Move Over PB&J! Here's a Healthy Alternative

Like most people, I have a sweet tooth, which I like to indulge every so often. I try to avoid eating refined sugar as much as possible, and am always on the look-out for healthy alternatives to my favourite treats. Although peanut butter & jelly - or jam, as we call jelly in Ireland - is not something we grew up eating (it was something Americans ate on TV shows that seemed so cool, and a million miles away from life in rural Ireland!!), I grew to love it as a poor student.

I hadn't eaten it for years, but recently, I got it into my head that I wanted it, and decided to try almond butter and fruit on a toasted gluten-free wholegrain raisin & cinnamon roll instead. Well, it felt like I had discovered the secret to life!! I don't claim to be the first person to try this, and I had seen pictures on Instagram ages before, which gave me the idea, but I felt very smug to be eating something so simple, which tasted so good. I used fresh blueberries and some mixed berry purée that time, and they kind of melted into the warm toast. I love blueberries at the best of times, but when they are ripe, sweet, and juicy during the Summer, they are perfect for this combo. Since then, I've ditched the purée, and just added fruit, such as strawberries, raspberries, blackberries, peaches, plums, apples, pears, kiwis, melon, and grapes. They are all amazing! For the nut butters, I've tried almond, peanut, and hazelnut so far, which were all delicious too. The one slight change I've made, is to spread coconut oil on the toast first, as nut butters can be too dry and sticky for my personal taste. I also sprinkle cinnamon on top of the nut butter, to reduce the impact of the natural sugars on my blood sugar levels. And, because I love cinnamon. I add it before the fruit, purely because it looks nicer to see the fresh juicy fruit on top.

So, there you have it - a quick and simple snack or dessert option to try. It's a healthier version of an old classic, which is still delicious and filling.

Instructions

1. Toast your favourite bread

2. Spread coconut oil (optional) on your toast, and then spread the nut butter on top

3. Sprinkle with cinnamon

4. Add the fruit on top of this

5. Serve with a big mug of tea (Irish style!) or optional other coffee / herbal tea of your choice

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