There are all kind of ‘black bean brownie’ recipes out there. But today, blondes are stealing the show and having all the fun! These blondies are completely flourless. The secret ingredient that gives the batter a great texture and subtle savory flavor is…chickpeas! You won’t even know they are there. These little peas pack a lot of filling fiber, protein, and iron into this dessert, which many of us need more of in our daily diet. Just make sure you drain and rinse them well.
OK I’ll admit it. The first time I tried to make this recipe, I returned to the kitchen to find my cooling blondies…GREEN! I have had plenty a baking disaster in my time, but never green goodies. After some sleuthing around on SunButter’s website, I came across the answer for my unfortunate greenies. It turns out that sunflowers (including the seeds) contain chlorophyll, which reacts with the baking powder/soda in a recipe, and turns the baked product green once cooled. In order to eliminate the green tint, you can add a splash of lemon juice to the wet ingredients, and reduce the leavening in the recipe by half. This will often work if the recipe calls for only a small amount of leavening agents.
The good news is that even if your baked goods do turn green, they are safe to eat! The flavor won’t be affected, nor will the nutritional profile. It’s too bad St. Patrick’s Day just passed, maybe next year I’ll remember to whip up a batch of these guys. This recipe is nut-free and gluten-free. It can be made vegan by eliminating the egg, which produces a more fudgy blondie. Enjoy!
Sunflower Butter Blondies
Ingredients:
1 can (15 oz) garbanzo beans (chickpeas), drained and rinsed
1/2 cup sunflower butter
1/3 cup pure maple syrup, agave, or honey
1 egg
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon baking powder
1/8 teaspoon baking soda
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1/3 cup mini chocolate chips
cooking spray
Instructions:
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Spray an 8×8 inch dish with cooking spray.
- In a food processor or blender, add all ingredients except chocolate chips. Process until smooth. Fold in chocolate chips.
- Spread batter evenly in dish. Note: if you spray your spatula with cooking spray it will prevent the batter from sticking.
- Bake for 20-25 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean and the edges are slightly browned. Cut into 16 pieces after cooling for 15 minutes. Store leftovers in an airtight container.
Serving size: 1 bar (1/16 of recipe): Calories: 120, Fat 6g, Carbs 13.5g, Sugar 7g, Fiber 2.8g, Protein 3.5g
