Get out the party hats: today is National Peanut Butter Day! I know, I know, you might not be as exciting as me, but since peanut butter is a staple here (truth: I eat pb+j for breakfast every morning), I’d thought I’d share our favorites on the market, and a handful of delicious recipes.

I know peanut butter gets a bit of a bad rap with its higher calorie and fat count, but promise it’s good for you, and is a food that will keep you feeling full longer (i.e. less calories in the long run!). Eat it in a sandwich, add it to an apple or banana, add a little atop a whole grain waffle or pancake, mix it into oatmeal, bake with it the options are endless.

Your best is the natural kind, the one with a very tiny ingredient list of words you can read (heads up: that low fat brand you’re using: it’s saving you very little fat in favor of maltodextrin, a carbohydrate used as a filler in processed foods that means you’re trading in the good stuff for empty carbs and more sugar. Don’t do it). My personal fav of the moment is Skippy Natural with honey, though I’m about due to try a new one. I guess this is how beauty junkies feel after wearing the same lipstick for a few days!

Here are five recipes that range from indulgent to yummy, healthy bites you’re sure to make again and again:

whoopie pies  || peanut butter and banana mousse ||  granola bars|| peanut butter pancakes || pb banana bread (low fat!)

You might also like: