Recipe challenge: tasty, natural frozen chocolate peanut-but

RECIPE CHALLENGE: TASTY, NATURAL FROZEN CHOCOLATE PEANUT-BUTTER PIE FOR UNDER 300 CALS?


Peanut Butter Chocolate Pie Challenge by izzyinbliss, on Flickr

IT’S TIME FOR A NEW KIND OF FROZEN CHOCOLATE PEANUT BUTTER PIE!

We deserve an awesome recipe for a scrumptious, mouth-watering, wholesome, natural chocolate peanut butter frozen pie—and NOT at 1,000+ calories per serving. All the recipes out there that’s worth the attention of a serious cook are way above 1,000 calories per sliver once you do the math. Add “healthy” or “low calorie” to your search, and you end up with recipes that are anathema to any self-respecting foodie: Splenda, highly processed 0%-fat crap made with a long list of ingredients with unappetizing chemical names.

OUR MISSION

I need your ideas and inspiration on delicious yet wholesome improvements to a “beta” version of a recipe that I already got down after two tries. I’d like to bring the calories down to 300 or less. In addition, the recipe should do better in allowing the peanut-butter and chocolate flavors to shine in all their glory. The banana in the beta recipe, while tasty and wholesome, starts to steal the spotlight from the peanut-butter and chocolate hazelnut yumminess. It’s still good, but I’d prefer to go for the sushi equivalent of a killer piece of nigiri or sashimi, instead of the hodgepodge of a rainbow roll.

WHOM WE’RE UP AGAINST


JustinsPBCupsLG by izzyinbliss, on Flickr

Justin’s Peanut Butter Cups. 1 pack with 2 cups is just 200 calories. The frozen pie in its current incarnation is much more satisfying, I’m proud to declare! But I have to admit, I’m not sure if it’s better by an extra 157 calories…

THE RULES FOR A FAIR FIGHT

– All natural ingredients—let’s stick with the good stuff, none of that 0% fat processed crap; something that could stand up to a decent Epicurious, King Arthur Flour or Chow recipe
– Same portion size—no cheating by making it smaller

BETA RECIPE FOR YOUR STARTING POINT


Chocolate Peanut Butter Pie 1 by izzyinbliss, on Flickr

Here’s the beta recipe you can use for reference as your starting point.

Ingredients

– Annie’s Bunny Graham Friends Cookies (Honey, Chocolate and Chocolate Chip Flavors)—30 grams
– Melted butter, unsalted—1 tbsp
– Justin’s Natural Chocolate Hazelnut Butter—2 tbsp
– Santa Cruz Organic Dark-Roasted Creamy Peanut Butter—2 tbsp
– Half of a medium banana, mashed (for your information, this takes the place of what’s usually cream cheese in the traditional recipes; I tried using Greek yogurt, but I didn’t like the tartness that resulted)
– Egg white—1 (my add'l attempt at replacing the cream cheese)
– Powdered sugar—2 tsp

Directions

1. Crush graham cookies and mix with melted butter. Press into a small freezer-safe ”pie” dish (or two single-serving dishes if preferred).
2. Beat egg white until fluffy. Blend in mashed banana, chocolate hazelnut butter, peanut butter and powdered sugar. Spoon into the “pie” dish(es).
3. Freeze the “pie”(s) till filling sets (about 2 hours).
4. About 5-10 minutes before ready to serve, take out of freezer and thaw on counter.

Makes 2 servings, 357 calories each :-O

For pictures, you can check out my blog post at http://izzyinbliss.com/post/9987661173/recipe-challenge-for-health-conscious-foodies-cooks