Guilt-Free Cookie Dough Squares

The other day I was having one of those moments where I saw a recent photo of myself and was like, "Alright, time to get a little healthier again."  I'd made falafel waffles (which is fun to sing ♪♪♫), just using our Falafel Recipe and cooking it in the waffle maker with no fat; a lot better than our regular frying.  That had me remembering how healthy garbanzo beans are for us and brain storming what other ways besides hummus, falafel and salads that I could use them.  Several years ago, I remember coming across recipes for "dessert hummus" that tasted like chocolate chip cookie dough.  I made it once back then, ate it with graham crackers or something and didn't seem real impressed with it.

BUT... I thought I could probably improve upon it and turn it into a "square" or "bar" recipe.  And that's just what I did tonight!  I even took the time to go through my Guilt-Free Cookie Dough Squares recipe versus one batch of the original Nestle Toll House cookie recipe to see how much healthier mine actually was.  I figured they're pretty close to the same size in quantity, looking at the ingredient amounts... you might even get more out of mine than you would a batch of cookies.  And mine came in 2000+ calories less than one batch of cookies, almost half as many carbohydrates and sugars, and more protein!

And the beautiful thing is... they taste exactly like raw cookie dough on tasty crust!  You're getting carbs that are low on the glycemic index (at least in comparison to flour which is the main ingredient in chocolate chip cookies).  That means they release their sugars more slowly in the body - they're longer lasting and they don't spike your body's glucose levels. 

This recipe can also be made gluten-free and/or vegan! I used AP flour in the crust, but since you're not looking for the crust to rise, you could easily substitute a rice flour or an almond flour - I haven't tried it, but I don't foresee any issues.  I also used butter, but coconut oil could be used in its place.  And carob chips would be a fantastic substitute to chocolate chips! 

Let's listen to The Lurkers - "I Don't Need To Tell Her".  -jen

GUILT-FREE COOKIE DOUGH SQUARES
Time:  40 minutes with 2 hours cooling time
Difficulty:  Easy
Makes:  18 squares

Crust:

• 3/4 cup old fashioned oats
• 2/3 cup AP flour (or gluten-free flour - rice, almond, etc)
• 1/4 cup chopped pecans
• 1/3 cup packed brown sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 6 tablespoons butter, softened (or coconut oil)

Filling:

• 2 (15oz) cans of garbanzo beans, drained and rinsed
• 1/2 cup old fashioned oats
• 1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
• 1/3 cup brown sugar
• 1/4 cup maple syrup
• 4 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 cup unsweetened almond milk (or milk of choice)
• 2/3 cup mini semi-sweet chocolate chips (plus 1/3 cup for drizzling - optional)

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.  Prepare a 13"x9" baking dish with butter or non-stick cooking spray.

In a food processor, combine all of the crust ingredients except the butter.  Pulse once or twice to combine.  Add softened butter and pulse until all the dry ingredients are combined, no longer look dry and clumps begin to form.  Turn out into prepared baking dish and using the palm of your hand, press the mixture firmly into the pan evenly, working it part-way up the sides.   Bake at 375 degrees F for 25-30 minutes, or until golden brown and edges are just starting to get dark.  Remove from oven and let cool completely (thirty minutes to an hour).

Meanwhile, combine the garbanzo beans, 1/2 cup old fashioned oats, peanut butter, 1/3 cup brown sugar, maple syrup, vanilla extract, salt and baking soda in a food processor (I just wiped it out after doing the crust).  Turn processor on high and add a little of the almond milk at a time, until mixture is smooth and reached desired consistency.  You may not need to use the full 1/4 cup.  Remove mixture from food processor and stir in 2/3 cup chocolate chips by hand.

Spoon the garbanzo mixture into the cooled crust and spread evenly.  If you like, melt 1/3 cup chocolate chips in a small bowl for 30 seconds in microwave.  Stir and microwave in 15 second increments until melted.  Using a spoon, drizzle melted chocolate over the top of the cookie dough squares.  Refrigerate for at least an hour.  Cut into squares.

Store in refrigerator.

Chocolate and Peanut Butter Zucchini Cake

We didn't have a garden this year, but Justin was gifted a bunch of zucchini from a coworker.  It just so happens that we'd seen Lidia Bastianich's show "Lidia's Kitchen" a few days before this where she'd made a chocolate zucchini cake.  I was just going to follow her recipe, but when I went looking for it online, it was nowhere to be found.  I assume it was because it was a recent episode and they want you to buy the cookbook.  I found a few other recipes online but they called for ingredients I didn't have so... I decided to come up with my own recipe.

I used to like to say I'm not much of a baker, but I guess our blog would actually prove me wrong.  I've been doing more and more baking and have become fairly adept at it.  Still, it's not like cooking where you can just add random ingredients here and there.  My problem is that I still try to do that with my baking and so it doesn't always come out stellar and I don't always have a recipe to post.  This recipe, however, came out great!  Woohoo!  It's moist, but light.  Somewhere in between cake and brownies.  

Let's listen to The Interrupters "On A Turntable"  -jen

CHOCOLATE AND PEANUT BUTTER ZUCCHINI CAKE
Prep Time:  15 minutes
Cook Time:  50 minutes
Difficulty:  Easy
Makes:  18-24

• 2 + 1/4 cups flour
• 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 + 1/2 cups packed dark brown sugar
• 1/2 cup butter (1 stick), room temp
• 1/2 cup melted coconut oil
• 2 large eggs, room temp
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup unsweetened almond milk
• 2 cups grated unpeeled zucchini (about 1 large or 2 medium)
• 3/4 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips
• 1/2 cup creamy peanut butter

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.  Butter or spray with nonstick cooking spray a 13 x 9 x 2 inch baking pan. 

