I know that you are using peanut flour to reduce the fat and calories in your diet, but what if you wanted to add back a few healthy fats? Or just to have a really tasty topping for your sandwich, oats or smoothie? Well, you could combine the peanut flour with some oil, and voilà – you have a reconstituted peanut “butter.”
I have been using coconut oil a lot lately, especially for cooking. But today I decided to toss it in with my peanut flour and see what happened.
Why use coconut oil? Well, aside from the flavor and increased satiety of fats, there appear to be some dietary benefits due in part to their rich source of Medium Chain Triglycerides. From Wikepedia:
Some studies have shown that MCTs can help in the process of excess calorie burning, and thus weight loss.[2][3][4][5][6][7] MCTs are also seen as promoting fat oxidation and reduced food intake.[8] Mary G. Enig reviewed in detail the medical factors and health benefits of medium-chain triglycerides.[9] There has also been interest in MCTs from endurance athletes and the bodybuilding community.[10] While there seem to be health benefits from MCTs, a link to improved exercise performance is weak.[8]
(If you are hesitant about ingesting saturated fats, however, you’ll want to avoid coconut oil and use something else).
Peanut Flour
- Coconut oil
Coconut Peanut “Butter”
Ingredients:
-
1/2 cup peanut flour
-
2-4 Tablespoons Coconut oil (I used 2 here- using 3-4T makes for a creamier result- good for drizzling!)
-
Stevia or other sweetener to taste
-
Dash of salt.
Just mix with a spoon and enjoy.
The calories, fat and protein grams will be similar to regular peanut butter.
You manipulate the consistency
Now here is where things get interesting: Using coconut oil changes the physical consistency based on the temperature. Storing the nut ‘butter’ at room temperature will yield a soft, creamy consistency (and this is room temperature, in Southern California, in the summertime). However, if you refrigerate the ‘butter’, it will become more solid. So if you put it on top of cold food, the nut ‘butter’ becomes hard and crunchy, but gets melts once in your mouth for a few seconds. In fact, you could have some fun with it by scraping the cold nut ‘butter’ from the jar with a fork to get peanut ‘butter’ shavings to top yogurt, ice cream or cottage cheese.
I didn’t try it on hot food, but when I tried to heat it in the microwave it actually (and oddly) became firmer!
Naturally, you can add in some shaved coconut or peanut pieces. Or vanilla, coconut or maple extract. I plan to experiment with almond meal, as well as trying other oils, such as flax, or macadamia (which are not solid when cold). Oh, the possibilities are endless!
Incidentally, if you aren’t a bit fan of coconut flavor, there are coconut oils sold that are made to taste neutral, so you can still take advantage of the benefits of the oil. This can also be a boon for cooking.
Q: Have you used coconut oil and if so, how?
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Nice!! Coconut oil is also supposedly good for the thyroid so…win win!!
Oh! I didn’t know! Considering I’ve also got hypothyroid, that makes me even happier!
yes!! I need the fat added back in. ohhh creamy goodness. Youre so smart deb
I love peanut flour! And they just started selling PB2 at the grocery store! I’m so excited!
What a great idea!!! I use that same peanut flour, and have just started using more coconut oil. I’ve heard the same things–about all the health benefits, and that it has a higher heat point than olive oil. It’s taking me some time to get used to it. I guess I prefer coconut flavor to be in sweet things, and not savory. But the more I use it, the more I’m liking it. I can’t wait to try your idea!
But my newest addiction, that I posted about this weekend, is drizzling it on popcorn. DELICIOUS!
Oh I bet that is great on popcorn! Keep your eyes peeled for the neutral tasting product- unless you decide you like the flavor after all!
I have two jars (refined and unrefined) sitting in my pantry waiting to be used. I buy things because I read how OMGamazing they are and then I never use them. Story of my life! I need to make this, though. In fact, I still have peanut flour! XOXO
I use coconut oil for cooking every day- it’s so rich and satisfying- not sure which is the one you should use for cooking, though- the refined or unrefined. Plus it’s so yummy.
omgggggggggggggggggggggggggggggg i’m OBSESSED with combing coconut oil & peanut flour! i usually freeze it and it makes coconut peanut candy haha and it freezes the peanut flour fast! i never thought to put it in the fridge though – thats genius! mmm off to make some!
Oh! Great idea to freeze it! Like your old frozen candy with water + peanut flour- only I bet this is tastier! I remember I did that once and enjoyed it a lot- and did it with cocoa powder and water too- I bet cocoa powder and coconut oil in the freezer would be super yummy!
I use coconut oil almost everyday. I use it to sauté vegetables. I also use it for pan frying. Tonight I’m making fried green tomatoes with almond flour and coconut oil.
I would have never thought of combining peanut flour and coconut oil!!! Yum!!!
OMG brilliant- so you’re ‘breading’ the tomatoes with the almond meal- I’mma steal that idea for sure!
Oh and popcorn. Coconut oil makes the BEST popcorn but I have a feeling you know this!
Actually I didn’t. Since I’ve been LCHF for the past couple of months I haven’t had the opportunity to mix these two bad boys!
But I can imagine with it’s high smoke point it would be fabulous!
We love our coconut oil popcorn. Once I snuck some into the movie theater and we bought some there. As it turned out everyone wanted the coconut oil popcorn over the movie theater popcorn. So if you decide to have some popcorn….
Dude I need to get more coconut oil STAT! I’m down to like a tablespoon or two and I’m not gonna make it much longer!
PS, you had me at “melts in your mouth” Lol
i’m loving on coconut oil! I’ve made protein butter w/ protein powder & coconut oil but since trying Paleo, I’ve mainly used it on salads. I might try mixing it with coconut flour to make a Coconut Butter! Oh, and coconut oil on eggs = divine.
I was thinking of the protein flour and oil too, then realized it’s probably just like… actual coconut meat?! (or maybe like coconut manna, another obsession)
i need to get past the “calorie” count in coconut oil and add it to my smoothies. i think if i keep my carbs kinda on the low side during the day i can be okay with it. The best tasting coconut oil in my opinion is from Vitacost and their brand i think. it REALLY tastes coconuty. And btw i now make smoothies almost every single day. i use water so as to keep the calorie count down (instead of using coconut or almond milk) and put a heaping handful of spinach (had to ditch the kale because of gas, lol) and maybe some blueberries and even though i avoid banana’s because of the high sugar/calories, 1/3 of a banana is DIVINE in this particular smoothie, then i add 3 heaping Tablespoons of peanut flour (YUMMMM) 2 Tablespoons dark cocoa powder, and 3/4 of a scoop of Whey protein powder and i add stevia to sweeten and a dash of whatever sugar free flavoring i want. OH EM GEE it is DIVINE! Peanut butter chocolate low cal smoothie plus veggies added in, and i should for my skins sake add some coconut oil!
Your smoothie sounds divine, Susie! HOntesly, I think that the coconut oil would get ‘lost’ in all the rest of the goodness that you’ve got going on. But some day perhaps you can just do a coconut/banana one (skip the peanut flour/cocoa) and I bet it would be a tropical delight!
Thanks for the comment!