Georgetown Bread Basket

Chocolate Lunchbox Chewies

Chocolate Lunchbox Chewies

AKA: “BROWNIES’ HEALTHY COUSIN” 

Keeping your ingredients nut-free by using nut-butter alternatives and checking your oatmeal and pudding packets etc. to be sure everything is free of peanuts, helps to keep these healthy, filling and DELICIOUS snacks lunchbox-friendly! But don’t stop at the lunchbox; these high-fibre, high-protein chewies are a terrific snack any time of the day! …And, no, you can’t taste the beans!  


~PROTEIN-PACKED~

 

MAKES 18-24 Bars

 

Download the PDF Version of Chocolate Lunchbox Chewies

INGREDIENTS:

  • 1 tin (approx. 540 ml) black beans/chickpeas/other bean of choice - preferably salt-free but not necessary (avoid lentils as they impart a bit of an earthy flavour in this recipe), rinsed and drained

  • 1/2 cup pancake syrup OR honey OR 1/2 cup white or brown sugar mixed with 1/4 cup water

  • 3/4 cup alternative nut-butter spread such as Wow-Butter (regular peanut butter is fine, just keep in mind that the chewies won’t be lunchbox-friendly)

  • 4 individual serving-sized packets of any flavoured/plain instant oatmeal OR 1 cup oats

  • 1/4 cup oil OR melted butter/margarine OR applesauce (plus more margarine for greasing pan)

  • 1 box (approx. 113 g) chocolate (or try butterscotch!) instant pudding powder OR 3/4 cup instant hot chocolate powder

  • 1/4 cup pancake/biscuit mix, any type OR flour 

DIRECTIONS:

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees and lightly grease or line with parchment paper a square 8 x 8 inch pan/casserole dish

  2. In a large bowl, using a potato masher, mash beans to as close to a paste as you can get it (a few chunks are fine)

  3. Add syrup and continue mashing until as smooth as possible

  4. Using a wooden spoon, mix in in Wow-butter and oil until well incorporated

  5. Mix in pancake mix, pudding powder and oats and combine well (depending on the combination of ingredients you used, the batter could be quite stiff - don’t worry; it will yield great results, so have no fear!).

  6. Spoon mixture evenly into prepared pan (if really thick, press it into pan evenly) and bake in preheated oven about 20-30 minutes (drier batter generally takes about 20 minutes, wet batter will take longer. Ready once middle is set). Let cool 1 hour, carefully cut into desired sized bars (they will be soft, tender and chewy) and store, well-wrapped, either in the fridge for 1 week or in the freezer for up to 1 month.