Hello again! I missed you all—hope all of my American friends enjoyed a family- and fun-filled Thanksgiving (and hope the rest of you just had a relaxing end to your week)!

Today, I’m highlighting another food product I enjoy: powdered peanut butter. It may sound completely strange to those of you who have never heard of it, but perhaps after this brief introduction, you’ll be looking for it on store shelves near you!

To make this unconventional product, peanuts are slow roasted and pressed to remove some of the fat. While the fat in peanut butter is generally very good for you, a large amount of fat in any dish can easily send calorie counts through the roof. (Since each gram of fat=9 calories while each gram of carbohydrate and protein=4 calories. Alcohol, by the way has 7 calories/gram).

These roasted, pressed peanuts are sold in powder form, without any artificial sweeteners or preservatives. Package directions suggest simply mixing two tablespoons of powdered peanut butter with one tablespoon water and stir until smooth. More or less water can be added to suit your preference for thicker or thinner peanut “butter.”

A two tablespoon serving has:

• 50 calories
• 2 grams fat
• 2 grams sugar
• 6 grams protein

I’ve also seen users toss a bit of powdered peanut butter into plain or vanilla yogurt for a nutty treat or a sweet dip for fruit. Some mix protein shakes with the powder and others even make Asian peanut sauces for noodles! You’re only limited by your imagination :)

Personally, I prefer serving the powdered peanut butter straight on a sandwich made with whole wheat bread/bagel or with a bit of sugar-free jelly.

(This bagel is not frisbee-sized by the way, the plate is saucer-sized ;) )

I discovered PB2 at my local grocery store, but it can also be found online. The company Web site has plenty of interesting recipes for using the powder and other companies like FitNutz also sell similar products.

Have you ever “gone nutty” with any non-traditional peanut butter products such as Better ‘n Peanut Butter or powdered peanut butter? If so, what do you think? If not, do you have a favorite “traditional” nut butter product?