Sweet and Salty Peanut Butter Nachos

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Sweet and Salty Peanut Butter Nachos: High-Protein, Low-Calorie, Gluten-Free, Insanely Good

Jump To Sections In This Article: Why I Love This Recipe What Makes This a Great Snack Option Why is This Recipe Good for Weight-Loss? Ingredient Spotlight: Powdered Peanut Butter Ingredient Spotlight: Kettle Corn Pop Corners Variations I have Celiac: How do I Make This Safely Gluten Free? What to Do If I Need Help with My Weight Loss The Recipe

Why I Love This Recipe

I’m a peanut-butter fiend. That’s 1.

I’m also someone who’s interested in keeping off my 100-lb weight loss without giving up my favorite foods. That’s 2

And lastly? This snack only takes about 5 minutes, it’s got 280 calories, it’s insanely delicious, it’s gluten-free for my Celiac condition, and 23 g of protein! Is that enough reasons?

Let’s get into it.

Why This Works Great for a Snack

When it comes to weight-loss, everyone says “snacks are my downfall.”

But here’s the thing. In my 100-lb weight loss journey, and in my 7 year weight-maintenance (so far!), I’ve found the opposite to be true. Snacks are my savior. I’ll explain why.

As a former emotional eater, I have a lot of policies and boundaries in place that help me stick to my meal plan and eat for fuel and fun, not for emotional numbing or stress relief. And for myself and most of my clients, one of the most important policies is “Don’t Get Too Hungry.” Why? Because there is a Hunger-Tipping-Point. If you go too long without nourishing your body (for me, “too long” is 5 hrs or more), you hit a point where you suddenly stop caring about any of your long-term goals (weight-loss, staying a healthy weight, staying mindful with your food), and you switch to “EAT EAT EAT” mode. That’s when the pantry-raid occurs

In a way, this “EAT EAT EAT” mode makes sense. There’s an evolutionary drive to eat when food is in front of you, not just to nourish you now, but also to store fat for future famines.

But if you’re someone who is managing your weight, it is so much easier to do so when you don’t hit the Hunger-Tipping-Point. That’s where planned snacks come in! They are your number-one defense against the Hunger-Tipping Point, especially on those days when your schedule keeps getting in the way of your ability to sit down and eat.

That doesn’t mean “go buy 8 bags of your favorite chips and 9 containers of cookies and a pack of donuts). I would count those as Fun Foods (not snacks that help with hunger). You want to be strategic with your snacks, and make sure they contain some of the nutrients you need to stay energized and nourished.

This particular snack, Sweet and Salty Peanut Butter Nachos, really do it for me. I played around and experimented a lot to finally find this version of my sweet and salty peanut butter topping. This version has 19-20 g of protein in it, and the whole snack (chips included) is about 280 calories with 23 g of protein! This is a winner for me, because protein is the main macronutrient that helps me feel full and satisfied, not to mention helps me retain and/or grow muscle (even while managing my weight). And there’s only so many protein bars a woman can eat.

Why is This Recipe Good for Weight-Loss?

As I mentioned, snacks aren’t a downfall. They’re a major support to you as you try to become healthier, because they help you avoid the Hunger-Tipping-Point.

This particular snack of Sweet and Salty Peanut Butter Nachos is so helpful for weight-loss because despite the fact that it’s got tons of protein and could be considered a healthified dessert, it’s also actually insanely delicious.

There’s something about the topping. I think it’s mainly due to using unsweetened powdered peanut butter instead of sweetened peanut butter. Plus adding a pinch of kosher salt. Those two things really play up against the sweetness of the syrup, and it makes a taste explosion in your mouth. You know, the same kind as when you have a chocolate covered pretzel, or brown-sugar candied bacon.

You know what amplifies this even more? Yes you’re right, it’s the fact that you’re pairing it with another sweet-and-salty champion, the humble Kettle Corn Pop Corners. My god. Could you get any better?

Ingredient Spotlight: Powdered Peanut Butter

So, why powdered peanut butter? 3 main reason:

The fat factor: Powdered peanut butter is not just food-processed peanuts. They also isolate the fat from the other stuff, meaning the finished powder has MUCH less fat than peanut butter. Now, I personally love fat. And peanut butter is literally my favorite food. But when it comes to weight-management, some of the easiest ways to create a calorie deficit is to make small reductions in the portions of fat you’re consuming. So when I wanted to keep this nacho snack high protein but low in calorie, naturally I went towards the powdered peanut butter. The unsweetened option:Many (not all) peanut butters are just too sweet. So I like using the unsweetened peanut butter powder (just peanuts and salt). It matches the flavor profile of these Sweet and Salty Peanut Butter Nachos the best. The mixability: In short, it’s physically difficult to mix protein powder into regular creamy peanut butter. Just, texture-wise, you know? It’s MUCH easier to mix 2 powders, then add the syrup, kosher salt, and a splash of water.

Ingredient Spotlight: Kettle Corn Pop Corners

Am I being sponsored by Pop Corners? No.

So why did I specify, not just a particular kind of brand, but also a particular FLAVOR of that brand? Well, for 2 reasons.

The volume: So, when you’re aiming for weight–loss, some people are fine eating just tiny portions of everything. But for some of us, that gets exhausting after a while. We don’t want 2 tablespoons of nuts for a snack. We want a big bowl of something we can crunch away at! Well, this concept (eating bigger portions of foods that have low calorie density and high amounts of water and/or air) is called Volume Eating. And Pop Corners are some of the best kinds of chips for Volume Eating! 1 serving (1 ounce) is 120 - 130 calories, but on the snack-plate, it looks like a nice big portion! Whereas for something that’’s NOT high-volume (like granola, or dried fruit, or banana-chips, or Fritos, or Doritos), a 1 ounce serving is 140 calories or much higher, and looks pitifully snack on the plate. Again, it’s that Sweet and Salty Combo: Not only does Pop Corners have a nice high volume, they also have kickass flavors. And I have to say, their Kettle Corn is my absolute favorite. It’s exactly the right mix for my high protein peanut butter topping.

