PB2 Curry Sauce for Chicken or Fish

A friend turned me onto an amazing product called PB2.  Regular peanut butter can thwart a dieter’s best intentions due to its creamy goodness that packs a whopping 200 calories and 17 grams of fat with each 2 tablespoon serving.  I’m not sure about you, but a yummy PB&J sandwich rarely contains only 2 tablespoons of peanut butter, because, let’s face it, we generally make this nostalgic childhood treat with a knife, not a skimpy tablespoon.  Enter PB2,  a great low-calorie and low-fat alternative for PB lovers who are watching their waistlines.  Essentially, the oil is squeezed out of roasted peanuts, leaving a powdered version that has only 45 calories and 1.5 grams of fat for 2 tablespoons.  When you add water, or another liquid, you end up with a smooth peanut butter that’s sensible to eat, and even more fun to cook with.  I’ve revamped all of my Thai recipes with PB2, as well as several of my muffin and cookie recipes.  The following recipe has a little spice and all the creamy goodness you expect from peanut butter thanks to a little reduction time on the stove.  It’s similar to a satay dipping sauce, but I added some curry to add a little kick, and some extra health benefits.  Curry powder contains powerful antioxidants and anti-inflammatory compounds. 

What you need:

4 chicken breasts

Mini food processor

Large Ziplock bag

Marinade and Sauce:

½ cup PB2

1 ¼  cup coconut milk (from a carton)- I use 45 calorie ‘So Delicious’ brand

3 Tbs rice wine vinegar

3 Tbs honey or agave

2 tsp curry powder

½ tsp cinnamon

3 cloves garlic, minced

2 chopped green onions

pinch of cayenne

2 Tbs shredded coconut (optional)

2 Tbs chopped dry roasted peanuts (optional)

Instructions:

1.  To make the marinade, mix PB2 and coconut milk together in a mini food processor.  Add the vinegar, honey, curry powder, and cinnamon and pulse to blend.  Toss in garlic and green onion, stir, and then reserve ½ a cup of the mixture in a bowl.  Place the remaining sauce in a large Ziplock bag and add the chicken.  Marinate for 4-8 hours.
2. Grill or bake your chicken, discarding marinade from Ziplock bag.
3. Meanwhile, take your reserved sauce and place in a small saucepan and heat over a medium flame, stirring as it thickens, about 3 minutes.  When slightly reduced and thickened, remove from stove.  Spoon over chicken (or fish), or use as a dipping sauce.  Top the meal with shredded coconut and chopped peanuts.

To make Thai Whipped Sweet Potatoes, simply bake or microwave two large sweet potatoes until soft.  Scoop out of skin and place in a large food processor.  Add 2/3  cup coconut milk, 3 Tbs PB2, 1 Tbs. Agave, 1 tsp. curry powder and ½ tsp. cinnamon and process until whipped together, adding additional coconut milk by the tablespoon to reach desired consistency, if needed. Serves 4.