Family Foodie Featured Friday: Peanut Butter and Peppers

Today on Family Foodie Featured Friday: Jennifer from Peanut Butter and Peppers

Who is Jennifer:  Hi Everyone!  I am Jennifer the owner of Peanut Butter and Peppers.  My blog is about taking everyday food and making it healthier.  I believe we can eat what we love, but with a few tweaks we can make it healthier, more nutritious and it will taste just as good, if not better.

I started my blog in September 2011.  I had no idea what I was doing, but I wanted to share my new found love for living a healthier life style with everyone.  It actually all started when I made peanut butter from scratch and once I did that I was amazed and thought others would be too.  That’s how the Peanut Butter got in my name.  As for Peppers, I love peppers of all kinds, so I thought why not combine the two and that is how my blog name was created.

I am originally from Buffalo, NY and currently living in Northern California, about 50 miles east of San Francisco.  Funny growing up in Buffalo and moving to California, I thought I would miss it; I hate to say it, but I don’t.  I am currently married to a man that I met at work when I was 21.  I met him at the Oldsmobile dealership, he was a mechanic and I was the car hop.  Yes, I would shuttle people around and I loved it. I also have a step-daughter who happens to have the same name as me, but I call her Little Jenny.  I am also the proud Mom of two bad dogs, Samantha a Gold Retriever and Sampson a Yellow Lab.  My dogs bring much my to my life.

Her favorite #SundaySupper theme so far:  My favorite #SundaySupper is from January 20, 2013 for Mom’s Pineapple Square Bars.  The assignment that week was to make something retro.  I thought it would be perfect to share my husband’s mom’s recipe.  The thing about this recipe, is I searched high and low to get it.  My husband had no idea that I had done all of this research.  His mom had passed away and I never had the honor of meeting her and I know how much my husband missed her.  So I contacted his brother in NY and asked about a random pineapple recipe.  He knew what I was talking about.  He asked all of his sisters if they had the recipe and sure enough, a week later, in the mail, I got a hand written recipe. I secretly made the bars without telling my husband and when they were done, I called him to the kitchen and had him try one.  He smiled and knew exactly what they were.  I didn’t change the recipe, make it healthier or anything.  Some things you don’t mess with.  I was so happy that I could make this for him.  So that week, #SundaySupper it really meant a lot to me and I was glad he allowed me to share the recipe.

Her most popular #SundaySupper post:  My most popular #SundaySupper  is from April 7th, 2013.  The recipe is my Skinny Cinnamon Dolce Frappe.  This recipe has been pinned more than 1.01k times off my blog post alone and is still very popular.  I guess I don’t blame people considering it’s only 48 calories and very inexpensive to make.

Fun Fact: In my early twenties I used to go fishing all of the time with my boyfriend (husband now) on Lake Erie.  We used to fish for Walleye, Smallmouth Bass, Muskies and Northern Pike.  I never fished before I met him, and I just loved it.  I have even gone ice fishing, which I didn’t care for, it was just too cold!! Here is a picture of a muskie that I caught.  I remember seeing the fish in the water and I told my boyfriend, there’s one.  He said where?  I said on my line!  ha ha!  This bad boy jumped all over and made a big scene!  People on the dock were cheering and watching as this girl pulls in a big one!  It was one of my proudest fishing moments.  Oh and yes, I’m naturally a brunette, lol!

Awards & Features:  I was in the October 2012 Health Magazine for my weight loss success story. I also won 2nd place in the Trader Joe’s Quinoa recipe contest for my Chocolate Quinoa Bake.

Catch up with Jennifer on social media: Facebook | Twitter | Pinterest | Google+