In high school, my mom would often pack hummus in a little tupperware container for me to eat with pita bread or veggies at lunch. Because kids are mean and dumb, a few people would make fun of it because they had never had it. It didn’t phase me, because I got to sit there eating a few dollops of heaven while they ate their peanut butter and jelly in misery.
Fast forward to college, and for some reason it seemed that suddenly hummus had become all the rage. Those lame kids from high school were probably sitting around their dorms eating some Sabra and rueing the day they made fun of it, realizing they had missed several years of potential hummus-eating.
Ok, maybe not. But anyway, my point is that the chickpea-based trend that is still going strong didn’t necessarily have an easy go of it in the beginning. Which is why I ask you to reserve your judgment when I tell you what my new favorite ingredient in baked desserts is.
Chickpeas.
I’ll admit that I was a little reticent at first as well, but I knew Chocolate Covered Katie would never steer me wrong. The first item I made was her Healthy Cookie Dough Dip that I featured in my round-up of favorite dessert recipes. I’ve been a cookie dough fiend since I can remember, but binging on the raw goodness never left me feeling so hot. That’s why I figured I had nothing to lose in making the chickpea dip. It was amazing, and it didn’t leave me wanting to start a new diet of rice cakes and water afterwards.
I’ve made a few delicious chickpea recipes since, and I will eventually share more with you. But for now, I have to bring your attention to another Chocolate Covered Katie recipe. (My obsession with her blog may be unhealthy, but the food isn’t!)
I made Katie’s Healthy Chocolate Chip Chickpea Blondies a few months back, so the baking portion of the memory is a bit hazy. But I promise you I remember those delicious blondies like I ate them yesterday.
They were ooey, gooey and sweet. I actually had to put some of them down the garbage disposal because I was living alone at the time, and eating an entire batch of even a “healthy” treat would not bode well for me.
The only thing I must warn you about (other than not to make them alone ^) is that mine came out a different texture than the ones in Katie’s pictures. Hers look sort of gritty and structured, while mine came out soft, smooth, and a bit fragile. I absolutely loved the taste and texture of mine, so don’t be worried if yours come out looking a little different than the photos on her blog. In fact, I love gooey desserts, so this was the best possible outcome for me. I’m sorry – I know that word is kind of creepy and I’ve used it twice now, but there is no other way to describe it properly.
Your unsuspecting victims will have no earthly idea that these are made with chickpeas. They will think you are a gluttonous master baker, though. You’re welcome.
And to all you people that will roll your eyes at these bean-laden concoctions, let me remind you that I was years ahead of the hummus curve. Trust in the chickpeas.
2 Comments
A brownie that is actually healthy for you?? Pass me a square!
You have to try them! So yummy. Thanks for reading!