Thursday, January 9, 2014

Chickpea and Nut Butter Chocolate Chip Blondies - Keep Reading...I swear they aren't weird!

Pinky Promise! Stay with me here.

I keep seeing these healthful dessert bars on Pinterest: brownies made with black beans, and blondies made with garbanzo beans, or cannellini beans.

Especially now that people are Resolving to eat healthier for the New Year.

These recipes sound crazy, but people keep saying they really work, and taste good, so I finally had to try one out!
These blondies are made with super healthy, protein-packed ingredients, and turns out. They are delicious!
They taste totally indulgent and like a real dessert.
The only difference is a bit of a hearty, nutty taste, mostly from the whole wheat flour, and a little from the nut butter.
I swear, I don't taste beans at all! They get pureed, and disappear.

Try these!!

And because they are so filling, I most definitely had a large portion of the pan couple of these for dinner. Don't judge me.


Recipe:
Adapted from: WeekNight Bite and Chocolate Covered Katie

1 (15oz) can garbanzo beans, drained and rinsed. (with all the little skins peeled off if you are crazy, like me!)
1/4 cup sunflower seed or almond butter (any nut butter will do)
3/4 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
2 tsp vanilla extract
3/4 cup brown sugar
2 1/2 Tbsp whole wheat flour
1/2 cup chocolate chips

Mix the beans and nut butter in the food processor until totally pureed.



Add all remaining ingredients to the food processor (Except chocolate chips), and mix until smooth.

My food processor is small, so I only added the baking powder, salt, vanilla, and 1/4 cup brown sugar.
Then, I poured the batter into a larger bowl and combined the remaining sugar and flour with a spatula.





Stir in chocolate chips.

Pour the batter into a greased 8x8" pan.


Bake at 350 degrees for 25 minutes, or until toothpick comes out clean.
Don't overbake. The middle, when cut, will look a bit raw, but they taste best this way. The corners will be more well done.




Let cool, and cut into bars.




I totally give you permission to eat a quarter of this pan as your dinner.
You're welcome.



I told you they were good, huh?!
Enjoy and indulge guilt-free.





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