Okay, these bars are like a little miracle. So easy and quick and SO yummy. When we McDougall, we generally try to do mostly the Maximum Weight Loss version – but with some exceptions.  The chocolate chips in these bars are vegan (and GF), but chocolate is definitely a higher-fat plant food. However, these bars require no flour, which is awesome. All the scrumptiousness comes from chickpeas and oats.  The ingredients get blended up together in the food processor, so the oats do get broken down some – but nowhere near the consistency of flour. More whole foods=more weight loss and most important: greater health!

It can be hard starting to McDougall after being off of it and I find that making healthier desserts on a semi-regular basis (especially at first) really helps curb my sweet cravings and makes the transition to McDougalling a smoother one.  Plus, a sweet like this one is so much healthier than its full-fat chocolate chip cookie equivalent  –  that it makes me feel good about my choices.  Plus, I’m losing weight – so win win.

Ingredients:

-1 19oz can Chickpeas, drained and rinsed

-1/2 cup whole oats

-1 cup light brown sugar

-2 tsp baking powder

-1/2 tsp salt

-1 tsp Mexican vanilla extract                                                     (regular will work but won’t be as tasty)

-About 1/5 of a bag of vegan chocolate chunks (Or for the Snickerdoodle version, powdered cinnamon and raw cane sugar)

Directions:

-Pre-heat oven to 350

-Blend all ingredients (except for chocolate chunks or cinnamon-sugar topping) together in food processor until smooth (scraping the sides to help it along)

-Spray an 8×8 square pan with non-stick spray (or use high quality non-stick bakeware)

-Fill pan evenly with batter

-Top with chocolate chunks (Or dust the top with cinnamon and sprinkle raw sugar evenly across the surface)

-Bake for 25-30 minutes (28 minutes is perfect in our gas oven)

-Let cookie bars cool for 15 minutes before cutting

**For a toothier texture, use more oats**

-DIVE INTO THE MIRACULOUS COOKIE GOODNESS!!!

Recently, I made these for a get together with            friends. At the last minute I remembered that          the one person who is vegan and gluten free              doesn’t like chocolate. So I created the                        Snickerdoodle version on the fly.  They turned          out great and seemed to be even more popular          than the original Chocolate Chunk cookie bars.   So wah lah! Get creative!!!