Recreating the PB&J: Vanilla Bean Brown Sugar Almond Butter & Mashed Fresh Raspberry Sandwich

Among childhood lunchtime favorites, one reigns supreme: the PB&J.

Although not at all flawed in its traditional form, I’m reinventing this classic sandwich using freshly made almond butter scented with vanilla beans and sweetened with brown sugar, mashed ripe raspberries, and fresh bakery bread.

Who says a PB&J is just for the kiddos?

Every great sandwich starts with good bread. My preference is for a soft but hearty whole wheat or whole grain variety, and in this case I splurged on a freshly baked loaf from a local bakery.

If you have yet to make your own nut butter at home, (whether it be peanut, almond, walnut, cashew, pecan, etc.), let this be your inspiration! Simply roasting almonds and pulsing them in a food processor until “butterized” yields a perfectly drippy, creamy, and delicious almond butter. Adding in vanilla bean seeds, brown sugar, and a touch of Kosher salt bring homemade almond butter to an entirely different level of deliciousness.

You can certainly add flavor additions to suit your taste preferences… such as maple syrup, honey, cinnamon, or even melted chocolate. When you make nut butter at home, you have all of the control in terms of what the final product will taste like. Just imagine the possibilities!

As for the “J” part of our reinvented PB&J, I used mashed fresh & sweet organic raspberries instead of over-sugared jelly or jam. Because of the inherent moisture in fresh fruit, you’ll want to drain the mashed raspberries so that your sandwich isn’t soggy.

If you’re more of a strawberry fan, absolutely sub ‘em in for the raspberries. You could also use blackberries, cherries, grapes, or any other fruit you’d like… even a combination or two or three!

Now don’t be shy about slathering on that freshly made almond butter and chunky berry mash. The ratio is up to you, but when using fresh fruit, I really like to load it on.

Your kids will certainly gobble down these reinvented PB&J sandwiches… but only if you manage not to first .

And don’t forget the ultimate PB&J accompaniment: a glass of ice-cold milk!