Small-scale makers are our celebrities. In fact, we dedicate an entire festival to them every year. We have mad respect for the folks who risk it to do what they love, day in and day out, and create beautiful work in the process. No matter what the medium, these makers’ creations have major heart behind them. Which is why we’re stoked to be teaming up with TRISCUIT to tell even more makers’ stories.
This year, our friends at TRISCUIT surprise flash-funded over 50 artisanal food makers’ projects on Indiegogo. They backed passionate small-scale food makers all over the country who start with simple ingredients and weave them together to make something special. Among these artisans is Megan Gibson of PB&Jams, a nut butter company based out of a food truck in West Philadelphia. Her nut butters are delicious — trust us, we’ve tasted them all :)
We’re *always* on the hunt for new flavor combos, and TRISCUIT Crackers have proven to be the perfect vessel for these imaginative recipes. Today, we’re taking a stab at pad thai TRISCUIT bites. That’s right, we’re deconstructing the crowd favorite into two simple and unexpected recipes inspired by PB&Jams’ tasty, salty peanut butter: an artisan version using PB&Jams and other elevated ingredients, and a similar take with everyday ingredients.
But first, a little more about Megan, the inspiration for these recipes.
MEET THE MAKER: MEGAN GIBSON OF PB&JAMS
What do you make?
“In addition to our nut butters, which you can find at farmer’s markets and finer retailers citywide, our food truck serves up incredible sandwiches using our nut butters and other carefully selected ingredients – from sweet treats to savory bites.”
Tell us about your company.
“My love for nut butter comes from my mother, whose family hails from the heart of peanut country in Virginia. Stories of the family sitting together, shelling peanuts and enjoying one another’s company were constant when I was growing up. Nuts and nut butters were a staple in my home – so it was no surprise that after sampling a savory, spicy Haitian peanut butter, I decided to start crafting delicious, creative nut butter combinations of my own. Today, PB&Jams is a Philadelphia small-batch nut butter company that boasts six varieties of nut butters. At PB&Jams, our motto is, ‘feed people, help people and have fun!’”
What inspires you? Why do you love to create and make?
“Making something that brings happiness to people and elicits positive memories and helps to create new ones.”
How do you get into the creative flow? How does it feel?
“I love to brainstorm with friends and family. There is usually music in the background or in my head. When I’m in the flow with music, it opens up my creative process. Being in the creative moment is exciting, I feel like a little kid that has discovered something for the first time.”
What other things do you love to make? Halloween costumes? Home decor?
“Nachos, playlists, and coffee!”
Thanks for sharing the wisdom and delicious nut butters! Now onto the recipes.
PAD THAI TRISCUIT, ARTISAN STYLE
Ingredients:
— TRISCUIT Crackers
— PB&Jams nut butter (Not in Philly? You can buy it online!)
— tofu
— 2 tbsp olive oil
— ¼ cup soy sauce
— 1½ tbsp tamarind sauce
— 2 tbsp light brown sugar
— onion medley (We used green onions and shallots.)
FYI, that’s 2 TBSP olive oil, ¼ cup soy sauce and 1 ½ TBSP tamarind sauce and 2 TBSP light brown sugar :)
Cut your tofu into small cubes and set aside.
Combine the soy sauce, brown sugar and tamarind sauce in a small bowl, then whisk to combine. Add the tofu, then sauté the mixture on medium heat until the sauce thickens. Remove from the pan and set aside.
Thinly chop both the green onions and the shallots.
Add the shallots to some hot olive oil and quickly fry them. Once they turn golden brown, lay them on a paper towel to remove excess oil.
In a small bowl, combine the shallots, fresh green onion and olive oil. Lightly stir.
Let’s get building. Place a dollop of PB&Jams peanut butter on the TRISCUIT Cracker. Add a few pieces of tofu, then top with the onion medley. Drizzle some extra pad thai sauce on top if you like.
NOM.
Talk about an unexpected app!
PAD THAI TRISCUIT, EVERYDAY STYLE
If you’re short of artisan ingredients (and time), try this simplified pad thai TRISCUIT recipe instead. Though it doesn’t use the super tasty PB&Jams nut butter, this recipe boasts similar flavor profiles and is easy to create last-minute.
Ingredients:
— TRISCUIT Crackers
— peanut butter
— ¼ cup soy sauce
— 1½ tbsp tamarind sauce
— 2 tbsp light brown sugar
— green onions
FYI, that’s 2 TBSP olive oil, ¼ cup soy sauce, 1 ½ TBSP tamarind sauce and 2 TBSP light brown sugar :)
Just as we did with the artisan recipe, combine the soy sauce, brown sugar and tamarind sauce in a small bowl. Stir to combine.
Chop up those green onions. (Psst: We actually prefer a blend of the roots and tips of the green onion. Give it a try.)
Add a dollop of peanut butter to each TRISCUIT Cracker, follow with a quick drizzle of pad thai sauce, then top it off with the green onion.
How easy was that?
We’ll definitely be serving these little guys at our next happy hour.
Thanks for the inspiration, TRISCUIT and PB&Jams!
What’s your favorite TRISCUIT combo? Share with us on Twitter at @BritandCo!
This post is a collaboration with TRISCUIT.
Author, Production + Styling: Maddie Bachelder
Photography: Brittany Griffin
