Flourless Chickpea Pumpkin Blondies

Flourless Chickpea Pumpkin Blondies

Seriously, trust me on this one!

Flourless Chickpea Pumpkin Blondies ~vegan, gluten free~ A protein packed powerhouse blondie recipe perfect for vegan and grain free diets!

Using chickpeas in place of flour makes for a healthy and delicious dessert…I promise :)

I make my chickpea chocolate chip cookie recipe all the time, everyone loves them!  They are great for both vegans and gluten-free diets.  I thought I’d mix it up for the fall and add in pumpkin and spice.  I’m glad I did, they were a score.  We’re going on batch number 3 of these in my house!  The pumpkin inspiration came from Keeping it Kind.

A blender and only one bowl is needed to create these protein packed powerhouse blondies!  They make a great dessert, but can also be an energizing snack!  The fiber and protein hold you over until the next meal.  I’m not ashamed to say I even eat them for breakfast!  At 140 calories, 4 grams of protein and 3 grams of fiber each, why not?!?

Flourless Chickpea Pumpkin Blondies ~vegan, gluten free~ A protein packed powerhouse blondie recipe perfect for vegan and grain free diets!

Flourless Chickpea Pumpkin Blondies
 
Print
Prep time
Cook time
Total time
 
Flourless Chickpea Pumpkin Blondies, a high fiber protein packed powerhouse blondie!
Author:
Recipe type: Dessert
Cuisine: Vegan
Serves: 16
Ingredients
  • 1 can (15 oz) chickpeas, rinsed and drained (~1.5 cups)
  • 1 can pumpkin
  • ½ cup cashew butter
  • ⅓ cup maple syrup
  • 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
  • 1 teaspoon cinnamon
  • ½ teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
  • ½ teaspoon baking powder
  • ½ teaspoon baking soda
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • ⅔ cups chocolate chips
Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Spray an 8x8 pan with cooking spray and set aside.
  2. Add chickpeas to blender or food processor, pulse until chickpeas are broken down. Add the rest of the ingredients except the chocolate chips and blend until smooth and creamy. Transfer to a bowl and fold in chocolate chips.
  3. Evenly spread dough into pan and cook for 25-30 minutes or until a tooth pick inserted comes out clean.
Nutrition Information
Serving size: 1 Calories: 140 Fat: 7 Carbohydrates: 17 Sugar: 9 Fiber: 3 Protein: 4

Flourless Chickpea Pumpkin Blondies ~vegan, gluten free~ A protein packed powerhouse blondie recipe perfect for vegan and grain free diets!

Have a Happy & Healthy Thanksgiving!

cashew pumpkin dip

Pass on the pile of candy and dive into a bowl of Cashew Pumpkin Dip this Halloween!  It’s secretly healthy and tastes just like pumpkin cheesecake!  Dip into it with apple slices, pretzels or spread onto graham crackers for a delightful snack…or just eat it by the spoonfuls like I did :)

Cashew Pumpkin Dip ~vegan~ It's secretly healthy and tastes just like pumpkin cheesecake! Dip into it with apple slices, pretzels or spread onto graham crackers for a delightful snack...or just eat it by the spoonfuls!

This recipe takes only a few minutes to make.  Simply blend creamy cashew butter, pumpkin, maple syrup and spices until fluffy.  Cashew butter is a mild tasting nut butter that works well in recipes.  It’s also super buttery, which makes for a decant dessert!  Cashews are a great source of zinc, biotin, iron, potassium and magnesium.  They also provide protein and monounsaturated fat, making this a snack that will keep your glucose levels in check and in turn preventing sugar cravings.  Sugar cravings and Halloween are a bad combo!

Cashew Pumpkin Dip ~vegan~ It's secretly healthy and tastes just like pumpkin cheesecake! Dip into it with apple slices, pretzels or spread onto graham crackers for a delightful snack...or just eat it by the spoonfuls!

cashew pumpkin dip
 
Print
Prep time
Total time
 
Cashew Pumpkin Dip ~vegan~ It's secretly healthy and tastes just like pumpkin cheesecake! Dip into it with apple slices, pretzels or spread onto graham crackers for a delightful snack...or just eat it by the spoonfuls!
Author:
Recipe type: Dessert
Cuisine: Vegan
Serves: 8
Ingredients
  • 1 can pumpkin
  • ¼-1/3 cup pure maple syrup
  • ½ cup cashew butter
  • ½ teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
  • ½ teaspoon cinnamon
  • pinch sea salt
Instructions
  1. Place all ingredients in a food process or high-speed blender. Puree until smooth and creamy.
  2. Serve with apple slices, pretzels and graham crackers!
Nutrition Information
Serving size: 1 Calories: 137 Fat: 8 Carbohydrates: 16 Sugar: 8 Fiber: 2 Protein: 3

Cashew Pumpkin Dip ~vegan~ It's secretly healthy and tastes just like pumpkin cheesecake! Dip into it with apple slices, pretzels or spread onto graham crackers for a delightful snack...or just eat it by the spoonfuls!

P.S. Leftovers make a tasty topping on whole grain toast for breakfast! 

Head over to Nuts.com for more healthy snack ideas including snacks for work, snacks for kids and high-protein snacks!

boo bark

I’ve seen so many variations of Halloween Bark floating around Pinterest these days.  They look beautiful, but are all loaded with artificial coloring and chemicals.  Here is my healthier take on it, Boo Bark!

Boo Bark, healthier halloween bark! ~vegan, gluten free~ 

I found the eyes and natural food coloring at whole foods.  I melted coconut butter and coconut oil together to create something similar to white chocolate.  It gave the bark a nice coconutty flavor!  I added brown rice crisps, dried cranberries and walnuts for texture, but feel free to add any of your favorite healthy snacks!  Pistachios, sunflower seeds, dried apple pieces, peanuts or dried kiwi would all work well!  Try this adorable recipe for Vegan Googly Eyes from Fork & Beans!

Boo Bark, healthier halloween bark! ~vegan, gluten free~

Boo Bark
 
Print
Spooky Bark, a healthy version of Halloween Bark without all the added dyes or chemicals!
Author:
Recipe type: Dessert
Cuisine: Vegan
Ingredients
  • 1 bag dark chocolate chips (I use Enjoy Life)
  • ¼ cup coconut butter
  • ½ tablespoon coconut oil
  • a few drops of all-natural orange food coloring
  • walnuts
  • dried cranberries
  • brown rice crisp cereal
  • naturally colored green sprinkles
  • monster eyes (optional!)
Instructions
  1. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
  2. Using a double boiler melt chocolate. Spread evenly onto parchment paper.
  3. Meanwhile, melt coconut butter and coconut oil in a small saucepan over low heat. Add all-natural food coloring. Drizzle on chocolate and use a knife to swirl.
  4. Top with goodies of your choice such as walnuts, dried cranberries, brown rice crisps, sprinkles and monster eyes!
  5. Place in a cool place to harden. Once set, cut into squares and enjoy!
  6. Store in the refrigerator.

 Boo Bark, healthier halloween bark! ~vegan, gluten free~