Skinny Chocolate Chip Cookies

So after the black bean chocolate chocolate chips cookies turned out so delicious, I had to play some more with bean cookies. Since chickpeas, also known as garbanzo beans, are one of my all time favorite foods (I could eat roasted chickpeas every single day), I decided to make chickpea chocolate chip cookies. And I must say they didn't disappoint. Eric's family are fans. As his mom said, you don't have to feel guilty about getting one. Chickpeas are rich in dietary fiber, protein, manganese, and iron. All that in a cookie! Sadly since Eric knows these are made mostly out of beans and not flour and sugar, he won't even try them. But that just means more for the rest of us!

Recipe comes from here.

Ingredients:
1 15-ounce chickpeas (garbanzo beans), drained and rinsed
1/2 cup peanut butter*
1/2 cup light brown sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 cup milk chocolate chips

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a cookies sheet with cooking spray.

Add all the ingredients except for the chocolate chips in a food processor. Blend until mixture is smooth.
Stir in chocolate chips. Scoop 1 tablespoon of dough onto the cookie sheet and flatten with a fork or spatula. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes or until the bottoms turn a golden brown and the chocolate chips melt.

*The peanut butter is going to give these cookies a slightly peanut butter taste (but who doesn't love peanut butter?). The original recipe called for cashew butter (I've never had it but it sounds divine). I used almond butter because I had it in the fridge and I used it in my black bean cookies. You couldn't taste it what so ever in those cookies. However, there was a slight almond taste to these chickpea cookies. And the almond just doesn't mingle as well with the nuttiness of the chickpea as peanut butter does. So I recommend peanut butter, but it's really a matter of opinion.

Enjoy!

~Krissy

Healthified Chocolate Chocolate Chip Cookies

I have long been fascinated with the use of beans in cookies, brownies, and cakes. But beans in desserts? Healthier or not, that just sounds . . . eww. But I was curious so I finally tried a batch of chocolate chocolate chip cookies made with black beans. Not only did these cookies have extra protein and fiber, they were incredibly moist and chocolaty. And you know what . . . you really couldn't taste the beans. I have to be honest, I didn't expect them to be that good, I certainly didn't expect the intense chocolate flavor.

But the true test would be having other people taste them. I didn't tell anyone they were made of beans. And guess what? They were a success. Eric's mom loved them. She never would have guessed they were made up of 90% beans. Even Eric, who doesn't tend to favor chocolate cookies, liked them too, though he said they wouldn't be his go-to cookie. I told him the cookies were healthified. I still haven't told them they were made out of beans. Shhh!

With a few minor changes, this recipe comes from here. 

Ingredients:
1 15-ounce can of black beans, drained and rinsed
2 tablespoons almond butter (you can also use peanut butter)
2 tablespoons milk
2 tablespoon flour
4 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
1/3 cup brown sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a cookie sheet with cooking spray.

Place the beans, peanut butter, and milk into a blend and combine until smooth.

In a bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, sugar, cinnamon, and baking powder. Add the bean mixture to the dry ingredients. Mix until well combined. Stir in the chocolate chips. Your dough will be a bit sticky.

Place tablespoon of dough on the greased cookie sheet. Slightly flatten them with a spatula or fork. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack to cool.

Enjoy!

~Krissy