Peanut butter became public in 1904 and was patented by Dr. Kellogg who developed it as a meat alternative. Peanut butter is healthy and, even more importantly, it was The King’s favourite food (yes, of course I mean Elvis).
Mice love peanut butter even more than cheese. The following is an easy approach to capturing mice using peanut butter. Position a five-gallon bucket with a lid in a room that mice seem to visit the most. Cover the bucket and cut a 10-centimetre hole in the lid. Make a ramp so that the mice fall in. Spread peanut butter around the hole. After the mice fall in, bring them at least two kilometres from your home before releasing them.
Other uses for the nutty spread:
— Remove scratches on CDs using peanut butter. Apply a small amount of peanut butter to a coffee filter, wipe the scratches and remove all excess peanut butter.
— Use peanut butter to remove gum from hair. The greasy consistency causes the gum to slide out.
— Remove stickers and labels by wiping with peanut butter.
— When you are camping and run out of shaving cream use peanut butter as a substitute.
— Fill holes and cracks in walls by smearing with peanut butter and covering with paint.
— Make an inexpensive bird feeder by smearing a bagel with peanut butter, rolling it in seeds and hanging the bagel on a branch using string.
Best Peanut Butter Cookie Recipe:
1/2 cup butter or margarine
1/2 cup white sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 cup smooth or crunchy peanut butter
1 egg
1 1/2 cup flour
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp vanilla
1/4 tsp salt.
Drop onto baking sheet. Bake 350 degrees for eight minutes or until lightly browned.
Did you know?
• Genuine peanut butter is made without additives and should be refrigerated.
• Arachibutyrophobia is the fear of getting peanut butter stuck to the roof of your mouth.
• When shopping for peanut butter, look for brands made from dry-roasted peanuts. Peanuts contain more than enough fat; therefore this is a healthier choice than peanut butter “roasted in oil.”
Great news!
Peanut butter is high in vitamin A and E, folic acid, calcium, magnesium, zinc, iron, fibre, thiamin, niacin, potassium, pantothenic acid and phosphorus.
Even better news, there is no cholesterol in peanut butter. The peanut is not a nut, but a legume related to beans and lentils. Cholesterol is found only in products from animal sources (meat and dairy). Like olive oil, peanut butter is primarily mono-saturated fat, which isn’t linked to heart disease. However, beware of the fat. Peanut butter is high in calories and too much of any fat can increase the risk of heart disease.
Have you ever wondered why peanuts are considered a meat alternative? They both contain protein, but unlike meat, nuts also supply fibre. Warning: Never eat moldy peanut butter; it could be contaminated with a fungus called, aspergillus.
The difference between “natural” and “traditional” peanut butter is not significant. Both contain a minimum of 90 per cent peanuts, with no artificial sweeteners, colours or preservatives. However, some manufacturers may add less than two per cent partially hydrogenated oil or a small amount of sugar.
Recipe for Peanut Butter
3 cups unsalted, roasted peanuts
1 tbsp peanut oil
Pour oil into a food processor, gradually add peanuts and blend to desired consistency. Increase the recipe as needed.
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