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. Â 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. Â 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!!!
