Peanuts contain some of the same vitamins as almonds, but they're usually mixed with preservatives and unhealthy ingredients when made into peanut butter. Plus a lot of people are allergic to peanuts these days. I do love making my own peanut butter at home from time-to-time, so I can control the ingredients that go into it. If you're buying store-bought, I'd recommend buying organic to keep the icky stuff out of your food.
Better than peanut sauce
Note: I made a homemade batch of almond butter that I sweetened with honey. If you use unsweetened almond butter or think the sauce is too tart, then balance with a dollop of honey. And if you don't have almond butter, you can sub in peanut butter.
2 tbsp almond butter (see note above)
1 tbsp tamari or soy sauce
1 tsp miso
2 tbsp rice vinegar
1 in. knob of ginger, grated
juice of 1 lime
1/4 c. hot water
2 tbsp cilantro, minced
1/4 tsp red chili flakes
1/2 tsp Eden sesame seasoning
Put the first 7 ingredients in a mason jar with a tight-fitting lid. Shake well. The hot water is what thins the almond butter, so the ingredients will mix together better. It's a great trick. Remove the lid and stir in the cilantro, chili flakes, and sesame seed mix. Makes about half a cup of sauce.
Use in place of your usual peanut sauce. Pour over cooked soba or maifun noodles and eat chilled. It's perfect on a hot day. I also like to use as a dressing on a shredded cabbage salad or Asian style slaw.