White Bean Blondies

You guys, I think I need a vacation from my vacation.

I took this past week off of work to get stuff done that I haven't been able to since I feel like I'm always at work. And the bathroom was being renovated, so I wanted to make sure Needy McSnuggles was shut away with enough food and water.

It was also the perfect time to get some stuff together for your surprise coming up (March 30th is the first post. That's your clue for the day) and to work on some recipes. And you guys, I cooked and baked my little butt off. I mean, I was up making pie at 2 in the morning on Tuesday. Wednesday? I don't know; it's all a bit of a blur.

Then this weekend rolls around I realize something: despite the fact that my refrigerator is now fully stocked, I had nothing to post. Everything was either a recipe fail, prep for your surprise, or recipe development for Cookie Wars. And you guys, I didn't want to bake anymore. I've been non-stop all week. I haven't been keeping up on your blogs, I haven't been on facebook, I haven't been on the computer at all except for research. I've been at the grocery store so many times this week that I would pick the check out lane by finding a cashier I haven't seen yet.

Luckily, I remembered that I had these beauties saved for just such an occasion. Every so often, planning does work out for me.

I made these blondies from Chocolate-Covered Katie for someone who wanted a healthy dessert. The flavor was great-- if you went by that alone, you'd never be able to tell that they were both vegan and gluten free. The texture, however, was a bit bean-y. That might be the fault of my food processor, which is small and, umm... inexpensive. The blondies also were rather gooey-er than I had expected, which made them a bit delicate. I think the bake time may be off, but with no clear indication of "doneness", it's hard to say if it's the recipe or it just needed a couple minutes longer in the oven.

While I wouldn't give these blondies to anyone expecting a thoroughly unhealthy dessert, the flavor is there, and there are worse problems than it being a bit too gooey. And being vegan and gluten free, these can satisfy people who are even on restricted diets. I'd call it a keeper.

Yes, I know they're not green. Or boozey. Or Irish in anyway. I'm posting a non-St. Paddy's Day recipe on St. Paddy's Day. It's okay, I've already pinched myself for you. But hey, they're probably great with beer.


White Bean Blondies {Printable Version}
Yield: 12 blondies

Ingredients
1 can white beans or chickpeas, rinsed well and drained
¾ cup packed brown sugar
¼ cup ground quick oats
¼ cup peanut butter
2 tsp. vanilla extract
¾ tsp. baking powder
¼ tsp. salt
1/8 tsp. baking soda
½ cup semisweet chocolate chips, divided

Directions
Preheat oven to 350°F. Add all ingredients, except chocolate chips, to a food processor and blend until smooth. Reserve about 1/3 of the chocolate chips and fold the rest into the batter. Spray an 8x8 inch square pan with cooking spray and line with parchment paper. Spread the batter evenly into the prepared pan. Bake 30-35 minutes. Blondies will appear slightly under done, but should firm up as they cool

Recipe from Chocolate-Covered Katie