Gluten Free, Vegan Chickpea Blondies
A Thanksgiving lifesaver - these chickpea blondies will not only be a crowd pleaser at your feasts this weekend, but they are also gluten free and vegan to fit everyone's dietary needs! Have a friend or family member with a nut allergy? Substitute in seed butter or any other nut-free butter! If you try this recipe, tag us in your photos on Facebook and Instagram @VancouverDietitians

Ingredients
1 can (16 oz) chickpea, drained and rinsed
½ cup natural peanut butter or almond butter
⅓ cup pure maple syrup
2 tsp vanilla extract
¼ tsp baking soda
¼ tsp baking power
½ cup chocolate chips
Recipe
Add chickpeas, nut butter, maple syrup and vanilla extract to a blender or food processor and blend until smooth
Add the baking soda, baking powder, and salt and blend again
Fold in the chocolate chips and stir with a spoon or spatula
Pour cookie dough into an 8x8 baking dish lined with parchment paper
Bake blondies at 350F for 20-24 minutes or until a knife inserted in middle comes out mostly clean and the edges/top are golden brown (be sure not to overbake or this will dry out the blondies)
The batter will look slightly under-baked but it will firm up after letting it cool for at least 25 minutes.