Monthly Archives: June 2020

Gluten-Free Chickpea Blondies

 

Gluten-free chickpea blondie with chocolate chips and walnuts

Flourless, gluten-free chickpea blondies are chewy and delicious.

I love to bake, and I love chickpeas (aka garbanzo beans), so coming up with a chickpea blondie recipe was a no-brainer for me. After a few tries on my part, my family gave this version of Gluten-Free Chickpea Blondies the thumbs up. My taste-testers and I think the blondies are delicious, and I’m happy that a chickpea blondie is a relatively healthy dessert!

In my opinion, blondies should be chewy, slightly gooey, and they should smack of brown sugar without being overly sweet.  We like our gluten-free blondies with chocolate (we prefer just about everything with chocolate!) and some crunch, so I added chocolate chips and chopped walnuts.

brown sugar, walnuts, eggs, chickpeas, chocolate chips, vanilla extract, oil, oatmeal

Gluten-Free Chickpea Brownies use just nine everyday pantry ingredients.

Better-for-You Blondies with Benefits

I didn’t set out to make these chickpeas gluten-free, it just happened that way. I have nothing against any kind of flour, but I know that some people must avoid flour and other foods with gluten.

Chickpeas take the place of most of the flour in Gluten-Free Chickpea Blondies, but you can’t use them whole! You must blend them first so that they are smooth and creamy enough to enhance the chewiness of baked goods and spread their goodness throughout the batter.

 

blended chickpeas in a food processor

Blended chickpeas contribute to the chewiness of baked goods.


Read: 26 Easy Recipes to Make with a Can of Chickpeas 


 

I prefer foods with lots of benefits, even desserts.  Why not get the biggest bang for your caloric buck from what you eat, even if it is a treat? One of these gluten-free chickpea blondies supplies many different nutrients, but these are stand-outs:


• 13% of your daily fiber for digestive health, and overall wellbeing


• 10% of your daily choline, necessary for every cell in your body and brain health


• 10% of daily vitamin E, which a powerful antioxidant that protects cells from damage


Chickpeas also provide phytonutrients, which are protective plant compounds. Eating plans that are rich in phytonutrients are associated with a lower risk for certain health conditions, including heart disease.

batter for gluten-free chickpea blondies with chocolate chips and walnuts

Stir the walnuts and chocolate chips in at the end.

Gluten-Free Chickpea Blondies

Chickpeas make these flourless blondies moist and chewy!
Prep Time10 minutes
Cook Time22 minutes
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Keyword: chickpeadessert, flourless, glutenfree, glutenfreeblondie, walnuts
Servings: 8
Calories: 280kcal

Ingredients

  • 1 15-ounce can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
  • 1/4 cup canola oil
  • 2 large eggs
  • 2/3 cup dark brown sugar
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
  • 1/2 cup plain gluten-free oats, uncooked
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 cup chopped walnuts
  • 1/3 cup gluten-free semi-sweet or dark chocolate chips

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 350˚F. Coat an 8-inch square baking pan with cooking spray.
  • Place drained chickpeas and oil in large food processor. Process until smooth, about 45 seconds to 1 minute. Add the eggs, brown sugar, and vanilla and process for another 45 seconds.
  • Add the oats, baking powder, and salt and blend for another minute or so. (The oatmeal won't completely break down, and that's OK.)
  • Stir the walnuts and chocolate chips into the batter and pour into the pan.
  • Bake for 18 to 20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean. Cool in the pan on a wire rack for 15 minutes before cutting.

Notes

Per serving: 280 calories, 15 grams fat (2 grams saturated fat), 47 milligrams cholesterol, 206 milligrams sodium, 34 grams carbohydrate, 4 grams fiber, 6 grams protein

Recipe Variations for Gluten-Free Chickpea Blondies

I love it when readers swap ingredients to make a recipe their own.  Here are some possible ingredient substitutions, and I’m sure you can come up with your own, too!

  • Use white chocolate chips instead of dark or semisweet chocolate chips.
  • Pump up the flavor with 1 teaspoon of ground cinnamon.
  • Swap walnuts for chopped hazelnuts or pecans.

Leave a note in the comments if you changed the recipe around to your liking!


Read: How to Make Ingredient Substitutions 


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Creamy Polenta, Shrimp, and Vegetable Bowls

Creamy polenta, shrimp and vegetable bowls

Creamy Polenta, Shrimp, and Vegetable Bowls are an easy way to include seafood in your eating plan.

I love quick, delicious dinners, don’t you? These creamy polenta, shrimp, and vegetable bowls are easy enough to make on busy weeknights, and elegant enough for guests. That’s my kind of meal!

