Choc chip blondies Recipe (guilt-free!)

Choc chip blondies (gluten-free)

Prep time: 10 minutes
Baking time: 15–20 minutes
Servings: 12–16 blondies

Ingredients:
2 x 410 g cans chickpeas, drained and rinsed
6 Tbsp raw honey
100 g almond butter
1 tsp vanilla essence
2 tsp caramel essence
1 tsp bicarbonate of soda
50 g almond flour
1 tsp Oryx desert salt
2 large eggs
100 g dairy-free dark chocolate, chopped (I prefer Gayleen’s Decadence)

1. Preheat the oven to 180 °C on thermo-fan. Line a 20 x20cm baking pan with baking paper and spray with non-stick cooking spray.
2. Place the chickpeas in the bowl of a food processor and blend until smooth. Add all of the other ingredients except the eggs and chocolate and process on high for 3–5 minutes, scraping down the sides, until the mixture is smooth and well blended. (If you don’t have a food processor, you can pulp the chickpeas with a blender, add the rest of the ingredients and beat with an electric beater for 2 minutes on high speed.)
3. Beat the eggs in a separate bowl until light and fluffy, then add to the chickpea mixture and beat for another 30 seconds to mix well. Fold in the chocolate chunks.
4. Spoon the mixture into the prepared baking pan and bake for 15–20 minutes. The edges will be crispy and firm to the touch, while the centre will remain moist and soft.
5. Allow to cool completely before cutting into squares and serving. The centre will firm up a bit while cooling, but will remain perfectly moist and soft.

Note: These gluten-free soft and fudgy blondies are bursting with healthy flavor, are naturally sweetened and are the perfect dessert to sneak in some protein-packed chickpeas.

Listen below to Izelle's first episode of Mindful Living where she talks to TV personality and YouTube sensation Naledi Mallela (pictured below) about mindfulness, favourite foods and Mukbang videos.

Why do we make use of these ingredients for the Choc chip blondies?

Chickpeas

I love chickpeas, whether grilled and flavoured as a snack, served in a vegetarian curry or pulped and mixed with a few other ingredients to form the base of a cake! Chickpeas are a good source of fibre, rich in calcium and anti-inflammatory, and boost the immune system.

Almonds

Whether in the form of milk, flour, butter or flakes, almonds are packed with nutritional benefits. They boost the immune system, help repair damaged skin, help prevent cancer, reduce the risk of osteoporosis and have alkalising properties. They are also a source of vitamin E, magnesium and high-quality protein.

Raw Cacao

Raw cacao contains very high amounts of antioxidants, reduces appetite and helps with weight loss. It alleviates stress, helps manage depression and regulates blood pressure. It is a fantastic source of calcium too. I always keep a slab of locally made Gayleen’s Decadence in my pantry, because it’s preservative free, dairy free and sweetened with raw honey.

Bicarbonate of soda

You will find this in my pantry as well as in the bathroom next to my toothbrush. Bicarbonate of soda alkalises the body, and so drinking half a teaspoon dissolved in water before I go to bed at night helps neutralise the acidity build-up of the day. It also provides relief from colds and flu, and supports healthy detoxification.

Oryx Desert Salt

What is the purpose of adding salt during cooking? It’s to enhance flavour, right? So why not start by using a good-quality salt to do the job? Sundried and unrefined with no additives will bring out the best in your food in the healthiest way possible.

Raw Honey

Salt needs sweet and vice versa to enhance taste and flavour. So when you add sweetness, choose a sweetness that has a healing effect on your body and health. Raw honey is antiviral and antifungal and contains powerful antioxidants. Its helps ward off allergies, stabilise blood pressure and balance blood sugar levels. It also boosts the immune system and promotes digestive health.

More about Izelle:

Lifestyle chef and cookbook author Izelle Hoffman is a rising star in South Africa's culinary firmament. Raised in a farming environment that placed great importance on good food, she’s convinced that eating correctly adds significantly to a life of overall wellness.

Izelle is well known to local television audiences as the lifestyle chef on a number of programs and she has also been food editor on a range of fitness magazines. She is author of Mindful Eating.

Follow Izelle on social media:

@IzelleHoffman on Instagram
Izelle Hoffman Lifestyle Chef on Facebook