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Peanut butter - it sticks to your mouth, and to your muscles.
By Dave Kuehls

(See the full article at http://www.runnersworld.com/article/0,7120,s6-393-397--11883-0,00.html )

We all know that peanut butter sticks to the roof of your mouth. But do you know that peanut butter might also help you "stick it out" during a hard workout or an intense race? It's true. In fact, peanut butter-yes, that sticky companion to jelly on all those sandwiches your mom made-just might be the best runner's food on the planet.

Peanut butter provides a feeling of fullness much longer after you've eaten than if you'd munched on carbohydrates in the form of, say, pretzels, a candy bar, or even a banana. And that feeling of fullness can help you finish that last set of repeat 400s on the track or power you to the finish line during the last mile of a cross-country 5-K.

Studies show that diets high in unsaturated fats lower bad cholesterol and generally make the heart a much healthier machine. And as a good source of protein, it's a primary building block in muscle growth and helps speed muscle recovery. A 2-tablespoon serving of peanut butter contains 8 grams of protein, or roughly the same amount of protein found in four slices of bologna or 1 1/2 ounces of turkey.

Peanut butter also is a good source of niacin and folic acid (they help convert food to energy) and vitamin E. In addition, the dense calories in peanut butter keep your energy level on an even keel and your hunger down throughout the day. And that, in turn, will prevent you from overeating and keep you eating healthfully all day.

The following are some quick and easy ways to devour peanut butter all day long.

BREAKFAST-Peanut butter on toast, bagels, English muffins, pancakes. Breakfast is perhaps the best time to eat peanut butter because its filling effects will carry you through the day. A glass of cold milk is the perfect companion to peanut butter any time. Not only does milk help keep the peanut butter off the roof of your mouth, but it also adds calcium and more protein to your diet.

LUNCH-Peanut butter and jelly sandwiches. Though PB & J might be a little too "elementary school" for you, it's a perfect runner's lunch. It will control your appetite and you won't eat too much at lunch or during your prepractice snack. Consequently, you won't be weighed down at practice, unlike your peers who had pizza and chips.
Jelly, by the way, is a great accompaniment to peanut butter. It strikes the right balance between sticky and sweet, and it tends to negate the roof-of-the-mouth syndrome. If jelly's not to your taste, try honey. Clark also suggests adding granola or sunflower seeds to the peanut butter and then making a sandwich.

DINNER-Spicy noodles with peanut butter. Clark's recipe calls for:
8 oz pasta
1/3 cup chunky peanut butter
3 Tbs soy sauce
3 Tbs vinegar
1 Tbs sugar
1-2 pinches cayenne pepper powder

While the pasta cooks, mix the other ingredients in a small bowl. When the pasta is done, pour the mixture on it, toss together, and serve. You can also add some lightly steamed green pepper strips, snow peas, and chopped scallions, if you desire.

SNACKS-Peanut butter on crackers, an apple, or banana. The great thing about peanut butter is that it doesn't spoil. You can pack a snack of peanut butter on crackers in the morning and not worry about it going bad all day, and then eat it an hour before practice to get ready to run. Or you could carry a jar of peanut butter in your school backpack. That, and an apple or banana and a knife, and you have the makings of a healthful runner's snack.

DESSERT-Peanut butter on ice cream. (No kidding.) "Just dab a couple of spoonfuls on top and zap it in the microwave," says Kearney. "This will turn ice cream into a healthier dessert."