Chickpea Peanut Butter Cookies

Hey there, foodies! Today, I'm excited to share my latest kitchen experiment with you – peanut butter cookies with a secret ingredient! Yep, you guessed it, chickpeas! Now, before you scrunch up your nose and click away, hear me out. These cookies are not your average treat. They're packed with fiber, crispy on the outside, and oh-so-soft on the inside. Plus, they make a fantastic on-the-go breakfast option when paired with a protein shake.

So, let's dive into the nitty-gritty of what you'll need for these innovative cookies. First up, grab a can of chickpeas and rinse them thoroughly. Then, gather half a cup of peanut butter, a couple of ripe bananas, some chocolate chips, a splash of vanilla, a smidge of stevia drops (if your bananas are super ripe like mine were), and of course, trusty ol' baking powder. Oh, and don't forget your parchment-lined baking pan and to preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.

Once you have everything ready, throw those rinsed chickpeas into a blender, add in the bananas, a dollop of your favorite nut butter (I had to top up my peanut butter with some sunflower butter – improvisation at its finest!), a touch of stevia for sweetness, a dash of vanilla, and a sprinkling of baking powder. Blend it all up until it's smooth and then fold in the chocolate chips. Quick tip: this batter is thick, like really thick. So, use a spoon to drop dollops onto your parchment paper-lined pan. I managed to make about eleven decently sized cookies from one batch.

Pop those babies into the preheated oven for ten minutes. If they don't flatten out on their own, you might want to give them a little press to even them out. After that, bake for another 3 minutes, let them cool, and voila! You've got yourself some delicious, guilt-free, fiber-packed peanut butter cookies.

Now, the best part – the taste test! I'll be honest, I was a tad skeptical at first, but once I sank my teeth into one of these little wonders, I was sold. The exterior had that perfect crunch, giving way to a soft, melt-in-your-mouth interior. Two thumbs up from me!

So, there you have it, folks. A super easy, surprisingly tasty, and healthy-ish treat that's perfect for breakfast, snacking, or satisfying a sweet tooth. Give it a try and let me know what you think. And hey, if you have any other unusual ingredient ideas for baking, drop them in the comments below. Until next time, happy baking!

15 ounce canned no-salt-added chickpeas, drained and rinsed
1/2 cup peanut butter 
2 medium ripe bananas 
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon baking powder 
1/3 cup chocolate chips (optional)

Instructions
Preheat oven to 350° F Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or baking mat.
Add all the ingredients into a food processor/blender and blend until a thick dough forms.

Transfer the batter to a lined baking sheet. Use a spoon to scoop cookies onto pan.

Push down the batter to flatten.
Bake for 10-13 minutes. Wait several minutes to firm up. 

Notes
Can sub peanut butter with any nut or seed butter of choice

Storage:
Once cooled, transfer to an airtight container and store in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. The color will darken over time from bananas. Don't reheat.

Per cookie based on recipe of 12 

Calories 137

Protein 5.4

Net carbs 9.3

Fat 8.3