Not All Peanut Butters are Created Equal

I love it when the Bon Appetit editors do my work for me!  They analyzed several brands of peanut butter, so I condensed their findings into this chart (based on a 2 TBSP serving):

Brand	Santa Cruz Organic	Skippy Creamy	Smuckers Natural
Cost (16 oz)	4.99	3.32	2.99
Sugar (gr)	1	3	1
Protein (gr)	7	7	7
Calories	200	190	200
Fat (gr)	16	16	16
Sodium (mg)	50	150	105

Here's what I concluded:  It doesn't matter whether you get the all natural or the regular peanut butter if you are considering fat, calories, and protein value of this popular kids' lunch food.  However, the organic and all-natural peanut butters had less sodium and less sugar than the regular.  However, when you compare cost with nutritional value, my money goes to the Smuckers Natural.  It is less expensive and moderately lower in sodium than Skippy, which has more sugar.  Isn't that nutty? :-)

Here's a link to the full article: http://shopping.yahoo.com/articles/yshoppingarticles/620/supermarket-standoff-peanut-butter/

Savory Summer Salads

The best thing about summer (besides the sun!) is the overabundance of fresh fruits and vegetables around every corner and in backyard gardens.  When you make a salad for your family, include ingredients that make a complete meal.  Try combining fruits with vegetables for a unique blend.  For maximum nutrition, choose something from each of these categories:

• Antioxidant-rich foods: Blueberries, cranberries, artichoke hearts, raspberries, strawberries, apples, pecans
• Low-fat protein foods: Kidney beans, low fat cheese, pinto beans, turkey, chicken
• Vitamin A foods: Carrots, squash, broccoli, tomatoes, oranges, collards, cantaloupe
• Vitamin C foods: Green peppers, broccoli, spinach, strawberries, blueberries, black currants, cabbage, tomatoes
• Vitamin E foods: Wheat germ, nuts, seeds, green leafy vegetables, kiwifruit

Let's put that all together into a salad:  Start with a base of dark green leafy vegetables, add artichoke hearts, tomatoes, cucumbers (they don't add much nutrition, but they create a nice texture), and green peppers.  Toss with a low fat dressing, garnish with black olives, and add whole grain bread for a complete meal on a hot summer day.  Remember to give your new concoction a fun name so your family can request it again.  I call this Italian Delight because I use low fat tomato basil dressing.