The Mixer Hack That Stirs Natural Peanut Butter Without The Hassle

You've been craving peanut butter all day. You can hardly wait to smother your toast in a layer of nutty goodness. The toast pops and you open up the jar and — gosh darn it (that's not what you really said, but the cleaned-up version) — all the oil has worked its way to the top again. Damn that natural peanut butter and your efforts to eat cleaner. 

Thankfully, there are a few ways to deal with your jar of slime-covered peanut butter cement. First off, did you know you've been storing peanut butter wrong your entire life? It turns out you should shelve your nutty spread upside down. Yes, plunk that puppy down on its lid and Real Simple says the oil will work its way down to the bottom. The outlet, then, recommends turning it the correct way when it's time to use it. Keep flipping it every couple of days and you'll never have to face a giant oil slick again. Dr. Lisa Young, an NYU professor of nutrition and the author of "Finally Full, Finally Slim" told Martha Stewart that when natural peanut butter gets rock hard, she recommends microwaving the amount you want for a few seconds, leaving it creamy and spreadable. 

And, if you don't want your toast to cool off, there is a quick way to reintegrate your solid peanut butter lump with the puddle of goop on top.

Have you always operated under the belief that your hand mixer must have two beaters in order to be useful? That idea is all about to change. By using your helpful electric handheld mixer with just one beater, you can tackle your slab of nutty granite in short order. Genius, right? 

According to Self, you merely shove that single beater into the PB as deep as you can. Grab the jar with one hand and hold on for dear life (seriously, this part's important), set your mixer to its slowest setting — and poof — the oil is working its way back into the nut butter. While you should start your mixer at a low speed, once your peanut butter starts to become mixed, you can increase the speed a smidgen. The operative word here is "smidgen." 

If you don't have an electric hand mixer, Simply Recipes offers that you can dig out the peanut butter and the oil and plop it into your blender or food processor. It sounds like a lot of work, but it's still easier than mixing it with a spoon. Honestly, that sounds like a case of carpal tunnel syndrome just waiting to happen. Perhaps it's time to invest in a hand mixer. Either way, enjoy your feast of toast smothered in melty peanut butter. You've earned it.