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It's time that the humble peanut butter sandwich got a facelift - and a healthy one at that! These grilled sandwiches are an elevated, gourmet version of a classic, with bananas, walnuts and spices for a tasty and nutritious bite. Super kid-friendly, ready in 15 minutes!Who said that peanut butter sandwiches had to be 1) boring 2) just for kids and 3) the same every time? I'm a huge fan of PB&J, probably because I had it almost every day when I was a kid: so it has some element of nostalgia for me. And even though I can be a creature of habit a lot of the time, the same ingredients (bread, nut butter, some sort of fruit spread), can get a tiny bit monotonous. My kids could also eat peanut butter sandwiches every single day, but even they want to change things up once in a while. So I decided to reinvent the classic peanut butter sandwich to give it a more gourmet, delicious upgrade!
These were the ingredients I used, but you can obviously experiment with your own. My list included: Sprouted wheat bread, walnuts, sliced bananas, cinnamon, a mix of almond and peanut butter, and a tiny drizzle of honey.
How to make this gourmet peanut butter sandwich - step by step
Step 1: Spread the peanut & almond butter mixture on both slices of bread, and top one half with sliced bananas
Step 2: Chop 3-4 walnuts, and add on top of the banana slices along with a sprinkle of cinnamon and a drizzle of honey
Step 3: Top with the other slice of bread (that already has peanut/almond butter spread on it), and put into the panini press (or grill in a griddle pan if you don't have a panini press)
At this time, the nut butters, banana and honey are getting all melty and gooey...
Step 4: Once the top has browned and is slightly crispy, remove from panini press and let cool for 1-2 min.
I love the grill marks!
Step 5: Cut sandwich in half diagonally and serve warm.
I love the natural sweetness you get in this sandwich from the bananas, and the tiny drizzle of honey just enhances this. The grilling really helps to release the flavors, as well a making it really gooey!
Kitchen Tools and Equipment you'll need for This Peanut Butter Sandwich
What makes this peanut butter sandwich recipe healthy?
The typical peanut butter and jelly sandwich is made up of a couple of slices of white bread, a big scoop of peanut butter and two or three spoonfuls of jelly. It's mostly just sugar (thanks to the refined white carbs and jelly), and can run you upwards of 20g of sugar for that meal (as much as a Snickers bar!)
This gourmet peanut butter sandwich replaces the white bread with sprouted wheat bread - which has a healthy dose of fiber, protein and whole grains. The banana is a rich source of potassium and fiber. The walnuts add omega 3s and antioxidants. And the almond/peanut butter mixture adds heart-healthy fats, and Vitamin E (from the almond butter). Each serving has a robust 9.4g of fiber, 17g of protein, and only 3g added sugar: a healthy and filling sandwich!
Other variations for this peanut butter sandwich that are kid-friendly too:
Kids and adults alike are going to love this sandwich, and they'll never guess that it's actually good for them! If you want to mix things up even more, here are some other variations to try with this peanut butter sandwich:
- Use different fresh fruit: diced strawberries, apples, pear, mangoes or peaches, all work well. Whole pomegranate seeds, or sliced figs are more adventurous options to try instead of the banana in this recipe
- Change up the spices! I used cinnamon in this recipe, but nutmeg, all spice, pumpkin pie spice, or even a pinch of cloves or cardamom would all work well. For a more "adult" flavor, try a pinch of cayenne or chili powder!
- Make it into a quesadilla! Replace the sprouted wheat bread with whole wheat tortillas and grill it on a griddle.
- Replace the peanut/almond butter with sunbutter!
- Try almonds, peanuts or cashews as whole crushed nuts instead of the walnuts. You could also whip up a custom blend of "peanut butter" using a mix of nut butters, nuts, seeds, granola or even coconut flakes!
- For a more decadent feel, try using these pancakes as the "bread" in this recipe!
Does eating peanut butter sandwiches make you gain weight?
One peanut butter sandwich a day (or a couple days a week) along with a balanced diet likely won't make you gain weight. As with everything, moderation is important so don't go overboard! If you eat this version of a peanut butter sandwich (paired with some fresh veggies on the side), it'll likely keep you full and satisfied until your next meal and you'll be less likely to snack on unhealthy items in between meals. Studies have shown that snacking on controlled amounts of peanut butter or peanuts is a good way to control hunger without weight gain ( source), since 2 tablespoons of peanut butter has 190 calories, 17 grams of fat, and 7 grams of protein.
What To Eat With This Peanut Butter Sandwich
I like serving peanut butter sandwiches with fresh veggies on the side to round out the meal: celery sticks and carrot sticks go great with this, as does a simple side salad!
Top tips for making this gourmet peanut butter sandwich
- Use ripe bananas - they will be much sweeter, and choose an organic peanut butter with no added sugar.
- To make this gluten free, just use your favorite gluten-free bread!
- If you don't have a panini press, you can grill these in a pan on the stove top.
- To make this even more fun for kids, use cookie cutters to cut a peanut butter sandwich into tiny sandwiches in fun shapes: hearts, stars, dinosaurs have all been a big hit with my kids. Or you could do a seasonal theme: pumpkins for Halloween, Christmas trees for Christmas, snowmen for winter!
- For variations on this peanut butter sandwich:
- Use different fresh fruit: diced strawberries, apples, pear, mangoes or peaches, all work well. Whole pomegranate seeds, or sliced figs are more adventurous options to try instead of the banana in this recipe
- Change up the spices! I used cinnamon in this recipe, but nutmeg, all spice, pumpkin pie spice, or even a pinch of cloves or cardamom would all work well. For a more "adult" flavor, try a pinch of cayenne or chili powder!
- Make it into a quesadilla! Replace the sprouted wheat bread with whole wheat tortillas and grill it on a griddle.
- Replace the peanut/almond butter with sunbutter!
- Try almonds, peanuts or cashews as whole crushed nuts instead of the walnuts. You could also whip up a custom blend of "peanut butter" using a mix of nut butters, seeds, granola or even coconut flakes!
- For a more decadent feel, try using these pancakes as the "bread" in this recipe!