Get your spoon out...

This is going to be a week to test everyone's willpower - there are going to be chocolate bunnies, jelly beans, cadbury eggs (my favorite! - I just stick the whole thing in!!) - anyway, you get the idea. Part of the reason it's all so hard to resist is because it is so satisfying - it makes you feel good and it tastes even better. There is another, more healthy food, probably the most satisfying of all foods - and that is peanut butter. There is no other singe food that is as satiating and satisfying, and part of that IS because it tastes so good. When you like what you're eating, life is much more enjoyable. There is actually a Peanut Butter Diet from Prevention Magazine (you can buy the book at any bookstore) and is one for the most successful diets ever. There are recipes for everything, and it's all portion-controlled and easy to make. Peanuts by themselves are better than any other snack - they have one-fourth the carbohydrates and three times the protein of any pretzel or cracker (peanuts have the highest amount of protein found in any plant food); and the protein/fat combination of peanuts and peanut butter keep you full for a longer period of time. The fat in peanut butter is a monounsaturated fat - it's the GOOD fat that lowers cholesterol and controls/prevents diabetes. Peanut butter is full of nutrients, and combined with an apple or a banana, stirred into yogurt or a shake, on a sandwich with whole grain bread, or even just straight out of the jar (but be careful - only two tablespoons allowed!!) you have a well balanced and simple meal or snack. All peanut butter is pretty much the same - not much difference between any of the brands. Be creative and enjoy every bite - but remember to pay attention to the serving size (two tablespoons equal the size of a ping pong ball) - it is still high in calories, but a little goes a long way! Enjoy your day - Melissa