!

Hi-PRO Nutrition has released both crunchy and smooth varieties, which have the perfect creamy consistency and endless nutritional benefits. First of all, every 2-tablespoon serving boasts 10g of protein – that’s 25% more than most peanut butters – all of which comes exclusively from natural peanut ingredients, making it suitable for anyone lactose-intolerant or vegans since it does not contain whey.

Whilst it is calorie dense, coming in at 203 cals per serving, this combination of healthy fats and protein will keep you feeling full. Despite no added sugar or salt, Hi-PRO remains incredibly flavoursome, whilst offering a generous dose of fibre (2.4g) and a whole range of vitamins and minerals, including niacin, folate, magnesium, zinc, and vitamins B3, B6 and E.

It is also really versatile – it can work well as a spread on toast, as a dip for apple slices or medjool dates (my favourite!), whisked into pancake batter, blended into smoothies, stirred into porridge or overnight oats, or used in baking for cookies and other sweet treats.

The only downside is that it can be dangerously addictive and I have found myself on more than a few occasions simply eating it straight out of the jar with a spoon!

Check out their website, pick up a jar in your local Sainsbury's for £2.70 or order it on Amazon.

Below are a few of my recipes using Hi-PRO, and I have also incorporated Hi-PRO peanut butter into my recipe for Açai Chia Overnight Oats (click here) - or head over to @cerealandpeanutbutter on Instagram for many more! 

 

Post-workout chocolate milkshake

1 frozen banana

½ avocado

1 tbsp Hi-PRO crunchy peanut butter

1 tbsp chia seeds

2 tbsp raw cacao powder

1 tbsp cacao nibs

1 scoop chocolate protein powder (optional)

2 chopped medjool dates

1 cup almond milk

Whizz up all ingredients in a blender, pour into a bowl and top with fruit, seeds and granola.

Açai Smoothie Bowl

1 frozen banana

2 tbsp acai powder

1 tsp ground cinnamon

1 tbsp Hi-PRO smooth peanut butter

1 cup brown rice milk

1/2 cup coconut milk

Handful of blackberries

Handful of blueberries

Whizz up all ingredients in a blender, pour into a bowl and top with fresh fruit, nuts and granola.

PB&B Toast

1 banana, mashed

2 tbsp Hi-PRO smooth peanut butter

2 pieces rye bread, toasted

Handful of berries

Mix the banana and peanut butter together, spread over toast and decorate with berries.

Healthy Reece's Peanut Butter Cacao Carob Cups

My healthy Reece's Peanut Butter Cacao Carob Cups make the most scrumptious guilt-free dessert or the ideal mid-afternoon pick-me-up bursting with superfood powers from the coconut oil, coconut sugar, cacao and carob powder.

Here is the recipe I'm sure you've all been dying to get your hands on!

Ingredients (makes 8 cups) :

8 tbsp coconut oil

3 tbsp cacao powder

3 tbsp carob powder

5 tbsp sweetener of choice - I use half coconut sugar and half maple syrup but agave nectar works too!

1/2 cup organic peanut butter

4 drops vanilla essence

3/4 tbsp honey

Instructions:

1. Melt the coconut oil in a frying pan on a low heat. Stir in the cacao powder, carob powder and your sweetener of choice until it forms a liquid consistency.

2. Place 8 cupcake cases on a lined baking tray.

3. Add 3/4 tbsp of the melted chocolate mixture to each cupcake case.

4. Place in the freezer for 12-15 mins while the chocolate hardens.

5. Meanwhile, put the peanut butter, vanilla essence and honey together in a bowl in the microwave for 30 seconds on a low heat and then stir well.

6. Add an equal amount of the peanut butter mixture to each case then put back in the freezer for 8-10 mins

7. Add 1 tbsp of the remaining chocolate mixture to each case with any toppings you like: try fresh blueberries, dried goji berries, raw cacao nibs, dessiccated coconut or sultanas! Put in freezer for 15 mins.

8. Enjoy!!

How to make: peanut butter and banana overnight oats

These peanut butter and banana overnight oats make a dreamy, creamy dessert-for-breakfast, with the sweet flavours of the PB and honey and a thick pudding consistency.

Ingredients:

1/2 cup of oats

1/2 cup of almond milk

1/2 mashed ripe banana

1 tbsp peanut butter

1 tbsp chia seeds

2 tsp raw honey

Method:

Stir all the ingredients together and leave in the fridge overnight.

In the morning, layer it with toppings of your choice - I use raspberries, cacao nibs, dessiccated coconut flakes and a little more PB (because there's no such thing as too much PB!)

What to do with an almost-empty jar of peanut butter