Ingredients:Note: There is a print link embedded within this post, please visit this post to print it.

1.5 lb chicken breast, sliced
4 cups chicken broth, separated
1 (14.5oz) can diced tomatoes, partially drained
1 medium onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 korean yam, acorn squash or sweet potato (the white-fleshed one)
4 cups (~2 lbs) pumpkin, cubed
2 cups fresh green beans, chopped
1 red pepper, chopped
2 tsp fresh ginger, minced
1 cayenne or jalapeño pepper, minced (optional)
1/3 cup peanut butter
2 Tbsp cornstarch
2 Tbsp paprika
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp salt
1 Tbsp olive oil
sliced avocado and toasted challah bread, for serving

Directions:

1. Heat the oil in a large pot and brown the chicken for 4-5 minutes, then set aside. Add the garlic, onion, red pepper, ginger and cayenne/jalapeño pepper to the pot and saute until the onions are soft and translucent, about 4-5 minutes. Add the diced tomatoes, most of the chicken broth (about 3 1/2 cups), yam/sweet potato, paprika, cinnamon and salt to the pot and bring to a boil.

2. After boiling for about 10 minutes, add the pumpkin, green beans and chicken to the pot and once the pot is boiling again, reduce the heat and simmer for 15-20 minutes.

3. While the stew is simmering, place the cornstarch in a small bowl with the remaining 1/2 cup chicken broth and mix until the cornstarch is dissolved, then add the peanut butter and mix well.

4. When the yams and pumpkin are done (tender but not mushy) add the peanut butter mixture and stir, then cover the pot and turn off the heat and let sit for about 3-5 minutes, then serve. Make 8-10 servings.

Ingredients:Note: There is a print link embedded within this post, please visit this post to print it.

1 whole-grain bagel or roll
1/4 cup egg substitute (or 1 egg)
1 slice nonfat american cheese
1 thick slice of ham or canadian bacon
1T peanut butter (optional)

Directions:

Preheat a skillet to medium-high heat. Spray with cooking spray and add the ham. Cook the ham for 2 minutes and then place aside. Spray the pan again and pour in the egg. Flip the egg after about 2 minutes and cook for an additional minute. Fold the egg into about the same size as the roll and place the slice of cheese on top. After 1 minute, lift up the egg and place the ham in the skillet to cook the other side and place the egg/cheese on top. After 1-2 minutes, place the tasty tower on a bagel spread with peanut butter, toasted first if desired.

Reviews:

Kelkin Crunchy (Ireland)

= 60% I did a brief review of Kelkin Creamy upon my return from Ireland. This crunchy variety is nearly identical but with the addition of, you guessed it, chunks. The ingredient list is simple and enticing (peanuts, palm oil and sea salt), but the peanut butter has a major lack of flavor. It seems the peanuts were hardly roasted at all before mashing them into a jar. After trying this crunchy variety, I now question my positive feelings towards the creamy one. The texture is still very thick (in a good way) and the oil doesn’t separate, but the only way I can imagine enjoying this brand to begin with was due to my excitement of finding peanut butter in my homeland. The concept is good, but it needs some work. Uses: Oatmeal, Oatmeal and Oatmeal.

Calvé Crunchy (The Netherlands)

= 65% If you compare the Calvé and Kelkin peanut butter in the above photo, you’ll notice a big difference in color. This is partly due to Calvé using unblanched (skin on) peanuts which adds an extra depth of flavor, similar to Trader Joe’s peanut butter. But it’s also because Calvé roasts their peanuts more before mashing them into a jar. Appearance alone, Calvé wins. However, the ingredients are a little strange: Peanuts, Vegetable Oil, Fat, Salt. What exactly is “Fat”? If you chalk that up to mistranslation and don’t ask any more questions about it, this peanut butter isn’t bad. It’s got a good flavor, nice thickness, and good amount of salt. As I recall, is was a little bit sweet too, but I’m not sure why. Maybe the “Fat”? Uses: PB&J Pork Roast and Spicy PB Marinade.

Ceres Organics Crunchy (New Zealand)

= 70% Sail across the ocean to the home of the Kiwis and you’ll find Ceres Organics. This crunchy variety has only 2 ingredients: Peanuts and Sea Salt. Like many foreign brands of peanut butter, Ceres Organics doesn’t roast their peanuts enough, but it’s still better than most. The chunks are nice and the sea salt is a great addition, but there isn’t quite enough. Add a few dashes of extra sea salt and we’re in business! This is definitely one of the better foreign peanut butters I’ve tried. Uses: Peanut Butter Cereal, on a banana.