I first wrote this post in 2016. I recently changed the recipe and I wanted to make you aware of the improvements. I’ve also added tips for customizing these bowls depending on what ingredients you have on hand. I love polenta and shrimp, but if you want to use chicken or another type of seafood, that works, too!

Eat Seafood Twice a Week

Experts recommend eating at least two seafood meals weekly, and as many as three meals ( a total of 8-12 ounces) in a week’s time if you’re pregnant or breastfeeding. Seafood is rich in protein, healthy omega-3 fats that support heart and brain health, and other nutrients, including choline, which is often in short supply in the American diet.

Shrimp is one of Americans’ favorite types of seafood: we eat an average of nearly 4.5 pounds a year per person. (I’m pretty sure I am a top consumer!) Most of the shrimp we eat is imported, but shrimp is also harvested and sold in the U.S. As fish go, shrimp is considered one of the safest.

Frozen shrimp and other frozen seafood are useful to have on hand to make meal prep easier, but you can also use the fresh variety, too.  You can even make these creamy polenta, shrimp, and vegetable bowls with frozen shrimp and you don’t have to thaw it before cooking!

How to Make Whole Grain Creamy Polenta

Creamy polenta is a mixture of cornmeal, water, butter, and cheese. (I add some milk to mine to make it creamier.)  I prefer whole grain cornmeal for its taste and health benefits.

For this dish, you may want to use a medium or coarse-ground cornmeal; packages of cornmeal labeled as polenta are usually coarser grinds. You can substitute grits for cornmeal but you won’t get the same results or the same nutrition profile.

Customize your Creamy Polenta, Shrimp and Vegetable Bowl

I am not into fussy, precise recipes. In fact, I love recipes that people can change around to suit their needs and what’s in their pantry at the moment. Here are some tips for making do in the kitchen:

  • No spinach? Kale works well in this recipe, too. I haven’t tried it, but I’m sure the bowls would be delicious with other greens, such as collard and beet, and with broccoli.
  • Canned, drained diced tomatoes can be swapped for the red bell pepper.
  • If you don’t have cornmeal in the house, or you don’t want to use it, swap pasta, farro, or rice. Farro is a whole grain, and whole wheat pasta and brown rice are, too. Any of the three will help you meet the suggested daily intake of at least three servings of whole grains a day.
  • Cooked chicken can take the place of shrimp. Polenta pairs well with chicken, meat, and seafood.

I‘m a big believer in using what you have on hand. Read this for how to make ingredient swaps that work. 


Creamy Polenta, Shrimp, and Vegetable Bowls

A simple, delicious meal in a bowl!
Prep Time10 minutes
Cook Time20 minutes
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: American
Keyword: highprotein, polentabowl, shrimpbowl
Servings: 4
Calories: 378kcal

Ingredients

  • 3 cups water
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 medium onion, chopped into 1/2-inch pieces
  • 2 large red bell peppers, chopped into 1-inch pieces
  • 6 cloves garlic
  • 5 cups baby spinach, stems removed
  • 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (optional)
  • 1 cup whole grain cornmeal
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 cup 1% low fat milk
  • 2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
  • 2 tablespoons butter
  • 16 ounces raw shrimp, peeled and deveined, tails removed
  • fresh chopped chives for garnish (optional)

Instructions

  • Place water in medium saucepan over high heat. Cover.
  • Add oil to large skillet. Heat oil over medium heat. When oil is hot, add the onion, red bell pepper, and garlic. Saute for about 5 minutes or until vegetables are tender.
  • Add the spinach and saute for another 3 minutes or until the spinach has just wilted. Add the crushed red pepper flakes and stir well. Remove from the heat.
  • When the water has boiled, slowly add the cornmeal, whisking constantly to prevent lumps. Add the salt. Turn the heat to low and simmer the cornmeal, stirring often, for 10 minutes. Add the milk, cheese, and butter and stir until the butter is melted and the polenta is creamy. Cover and set aside.
  • Return the skillet to the medium-high heat. Add the shrimp and cook until the shrimp is pink on both sides, about 5 minutes.
  • To serve, divide the polenta evenly between four bowls and top with the shrimp-vegetable mixture. Garnish with fresh chives, if desired.

Notes

Per serving: 378 calories, 16 grams fat (6 grams saturated fat), 210 milligrams cholesterol, 618 milligrams sodium, 30 grams carbohydrate, 4 grams fiber, 31 grams protein, 653 milligrams potassium, 208 milligrams calcium 

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