(NAPSI)Chocolate and peanut butter are a great match for many taste buds, but they can offer nutritional benefits, too. The key is in which varieties you consume.

According to Registered Dietician Tammi Hancock, chocolate is rich in beneficial antioxidants, which are highest in unsweetened cocoa powder and dark chocolate.

Peanut butter is a good source of protein and vitamin E. Hancock recommends choosing a natural variety with no hydrogenated or partially hydrogenated oils, such as Smart Balance Rich Roast.

A good way to enjoy the pair is in this recipe:

Chewy Chocolate PB Sandwich Cookies

Dough:

cup all-purpose flour

cup whole wheat flour

cup rolled oats, pulverized to coarse flour in a food processor or blender

cup Dutch cocoa powder

tsp baking powder

tsp salt

cup Smart Balance Original Buttery Spread

1 cup granulated sugar

cup packed brown sugar

1 tsp vanilla

1 egg

1 oz unsweetened chocolate, melted and cooled slightly

Filling:

cup Smart Balance Rich Roast Creamy Peanut Butter

1 cups powdered sugar

3 Tbsp Smart Balance Fat Free Milk

tsp vanilla

In a small bowl, combine flours, oats, cocoa, baking powder and salt; set aside.

In a medium mixing bowl, cream Smart Balance Buttery Spread and sugars with an electric mixer. Beat in vanilla and egg. Blend in melted chocolate. Gradually blend in the dry ingredients.

Using a 1-tablespoon scoop, spoon dough 2 inches apart onto parchment-lined baking sheets. Bake at 325 degrees for 10 to 12 minutes. Cool on parchment paper for at least 5 minutes.

For filling, cream together all ingredients in a mixing bowl until smooth. If needed, add a small amount of extra milk to reach the desired consistency. Transfer filling to a zip-top plastic bag or piping bag.

When completely cooled, place half the cookies bottom side up. Pipe filling onto the cookies, using about 2 teaspoons of filling per cookie. Top with the remaining cookies, bottom side down, to create a sandwich.

Yield: about 24 sandwich cookies (48 cookies made into 24 sandwiches)

Per 1-sandwich cookie serving: 196 calories, 3g protein, 28g carbohydrate, 8.5g fat, 2g saturated fat, 4g monounsaturated fat, 2g polyunsaturated fat, 0g trans fat, 238mg omega-3 fatty acids, 1,688mg omega-6 fatty acids, 8mg cholesterol, 133mg sodium, 2g fiber

 

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