MAKES 9 BLONDIES | PER BLONDIE: 254 CALORIES | 6G PROTEIN | 30G CARBS | 12G FAT
These flourless and oil-free blondies use chickpeas as the secret healthy and protein-rich ingredient. They’re gluten free, naturally sweetened and a delicious way to sneak some extra fibre-rich beans into your diet. I love them with a cup of tea as a treat-day snack after a workout.
coconut oil, to grease
1 x 400g tin of chickpeas, drained and rinsed
235g pure maple syrup or honey
130g smooth unsalted almond butter or peanut butter
2 tsp vanilla extract or powder
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp gluten-free baking powder
100g dark chocolate (70–85% cacao), chopped into chunks, or 50g pecan halves (optional)
1 Preheat the oven to 190°C. Lightly grease a 23cm square baking tin with coconut oil or line with non-stick baking paper.
2 Place the chickpeas, maple syrup, almond butter, vanilla, cinnamon and baking powder in a food processor and blend on high for 3–5 minutes, scraping down the sides as needed, until the mixture is smooth and well blended. Stir in the dark chocolate chunks or pecan halves, if using.
3 Pour the mixture into the prepared baking tin and bake in the oven for 35–40 minutes, until golden brown with crisp, firm edges. Don’t worry if the centre is still soft to touch, as it will gently firm up as they cool. Let the blondies cool before slicing and serving. Store them in an airtight container in the fridge for three or four days.