Eta Seriously Smooth (New Zealand)

= 35% As far as New Zealand goes, Eta is on the opposite side of the spectrum from Ceres Organics. Ingredients here consist of: Peanuts, Vegetable Oil, Salt. Good start, but it only goes downhill from here. Once again, this peanut butter is about as UN-roasted as you can get, and the texture is a thick, glue-like paste. It has almost no flavor and certainly doesn’t make me proud to have the name Peanut Butter Boy. Uses: Trapping Vermin.

Crunchy Chinese Fortune Cookie Sandwich
Samuel, Age 11 from Riverside, CA

Ingredients:Note: There is a print link embedded within this post, please visit this post to print it.

Sandwich Mix:
3T creamy peanut butter
1T finely diced celery
1T finely diced apple

Chinese Dipping Sauce:
1/4 cup creamy peanut butter
1/4 cup coconut milk
1T soy sauce
1T brown sugar
1T lemon juice
1/2t sesame oil
1/2t chili powder

Instructions:

1. To make the dipping sauce, combine all ingredients in small saucepan and cook over low heat while stirring with a wire whisk. When the mixture starts to bubble and thicken, remove from heat and let cool.

2. While the dipping sauce is cooling, roll flat the four slices of bread with a rolling pin. Use a large circle shaped cookie cutter to cut out each slice of bread into a circle. Mix the 3 sandwich mix ingredients together in a small bowl. Place a tablespoon full of mix into the center of each circle shaped piece of bread. Fold the bread in half so the sandwich is now a half circle. Crimp the edges of the sandwich together with your fingers so the mix will not come out. Then, while holding the center of the sandwich, pull the sides of the sandwich down so the edges touch each other, forming a fortune cookie shape.

3. To make fortunes for your fortune cookies, use a clean plastic lid from a tub of butter, yogurt, or sour cream. Cut small plastic strips then write your fortune on them with a permanent marker. Tuck the edge of the fortune into the edge of your cookies to make them real fortune cookie sandwiches.

4. Once the dipping sauce is cool, serve the crunchy Chinese cookie sandwiches with their fortunes and extra apple and celery slices on a plate with a cup of dipping sauce. Dip in and eat!

Ingredients:Note: There is a print link embedded within this post, please visit this post to print it.

3 chicken breasts
1 medium shallot, chopped
2 large pears, cored, and sliced
1/4 cup chicken broth
4 tsp balsamic vinegar
2 tsp brown sugar
1 Tbsp cornstarch
1/4 cup raisins
1/8 tsp cinnamon
1/4 cup crushed walnuts
olive oil
garlic salt
freshly ground black pepper

Directions:

1. Filet the chicken breasts in half such that each chicken breast becomes two thin-sliced breasts. Season with garlic salt and pepper. Add a splash of olive oil to a skillet and preheat over medium-high heat. Once hot, add the chicken and sear on both sides, about 3 minutes per side. Transfer the chicken to a plate.

2. To the same pan, add the shallot and saute over medium-high heat for 2 minutes or until soft. Lower the heat to medium and add the pears. Continue cooking, stirring occasionally, for 3 to 4 minutes, until the pears are soft and golden brown. Meanwhile, combine the chicken broth, balsamic vinegar, brown sugar, cinnamon and cornstarch in a small bowl. Add the sauce to the pan, along with the raisins, and simmer until the sauce thickens – about 5 minutes. Slowly add more chicken broth if sauce becomes too thick.

3. Add the chicken to the pan and reduce heat to medium-low to reach a gentle simmer. Cover and cook for 10-15 minutes until flavors have combined and chicken is cooked through.

4. Serve with crushed walnuts and a sprinkle of cinnamon on top.

Ingredients:Note: There is a print link embedded within this post, please visit this post to print it.

2 lbs lean pork or turkey, cut into 1 in. cubes
2 (16oz) jars salsa verde (Mrs. Renfro’s is excellent)
1 (16oz) can low-sodium chicken broth
1 large onion, diced
6 cloves garlic, minced
2 tsp oregano
1/8 tsp ground cloves
sour cream
Tortilla Chips

Instructions:

1. Preheat a large pot to high. Add pork and brown on all sides, about 4-5 minutes. Drain excess liquid and place the meat in a bowl on the side.

