A Bite of Boulder

Go Nuts with Justin’s PB

Everything is better with a little bit of peanut butter.

Boy oh boy do I love peanut butter. Justin’s all-natural Maple Almond Butter is my absolute favorite. This awesome company originated right here in Boulder, Colorado. They have 8 varieties of their organic goodness. My second favorite product of Justin’s are the dark chocolate peanut butter cups. YUM!

SO, the great thing about peanut butter is its nutritious diversity. You can really enjoy it anytime of the day with a little creativity. Research shows that peanut butter can help you stay fuller, longer. Proper proportions is also important to keep in mind considering the amount of calories and fat. However, according to Women’s Fitness, the unsaturated fat content in peanut butter helps reduce heart disease by 25%. Dietary fiber (helps regulate blood sugar levels and cholesterol), potassium, vitamins and proteins are other elements present in peanut butter.

The following are my favorite snacks and meals that incorporate peanut butter!

Breakfast

1. PB, Banana, & Honey on Toast

This is a great, filling and delicious breakfast for people on the go. I regularly made this guy before early morning soccer practices at SDSU my freshman year. It gave me long-lasting energy and a very satisfied stomach.

Snacks

     2.   PB + sliced apples

Get an apple divider for the perfect apple slices in one quick push. It’ll be your best friend. Check out Boulder’s new Cooking store on 28th street mall, “Sur la table” for the best tools and cutest autumn decorations.

    3.   PB + celery + raisins (I’ll never be too old for “ants on a log”)

A childhood favorite, healthy, fun to eat, enough said.

Lunch/Dinner

     4.   Stir Fry + PB (2 tbs.)

STORY: My boyfriend had the great idea to make this for dinner a few weeks ago and I absolutely loved it. It’s really easy to make because you can make up your own rules and put any veggies in the wok that you’d like. It’s a well-rounded meal with great crunch, protein, flavor and most importantly it is aesthetically pleasing.

INGREDIENTS: We used chicken, vegetables - snow peas, water chestnuts, broccoli, bell peppers, onion, and carrots, mushrooms, stir fry sauce, brown rice (or noodles), and a dollop of Justin’s Maple Almond Peanut Butter. I love the nutty flavor and aroma the PB gives off!

PROCEDURE: Use a wok if you have one. Cook the chicken in first, then the veggies with the stir fry sauce, and add the PB midway. Cook the brown rice separately, then combine everything for a delicious meal. You can’t go wrong with this one. Make sure to add and handful of sesame seeds on the finish product!

Go here for a slightly different, but more specific recipe: Stir Fry Recipe

Sources: Women’s Fitness and Justin’s

LOVE is all you need

Last summer I had the pleasure of interning at EVOL Foods, located locally in Boulder, Colorado. EVOL Foods (love spelled backwards) is an all-natural frozen foods company that distributes made-from-scratch deliciousness to all hungry stomachs nationwide. I spent most of my summer representing EVOL as Brand Ambassador at awesome events like the Bolder Boulder, Dispatch concert, Dave Matthews Caravan in Chicago, and Outdoor Divas Triathlon.

I know what you’re all thinking, but EVOL strays far from frozen food’s bad rep by using high quality and humanely raised ingredients. It’s protein packed, nutritious, and delicious. I am a huge fan of not only their burritos (*Shredded Beef), but also their Flatbreads (*Goat Cheese, Pesto & Portabella) and Bowls (*Fire Grilled Steak). As a college student, it’s all about the convenience factor of popping it in the microwave, panini press or toaster-oven. Tastes homemade. Especially when adding personal touches like avocado slices and 505 Green Chili. Yum. In fact, EVOL was recently featured in “Eat This Not That”  for the best frozen burrito (Cilantro Lime Chicken).

I am inspired by this small company for their admirable values and food philosophy. They are all about sustainability (internal and external), green manufacturing and sourcing local ingredients. Supporting local companies like EVOL are key to a healthier and happier community.

You can find the full-line of EVOL products at Whole Foods!

You can also visit your local grocery store and find EVOL burritos in the freezer section.