Almond Butter Quinoa Blondies

Gluten free almond butter quinoa blondies are an extra moist wholesome treat.

In the house where I grew up there was a balcony off of the second floor bedrooms that was carved out of the sloping roof. After every snowfall the balcony needed to be shoveled off which meant that a great pile of snow accumulated on the lawn below the roof.

It was like a built in sliding hill after a big storm. My brothers would shovel the balcony and then we'd climb over the railing and slide down the roof into the big pile of snow. It was brilliant.

 

After a day of playing in the snow my kids are always starving. These brownies are a filling treat that I make from time to time. Made with quinoa and almond butter they're a nice change from cookies.

 

The recipe is from an issue of Eating Well Magazine that I bought one year through a magazine subscription fundraiser at my kids' school. I have baked out of these magazines more than any other.

Baking with nut & seed butters:
If you're looking for other recipes that use nut and seed butter try my recipe for Tahini Lentil Snack Cake, Tahini Oatmeal Squares, or Tahini Oatmeal Cookies.

Green tip: Almonds are not environmentally friendly so I consider almond butter a treat and use it sparingly. Read more about the environmental issues with almonds.

 

Almond Butter Quinoa Blondies

from Eating Well Magazine

Ingredients:

• 1/4 cup butter, softened
• 3/4 cup almond butter
• 2 eggs
• 3/4 cup packed light brown sugar
• 1 tsp.vanilla
• 3/4 cup quinoa flour* (or another GF flour)
• 1 tsp. baking powder
• 1/4 tsp. salt
• 3/4 cup semisweet chocolate chips 

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 350°F and line an 8-inch-square pan with parchment paper.
2. In a large bowl beat butter and almond butter until creamy. Beat in eggs, one at a time, then brown sugar and vanilla.
3. In another bowl whisk quinoa flour, baking powder and salt.
4. Add flour mixture to wet ingredients and stir until just combined.
5. Stir in chocolate chips. Scrape batter into prepared pan and spread evenly.
6. Bake 25 to 35 minutes, until a cake tester inserted into the center comes out with just a few moist crumbs.
7. Let cool in the pan for 45 minutes before cutting.  Store in the fridge.

*Make your own quinoa flour: grind whole grains of quinoa into a powder in a coffee grinder.