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Peanut Butter Dip

Wow, do people love this one! This healthy peanut butter dip is just 4 ingredients and tastes like frosting! Perfect for dipping apples, pretzels or fruit.

Want our best healthy snack trick? This peanut butter dip! It’s just 4 ingredients and somehow tastes like frosting. Really, Alex and I were surprised the first time we tasted it. How is this so good, yet so simple? It’s works for any occasion: a quick snack for kids, a family party, or a big snacks table. Or if you’re me, use it for a sweets craving after a meal! I’ve been making it for me and our toddler Larson, and it disappears in a flash. This is a go-to healthy treat for us: and we’re thrilled to share with you.

What’s in this peanut butter dip?

The other day, Alex and I feed our son Larson some apple slices with peanut butter. I joined in too, but the peanut butter was so thick it was hard to dip the apple slices and get it to stick. What if I made a peanut butter apple dip? I asked. Something creamier so it’s easier to dip? I threw together a few things in our fridge and pantry, and we took a bite. Whoa, said Alex. It tastes like frosting! Somehow what I threw together tasted weirdly good, and we’ve been making it ever since. Here are the secrets behind this peanut butter dip (scroll down for the quantities):

Greek yogurt: Use plain, full fat Greek yogurt for the best creamy effect
Peanut butter: Use all natural peanut butter if you have it! But whatever you have will do.
Pure maple syrup: None of the fake stuff! Use pure, all natural syrup.
Vanilla extract

That’s it! Mix them together, and you’ve got the tastiest bowl of apple dip.

A quick tip: how to cut apples FAST!

OK, perhaps you already know this trick. But I made it into my 30’s without knowing the fastest way to cut apple slices. (PS Now that I’m a parent, this skill is clutch!) I use to think that I should core the apple with an apple-corer. Or, cut the apple into quarters, then use a paring knife to scoop out the seeds. Not needed! This trick is way easier. See the video below (but you don’t need to peel the apple in this case!).

Holding the core of the apple, use a large chef’s knife to slice off four sides of the apple, cutting as close to the core as possible.
Take one of the quarters and place it flat side down on the cutting board. Then cut it into thin slices.
Repeat with the remaining quarters!

What else to serve with this dip besides apple?

Green apples are our absolute favorite way to eat this peanut butter dip! I’m partial to the sweet tart taste of a green apple, so it’s our top choice. It also makes it a very healthy snack option. But if you’d prefer to dip with something else, here are all our dipping ideas:

Mix of green, red and yellow apples (looks stunning!)
Pineapple chunks (here’s how to cut a fresh one)
Strawberries
Kiwi slices
Pretzels (the sweet and salty would be perfect!)
Graham crackers (you know how people do that with frosting? Here’s the healthy version!)

Our readers always have great ideas for how to serve things! What else would you serve with this peanut butter dip?

When to serve peanut butter dip

We love tricks like this peanut butter dip that work for so many different occasions! But if you’re like us, you easily forget about this idea when you’re on the spot. Like, you get invited to a party with a “bring a snack or side to share” note. Alex and I easily forget what’s in our arsenal (and we do this for a living!). Here are lots of times when it’s great to make this apple dip:

Healthy snack
Easy snack for kids
Healthy “dessert” idea (or when your kid doesn’t eat enough dinner!)
Party snack or finger food idea
Appetizer for a pitch-in table (Superbowl, chili cook off, etc)
Summer barbecue
Kids birthday party food
Midnight snack (instead of something decadent!)
Component of a healthy lunch idea
Meal prep for an office desk lunch

A few similar dips!

Outside of this peanut butter dip, we have a few more options of quick and easy dip recipes that are similar! Check out these if you want a variation on this one:

Cinnamon Yogurt Fruit Dip Our classic fruit dip flavor! Flavored with vanilla and cinnamon, it comes together in 5 minutes.
Pumpkin Yogurt Fruit Dip A seasonal flavor! This pumpkin yogurt fruit dip tastes like fall.
Chocolate Hummus A sweet hummus that’s a unique dip for fruit and pretzels! It’s always a hit with guests when entertaining.

This peanut butter dip is…

Vegetarian and gluten-free.

Best Peanut Butter Dip (4 Ingredients!)

(5 votes, average: 5.00 out of 5)

5 from 5 reviews

Author: Sonja Overhiser
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 0 minutes
Total Time: 5 minutes
Yield: 4 to 6

Print Recipe

Description

Wow, do people love this one! This healthy peanut butter dip is just 4 ingredients and tastes like frosting! Perfect for dipping apples, pretzels or fruit.

