So are the kids in bed? It’s totally a school night. I thought I’d help and make them lunch. Well, not really. But you get it. Two slices of bread and this peanut butter and you’re done.  Maybe toss an apple in the lunch box. Or some string cheese. Since it’s the first day, you should probably write an embarrassing note on a napkin. I totally would.

Really, who doesn’t love a peanut butter and banana sandwich? It’s only one of the best combinations ever. But here’s the thing. Bananas are always so unripe in the grocery store. Unripe bananas taste like green. They’re so bitter and hard and you have to wait days for them to be edible. Gross. My perfect banana is completely yellow with just a few freckles. So I wait. I wait and the whole time I have a bunch? a group? a cluster? a bundle? whatever, I have a lot of bananas staring at me wanting to be slathered in peanut butter.  Waiting for banana perfection is stressful. So I handled it.

To make the best peanut butter ever, all you need is 5 ingredients. I took freeze dried bananas and processed them into a powder. Be careful when you open the processor or blender at this point. I inhaled quite a bit of banana powder. It reminded me of Fun Dip. Delicious homemade banana Fun Dip. You could find a tasteless, chalky, candy stick and stop here, but I added some roasted peanuts and continued to process. Problem solved. Put the banana right in the butter and wait no more. After a short time processing you’re left with a creamy, naturally sweet, banana-y spread. A fun twist to your kids’ lunches this school year. That is, if you want to share. They’ll never know if you keep it to yourself and send them with last night’s leftovers.

Hope you had a happy Labor Day!

Banana Peanut Butter

Ingredients:
70g (2.5oz) freeze dried bananas
1lb (16oz) roasted, unsalted peanuts
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon

Directions:

1. In a food processor or very strong blender, process the dried bananas until powder.
2. While they’re processing, roast the peanuts as I explain in this post.
3. When the bananas are completely powder, add in the roasted nuts, vanilla, salt and cinnamon.
4. Let process until creamy. This can take 10-20 minutes. If you feel like your machine needs a break. Turn it off and let it sit for a while. Let it finish processing later. It can sit as long as you need it to sit. Scrape out of processor into a jar. Store in pantry. No need to refrigerate, although you may if you’d like.

 Notes:

1. I think sweetening this with maple syrup or honey would be great but Jon and I both like our peanut butter unsweetened so I left it out. I’d add a tablespoon at a time until you reach your desired sweetness.
2. I got my freeze dried bananas at Trader Joe’s. Can you use real bananas? I’m sure you can…but wait till they’re ripe I’ve also seen this brand around town.
3. I used Mexican vanilla because I’m in love but regular vanilla will work just fine.
4. I froze some into little bites like I did here.  Still one of my favorite pre-workout snacks.
5. Other fun nut butters from MiN:
   *coconut cashew butter
   *pecan butter
   *clementine cashew butter