Sweet Peanut-Butter Spread for Snacks, Parties, Lunches, and More

Years ago, I had a college cookbook with super easy recipes: each with roughly 5 ingredients, taking about 5 minutes, and costing only $5. That cookbook taught me that “cooking” can be easy and still delicious. Recipes can be simple enough to be remembered and reproduced through rough estimations.

That cookbook had a sandwich that I enjoyed for years while vegetarian, and it was one of the first recipes I “veganized” by making a few substitutions.

The idea is to create a creamy spread and to layer it with sliced apples (and optional sprinkled cinnamon) for a sweet sandwich. It’s a twist on peanut butter and jelly with just 3 ingredients.

Simply mix together:

• Peanut butter—½ cup
• Vegan cream cheese—½ cup
• Maple syrup—¼+ cup

These amounts can be easily adjusted. The first two (peanut butter and vegan cream cheese) are added in equal proportion, and the third (maple syrup) is roughly half that amount. Combine these three ingredients, and the sweet spread is ready.

Today I rarely use the spread for sandwiches, opting instead to dip apples into this creamy sweet substance. It satisfies sweet cravings and makes a fun party dip. For a more decadent dessert option, this spread can be stuffed into pitted dates.

I enjoy this sweet spread year-round, but recently, I’ve been preparing it for family visits. This recipe works especially well for cooking with kids because it’s easy to make collaboratively and feels like a treat—a twist using familiar ingredients. It’s also a fun food for celebrations, so I’m sharing it as we approach the new year and shift into 2019.

Whatever you’re eating at this time, I hope you’re finding nourishment and feeling inspired bite by bite. May food literally fuel us for the long haul ahead.

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This post is written by Beth Godbee for Heart-Head-Hands.com. Among other vegan + gluten-free recipes, try “Hearts of Palm Salad” or “Adaptable Pesto Sauce” for New Year gatherings.

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