Ingredients

1 cup full fat Greek yogurt
1/4 cup all natural peanut butter
2 tablespoons pure maple syrup
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
Crushed peanuts, to garnish (optional)
Green apple slices, to serve (or pretzels, strawberries, pineapple chunks, graham crackers, etc)

Instructions

Mix the Greek yogurt, peanut butter, maple syrup, and vanilla extract together in a bowl until smooth.
Serve with green apple slices.

Category: Snack
Method: Raw
Cuisine: Healthy

Keywords: Peanut Butter Dip

A Couple Cooks - Healthy, Whole Food, & Vegetarian Recipes

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Simple Chickpea Salad

A 5-minute fast lunch idea! This simple chickpea salad is easy to throw together: the perfect healthy plant based desk lunch or quick fix dinner.

Ready for one of our best quick fix meals? This simple chickpea salad. Some people might say it’s not even a recipe. Well, over here we’ve got fancy recipes like sourdough bread and the perfect homemade margherita pizza. But just as important are non-recipes like what Alex and I eat for lunch every day. Making “real” recipes, and throwing together a 5 minute fast lunch are equally as valid! So how to eat a plant based lunch without spending hours on meal prep? How to make a quick dinner out of nothing? It starts with a can of chickpeas.

How to make a healthy lunch in 5 minutes

This simple chickpea salad is what Alex eats for lunch on the regular. (I often make our best oatmeal, but I like this too!) It’s so easy to make that it’s more like an idea than a recipe. But we wanted to share it with you because it’s a lifesaver and illustrates one idea for what it means to eat plant based at lunch. Here’s how to make a fresh healthy, filling plant based lunch: this Mediterranean-style chickpea salad! Exact quantities are in the recipe below — scroll down!

Chickpeas: Drain a can of chickpeas, then rinse it.
Bell Pepper: Dice a bell pepper (about a handful).
Cucumber: Dice an English cucumber (about a handful). We like using an English cucumber because it doesn’t need to be peeled. If all you can find is a standard cucumber, peel it first!
Seasonings: Place it all in a bowl and drizzle with olive oil, red wine vinegar, salt and smoked paprika.

That’s it! Chickpea salad complete. Place it in a sealed container and to bring to the office: refrigerate until serving! The recipe below has all the exact quantities. Once you get comfortable with it, you won’t even need to measure. And remember that instead of bell pepper and cucumber, you can use any veggies in your fridge.

Step it up: add herbs or other spices!

There are endless variations to this simple chickpea salad! Once you’ve made the original concept, you can dress it up in new ways. Here’s what we recommend:

Torn or chopped herbs: If you have them onhand, the best is adding fresh herbs! Chopped or torn parsley, basil, dill, oregano, or thyme would all be excellent.
Celery seed: Alex likes to add a little complexity by adding a pinch of celery seed.
Dijon mustard: A tiny squirt of Dijon mustard would add good complexity as well.
Onion power, garlic powder, Italian seasoning: Add just a pinch of any of these spices for a little boost.

Our readers are so creative: you’re always letting us know the ways you’ve customized our recipes. What else would you add?

What to serve with simple chickpea salad

This simple chickpea salad recipe is designed as a one serving healthy lunch recipe. Yep, that’s a whole can of chickpeas in a serving, to give you a mega boost of plant-based protein! Or you could eat it as two servings and add some sides. Here are some ideas:

Crackers: store bought, or these almond crackers are tasty and full of protein
Pita bread: Accesorize with pita triangles or other flat bread
Hummus: OK, it’s more with chickpeas! But eat half the salad, and accessorize with pita & hummus.
Veggies: Add carrot sticks or bell pepper strips on the side.
Dried fruit & nuts: Add some roasted salted almonds and dried fruit, like apricots or cherries.
Fresh fruit: Grapes, green apple slices, or a peach in the summer would be fantastic.

Make it a quick fix dinner!

What should I eat instead of takeout? This simple chickpea salad! This one is for when you just got home from work and you’re starving. This salad is done in 5 minutes and is a healthy whole food plant based (WFPB) dinner option. Takeout, on the other hand, takes longer (30 minutes?) and is probably no so healthy. You be the judge! Here’s what we’d imagine serving with it to make it a dinner:

Rice, quinoa, or another whole grain. Use whatever you have leftover! Or whip up a pot of white rice or quinoa in about 20 minutes. Even faster? Whole wheat couscous cooks in 5 minutes.
Any veggies! Throw the chickpea salad in a bowl with rice or quinoa and any raw veggies you’re trying to use up. Drizzle them with olive oil and sprinkle with salt.
Dollop with hummus or a sauce! A creamy sauce is nice if you have some hummus in the fridge, or our best tahini sauce is pretty fast.

Of course, there are a million ways to turn it into dinner. What would you do?

This simple chickpea salad recipe is…

Vegetarian, vegan, plant-based, dairy-free and gluten-free.