Chickpea Blondies (GF!)

I recently made a pan of black bean brownies that were out of this world. Aside from the part where I could have eaten the entire pan in one sitting, I felt great about the fact that I was sneaking in some extra protein and my brain didn’t even know it. Since becoming a vegetarian, I’ve struggled to get enough protein in my diet – especially as an athlete. If you can bake with soy flour, or add beans into snacks that otherwise wouldn’t have them – it really helps. I’m also currently on the hunt for a plant based protein powder that doesn’t taste like chalk and have a billion grams of sugar so I will keep you posted on the results.

Can I also just say how excited I am for fall? It’s my favorite season, and not because of pumpkin spice lattes. Side note – I don’t even like pumpkin spice lattes. I do love pumpkin though. I wanted to do a pumpkin recipe this week for you guys, but the co-op was SOLD OUT and I was too lazy to go to another grocery store because allergies knocked me on my ass this week. I’m also obsessed with all things squash related. Like this stuffed acorn squash – so good you guys. Can’t get enough squash? You should try this spicy soy-rizo and acorn squash chili.

Enough about squash, let’s move back to these chickpea blondies. Or we could talk about the fact that I’m having a really hard time concentrating because my apartment smells like dog bones. Neko currently has FIVE on her dog bed – seriously? She’s such a hoarder.

Okay – blondies. As I mentioned before, I love adding beans and other legumes where I can to get some additional protein, fiber, and just feel better about what I’m eating in general. I also ate like three of these for dinner last night so – take it or leave it. They are super easy, you can make them in your food processor and then mix in whatever goodies you want. I added chocolate chips and pecan pieces, but you could really add whatever you want. Or just more chocolate chips, that works too. They aren’t overly sweet, but definitely satisfy your sweet tooth. Feel free to play with different levels of sugar as well if you want something a little sweeter, I would recommend 1/2 cup or less. They are made of chickpeas, after all.

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Chickpea Blondies (GF!)

Time: 40 min

Servings: 9 bars

Ingredients:

• 2 TBSP flax
• 6 TBSP water
• 1 15 oz can chickpeas (garbanzo), rinsed and drained
• 3 TBSP melted coconut oil
• 1/3 cup organic brown sugar
• 1 TBSP agave
• 2 TBSP coconut flour
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 1 TBSP vanilla
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1 1/2 tsp cinnamon
• 1/4 cup chocolate chips (optional)
• 1/4 cup chopped pecan pieces (optional)

Other Supplies:

• Food processor
• Medium sized mixing bowl
• 9×9 or 8×8 baking pan

 

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 deg F. Line either a 9×9 or Baa 8×8 baking pan with parchment paper and grease lightly. If you do not have parchment paper, be sure to grease the entire bottom and about half way up on the outsides. Place flax meal and water in the food processor and pulse a few times.
2. While your flax eggs rest for a few minutes, rinse and drain the chickpeas. This can be done in the can, but a colander is preferred. After the beans have been throughly drained, combine remaining ingredients except for the chocolate chips and pecans in the food processor.  Pulse ingredients on high until all the chickpeas are completely pureed, probably about 2-3 minutes.
3. If you’re adding chocolate chips or pecans, now would be the time to transfer the batter to a medium sized bowl. Use a spatula to fold the add-ins into the batter, and transfer to your baking dish. If you are not adding any other ingredients, you can transfer the batter directly from the food processor to your baking dish. Use a spatula to smooth the batter evenly.
4. Bake at 350 deg F for 27-30 minutes. The top should be *slightly* firm to the touch and the sides will start to peel away from the parchment paper. The blondies will still be soft for a while until they have completely cooled, so allow about 30 minutes before cutting and serving.
5. Store in an airtight container for up to 1 week in the fridge.