2. Return the pot to the stove and add the onions and garlic. Cook for about 3 minutes, or until onions are tender and translucent. At this point you have two options:

Stovetop method: Add the meat, oregano and cloves to the pot and cook for another minute. Dump in the salsa and chicken broth and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer for 1 1/2 to 2 hours, until meat is very tender. Using turkey tenderloin takes about 1 1/2 hours and lean pork will take closer to 2 hours.

Crockpot method: Add all ingredients to the crockpot and stir until mixed. Cook on high for 3-4 hours and then on low for an additional 2-3 hours.

3. Serve with a dollop of sour cream, cheddar cheese and Homemade Tortilla Chips, for dipping.

Ingredients:Note: There is a print link embedded within this post, please visit this post to print it.

1 lb dark chocolate (Trader Joe’s 72% Pound Plus bar)
1/2 – 3/4 cup cocoa nibs
~1 Tbsp sea salt

Directions:

1. Break up the dark chocolate into chunks and place in a microwave-safe bowl. Microwave the chocolate on MEDIUM heat (e.g. power level 5 out of 10) for 5 minutes. Stir the chocolate when there are 3 minutes remaining, then again when there are 2 minutes remaining, then every 30 seconds until the chocolate is just melted. Don’t overheat the chocolate or it will burn. If there are only a few solid chunks left, just keep stirring and the chocolate will melt on its own.

2. Add the cocoa nibs to the bowl and stir well. Pour the chocolate onto a rimmed baking sheet.

Note: The larger the baking sheet, the thinner the chocolate will be. I used a 12″x16″ baking sheet and didn’t fill the entire sheet, but the cocoa nibs prevented the chocolate from spreading too much anyways.

3. Let the chocolate cool at room temperature for 20 minutes then sprinkle the sea salt on top, as little or as much as you like. Now let the chocolate cool completely. I found that it’s best to let the chocolate set at a temperature between 50 and 60 degrees. If you’re house is too warm, it will take forever to cool (but it will set nicely). If you put it in the fridge it will set quickly but not as well (more dried out, tan-colored marks on the chocolate).

4. Break up into random sized chunks.

Ingredients:Note: There is a print link embedded within this post, please visit this post to print it.

3/4 cup whole wheat pastry flour
1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1/4 tsp baking soda
1/8 tsp salt
3 Tbsp natural chunky peanut butter
2 Tbsp butter (I used Smart Balance)
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
2 Tbsp granulated sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 egg

Makes about 24 cookies

Instructions:

1. Combine flour, cocoa powder, baking soda and salt in a medium bowl. Remember to lightly spoon the flour into the measuring cup and use a knife to level it off. In large bowl, mix the butter spread and peanut butter until well mixed and fluffy. Add in the sugars and mix until well blended. Add vanilla and egg white and mix well. Stir in the flour mixture until a nice even dough is formed.

2. Place the dough on a sheet of wax paper and shape into a log about 6-8 inches long. Roll up the wax paper and roll the log around to get it more evenly rounded. Freeze for at least 3 hours or up to several months.

3. When you feel like some cookies, preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Place some tinfoil on a baking sheet (easy clean up) and spray with cooking spray. Take the log out of the freezer and cut a few 1/4 inch thick slices (as many as you think you’ll want plus 1), turning the log after each cut to prevent the bottom from flattening. Place on baking sheet about 1 inch apart and bake for 9-11 minutes. Remove pan from oven and let sit for about 5 minutes. Cookies should be crispy on the outside and perfectly chewy on the inside.

Ingredients:Note: There is a print link embedded within this post, please visit this post to print it.

2 lb London broil (top round steak), trimmed of fat
1 can (10.75 oz) cream of mushroom soup (double for more sauce)
1 can (10.75 oz) condensed tomato soup (double for more sauce)
1/2 envelope dry onion soup mix
2 potatoes (optional)

Directions:

Pour the soups and the soup mix into the slow cooker. Stir until mixed. Add the steak to the crockpot and flip over to cover both sides with the sauce. Cover and cook on low for 8 to 10 hours.

Wash potatoes, dry them, stab them several times with a fork, then rub them in olive oil. Sprinkle salt on top and place in the oven at 350 degrees for one hour. Cut in half and smother with sauce and/or beef.