In a large mixing bowl whisk together flour, cocoa powder, baking powder and salt.

In another large mixing bowl, using a stand mixer or electric beater, beat sugar, butter and oil until smooth.  Add eggs 1 at a time and vanilla and beat until combined.  Alternately add 1 cup of dry ingredients with half of the almond milk, and repeat until mixed, starting and ending with the dry ingredients.  Mix in grated zucchini and fold in chocolate chips.  Spread batter evenly into prepared baking dish.

In a small dish, microwave peanut butter for about 30 seconds, until smooth and melted.  Spread about 5 thin rows of peanut butter across the top of the batter running them short-wise.  Using a butter knife, drag 4 rows lightly through the peanut butter going long-wise, first in one direction, then the next, to create a pretty design.  (Or just swirl, it doesn't matter!)

Bake at 325 F for about 50 minutes.  Test the center by inserting a clean knife.  If it comes out clean, the cake is done.  Cool on a wire rack.  Slice into 18 large slices or 24 small slices.

Banana Cream Pie Bars

Was just sitting around on this 4th of July, watching bad tv, pondering what we had in the kitchen.  Came across the four bananas that were getting close to being too ripe.  Thought about just doing some banana bread or banana muffins, but that seemed more "bready" than I felt like.  Last week, I'd found some pumpkin in the freezer from last fall when we'd roasted and pureed a few pumpkins.  I made a great, hearty crust with oats and nuts, so I figured... why not make some banana cream pie bars using the same crust?  I've never made banana cream pie before, though strangely, that's kind of how I met Justin - it was a topic of conversation.  Then when I was grabbing the vanilla extract, I caught the chocolate chips out of the corner of my eye and decided they'd go into it, too.

Been listening to music all day today.  Lots of Lagwagon, Strung Out, Swingin' Utters.  It was kind of hard to choose a song.  But one album I pulled out today was NOFX's "Punk In Drublic".  Total flashback to my angst filled freshman year in high school.  I remember specifically playing this cassette tape over and over on my boombox while playing Super Nintendo with my little brother.  So I chose "Leave It Alone."   -jen

BANANA CREAM PIE BARS
Time:  30 minutes
Difficulty:  Easy/Medium (it seemed easy to me)
Makes:  12 bars

Crust

• 3/4 cup old fashioned oats
• 2/3 cup flour
• 1/3 cup brown sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 6 tablespoons butter (3/4 of a stick), softened
• 1/4 cup chopped nuts of choice (walnuts, pecans, almonds, hazelnuts, etc) 
• 1/3 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips (optional)

Custard

• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 1/3 cup corn starch
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 2 cups heavy whipping cream
• 1 cup water, room temp
• 3 large egg yolks
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 4-5 large, ripe bananas, sliced thin

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

Combine oats, flour, sugar, salt, baking soda and butter.  Beat until butter is cut into flour and crumbly.  Stir in nuts and chocolate chips.  Prepare a 13"x 9" (2 qt) baking dish by buttering or coating it with non-stick cooking spray.  Press mixture into the baking dish evenly, coming slightly up the sides (make sure to even out the corners so they're not real thick).  Bake crust at 375 degrees F for 17-20 minutes (until crust is golden brown).  Remove and set on a cooling rack.

While crust is baking, prepare custard by combining sugar, corn starch and salt in a medium sauce pan.  Whisk in cream and water.  Then whisk in egg yolks.  Cook over medium-high heat, continuing to whisk until sauce thickens and boils (about 6 minutes).  Remove from heat and then whisk in butter and vanilla.

Cover the cooled crust with a layer (2 to 2.5) of sliced bananas.  Scoop half of the custard evenly over the layered bananas, and carefully spread across them as evenly as possible.  Repeat a second layer of sliced bananas and custard.  Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for an hour before serving.

Choner Bars

You might be wondering what the hell a Choner Bar is, besides an incredibly delicious, chewy dessert.  Well, it's my understanding that stoners get the munchies.  And I've been told that when stoners get the munchies, they don't want to drive anywhere, so they start digging through their cupboards, making outrageous concoctions with what they have on hand!   So a hypothetical stoner might hypothetically have all these ingredients in the pantry and make a hypothetical chewy stoner bar out of them.  But we wouldn't want to title our bars Chewy Stoner Bars!  That could come with some negative implications, and it's hypothetical, after all... so we shortened it to Choner Bars.  Who are we to pretend like we know the culinary cravings of stoners just because we live in Humboldt County?!  Please... as if!

I chose The Clash's "Rock the Casbah" simply because someone was talking about Adam Ant today, and I was explaining my first crushes... which included Joe Strummer, specifically from this video.  So it was just rollin' through my head today.  -jen

CHONER BARS
Prep Time: 10 minutes, Bake Time: 40 minutes
Difficulty: Easy
Makes: 12 huge ass bars 

• 1 cup brown sugar
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 10 tablespoons butter, softened
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon  
• 3 eggs
• 2 cups flour
• 1 cup shredded coconut
• 1 cup old fashioned oats (or rolled oats)
• 1 cup chopped nuts of choice (I used 1/2 Hazel nut, 1/2 roasted peanuts)
• 2/3 cup dark chocolate chips
• 2/3 cup raisins

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.  Generously coat a 9x13 baking dish with non-stick cooking spray and set aside.

Combine brown sugar, granulated sugar and softened butter in a mixing bowl and beat with a mixer until creamed together.  Add vanilla, baking powder, salt and cinnamon; mix in.  While continuing to mix, add eggs, one at a time.  Then slowly beat in the 2 cups of flour.  Fold in coconut, oats, nuts, chocolate chips and raisins.

Press dough evenly into prepared pan and bake at 350 degrees for 35-40 minutes, until a knife inserted in the middle comes out clean.  Allow to cool before cutting and serving.