So, no sponsorship. No affiliate deal. Just true love.

Variations

Chocolate Covered Popcorn Nachos
Swap the original powdered peanut butter for the cocoa flavored one, and instead of vanilla protein powder, use a chocolate variety. Finally, you want to look for the Buttered Popcorn flavor of Pop Corners. You could even sprinkle a few chocolate chips on top of this as well.

Cinnamon Almond Nachos
You’re going to grab powdered almond butter instead of the peanut version. You could keep the vanilla protein powder, or switch to a cinnamon toast cereal flavor. Finally, get the Cinnamon Crunch Pop Corners as your chip! If you don’t mind extra calories, go ahead and top it with some chopped roasted almonds too.

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I Have Celiac. How Do I Make This Safely Gluten Free?

You're in good hands — I have celiac disease too, so this recipe was made with gluten safety in mind! Here’s how to keep it close to 100% safe:

1. Use Certified Gluten-Free Powdered Peanut Butter
   I used PBFit Powdered Peanut Butter, which as of 6/19/2025, is NSF certified gluten free (check it out here.) But please, always check labels and ingredients because this information changes over time.
2. Double-Check Your Protein Powder
   Many protein powders are safe, but not all — look for “Certified Gluten-Free” or verify with the company if you're unsure. My choice for this recipe is Optimum Nutrition Vanilla Ice Cream, which was labelled gluten-free as of 6/19/2025. Again, always check labels and ingredients because this information changes over time.
3. Pop Corners Have a Gluten Free Seal (But This Could Change)
   In June of 2025, my Pop Corners Kettle Corn bags all have a gluten-free certification seal on the front. So I think they’re great for this purpose! Please re-check this for yourself, of course, because this information changes over time.
4. Avoid Cross-Contamination at Home
   If you're not the only one in your house eating gluten-free, prep your snack using clean tools, bowls, and a separate spoon for scooping the protein powder and powdered peanut butter. It takes 30 seconds and saves your gut!

How Else Can I Support My Weight Loss Goal?

You can stay in my circle! My name is Megan Gaul. I’m an online wellness coach specializing in weight loss and food freedom. My 100-lb weight loss journey, which began in 2018 here in Staten Island, New York (I’ve been maintaining my healthy weight range since then), was the catalyst I needed to start my coaching career in 2021. I have a number of resources that can help you:

• Grab your free Journey-Day-1 coaching call: Book Now
• Attend live Meal Planning classes every week, taught by yours-truly (join free here)
• Enroll in your 1-1 coaching program to get out of your negative cycle and actually lose weight for good: Learn More
• Follow my Instagram for more recipes and strategies, and all about Messy Life after Losing 100 lbs (find me at @partake_foodie)

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Sweet and Salty Peanut Butter Nachoes: High Protein, Low Calorie, and Insanely Delicious

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Author: Megan Gaul from Partake Meal Planning

Prep time: 5 MinTotal time: 5 Min

A single-serving snack that's 280 calories, 23 g of protein, gluten-free, and weight-loss friendly, but most importantly, I actually crave it every day. Crunchy chips, a dreamy salty-but-sweet peanut butter topping, and all the satisfaction you could ask from a nighttime or afternoon munchy. Enjoy!

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Ingredients

• 16 g certified gluten-free powdered peanut butter*
• 16 g certified gluten-free vanilla protein powder*
• 1 pinch kosher salt
• 2 tsp (10 g) certified gluten-free light pancake syrup*
• A few splashes of water
• 28 g Pop Corners, Kettle Corn Flavor*

Instructions

1. Combine the powdered peanut butter, vanilla protien powder, the pinch of salt, and the pancake syrup. Using a fork, start to mix the ingredients together. Splash in some water (maybe a few teaspoons at a time) while stirring. You're looking for a somewhat pourable texture, but not too thin or watery. You want to aim for a honey-like consistency.
2. Arrange your chips on a plate. Using a spatula, drizzle the peanut butter topping over your chips, dig in and enjoy! If you're like me, you could also simply dip the chips into the peanut butter topping (to maintain the structural chip integrity for as long as possible).

Notes

*

As of 6/19/2025, the package of these brands in my home were labelled Gluten Free:

• PBFit original powdered peanut butter
• Optimum Nutrition Protein Powder, Vanilla Ice Cream flavor
• Wholesome Organic pancake syrup, lite
• Pop Corners, Kettle Corn Flavor

By accessing or using this recipe, you are acknowledging and agreeing that you alone are responsible for ensuring your foods, drinks, and other consumables are safe for you. You are also acknowledging and agreeing that the information provided here is for informational purposes only, does not consistute medical advice, and is no subsitute for consulting your doctor, nutritionist, or dietitian. You are also acknowledging and agreeing that nutritional information and food/drink labels change over time, and this information may be out of date.

Nutrition Facts

Calories

283

Fat

7 g

Sat. Fat

1 g

Carbs

32 g

Fiber

3 g

Net carbs

29 g

Sugar

10.5 g

Protein

23 g

Sodium

355 mg

Cholesterol

20 mg

This wepbage provides approximate nutrition information for convenience and as a courtesy only. Nutrition data is gathered primarily from the USDA Food Composition Database, whenever available, or otherwise other online nutrition data from manufacturer and food retailer websites. By accessing or using this recipe, you are acknowledging and agreeing to the full nutrition information disclaimer for this website, which you can read in its entirety here.