Yes, I actually took a picture of myself hugging my Sunbutter!When I sat in the allergist's office in February 2006 and learned the awful news that Tyler was very, very allergic to peanuts, I thought my days of peanut butter were over.
I grieved. Obviously I was broken up over the fact that my child had a life-threatening food allergy. But there was also a small part of me that was sad for well....me! I loved peanut butter and was sad that I would probably never eat it again. I had no idea the last time I ate would be the last time I ever ate it.
Enter the world of Sunbutter
! It tastes, to me, just like peanut butter. I tried it last fall and LOVED it! But I was worried about Tyler trying it with his list of allergies. A month or so ago we did a food challenge in the doctor's office to make sure he had no allergy. And, yea!, he doesn't.So this week I will be celebrating Sunbutter
on this blog! Each post this week will be dedicated to it. I'll share some experiences we have had and some recipes that honestly make me feel like I am sinning by eating peanut butter. (Don't worry, if your child has a sunflower seed allergy, you can use Soynut Butter
instead!)Feel free today (or any day this week) to share your own Sunbutter story (or obsession, in my case!) in the comments section. We would all love to hear how much you love it, too!!
And, in case you are wondering, no, its not natural for a girl to love Sunbutter as much as I do!
**For those of you wondering where I got such a big jar of my Sunbutter, it was at Peanut Free Planet. We use it so much, I ordered the 5lb tub here. With shipping, I paid $21.36. (Thanks to reader Angie H. for letting me know such a bucket of glory existed!)**
8 comments:
Like you, my husband and I mourned just a little for our Jiffy once we learned of our son's allergy when he was 13 months old. But we knew there were alternatives and quickly sought out the best one for us and especially for our 5 year old son who shared our love of PB.
My first attempt was a soybutter and it was defiantly not for us. Then after seeing the name Sunbutter on several websites for allergies we gave it a try and were very hopeful. I don't like sunflower seeds, and for me the Sunbutter tasted too much like, well, sunflower seeds.
I was slowly losing hope when we just happened upon a Trader Joe's and stopped in. They carried a variety of PB substitutes and I decided to try their brand (which I have heard rumors of being made by Sunbutter). I was a little hesitant but that first bite was heavenly. Sure, it has a tiny hint of the sunflower taste, but it was nothing like the Sunbutter.
So for us, Trader Joe's Sunflower butter is a staple in our house! I haven't cooked with it yet, so I am looking forward to seeing your recipes.
Have you ever tried to make peanut butter marshmallow squares using sunbutter as a substitute? It's one of our favourite treats at Christmas, but with a peanut allergy in the house now, it's not something I'll be making anymore.
Sara K.: I have heard others say the same thing about Trader Joe's sunbutter. The next time I am in there I am going to buy some and do a taste test!
Crazy Nut Lady: Send me the recipe and I'll see if I can make them. I love trying to recreate recipes so they are safe.
I also love Sunbutter! I was a huge PB fan prior to my son developing his allergy. Sunbutter is really similar to the real stuff and so yummy!! I'm nursing my second son right now, so I'm trying not too eat too much of it because I don't want second son to be allergic to sunflower. But once I wean him, I know I'm going to go crazy eating that stuff!
I {heart} Sunbutter too!! I think I eat more than the kids do!!
When I first found the TJ one, I compared the two and found them identical. Same package, same date code format, same same same. Sunbutter Cust Service didn't say they made the TJ one, but said theirs was the only sunflower-into-sunbutter factory in the US, nobody else knows how to do it. So I'm thinking, it's the same stuff.
LOVE LOVE LOVE IT!!!
Janice
Here's it is:
This easy-to-make squares recipe is taken from Mom's old recipe box.
1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup peanut butter
12 oz butterscotch chips
3 cups miniature marshmallows
Mix butter, peanut butter, and butterscotch chips in a double boiler just till melted, then remove from heat. Place 3 cups miniature marshmallows in a buttered pan and spread on warm mixture. Save a few chips and marshmallows to decorate the top, or be generous and add extra.
Cut in squares when cool. It's that easy. Delicious!
Note: If you cannot obtain miniature marshmallows, you could try using sliced large marshmallows instead. Use 10 large marshmallows to replace each cup of the miniature kind.
Substitute chocolate chips to make Peanut Butter Chocolate Squares. Yummy!
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We (well I), am addicted to crunchy Sunbutter! LOoooooove it!
Karen in NC
I grieved when we found out about our daughter's allergy, too! I was a HUGE PB fan - and had eaten it frequently during my pregnancy. (Hmm, I wonder why my oldest isn't allergic to turkey sandwiches....) Occasionally, I have days that are still tough due to allergy concerns (Vacation Bible School, birthday parties, etc). Mainly, times when my daughter becomes the lone "have not" in a group of "haves." One think I've found that makes things easier - in the bakery at Wal-Mart, they sell peanut-free mini-cupcakes. Apparently, they are made in a nut-free facility and delivered (frozen?) to Wal-Mart. There is a peanut-free symbol on the label (box bottom). Check them out! I don't like the taste, but the kids don't seem to mind - it must be the sprinkles :)
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