Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Blondies

Ingredients:

1/4 cup smooth peanut butter - I use Hi-PRO Nutrition (can replace with cashew butter or almond butter)
1 ripe banana (the browner the sweeter)

1 can of chickpeas

4 tbsp date syrup/maple syrup

1 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp vanilla essence

1/4 cup dark chocolate chips

Optional: 1/4 cup rolled oats or 1 scoop vanilla protein powder

Method: 

1. Preheat oven to 180 degrees and line a baking tray with greaseproof paper.

2. Mash the banana.

3. Drain and rinse the chickpeas

4. Add all ingredients, except chocolate chips, to a food processor.

5. Stir in the chocolate chips by hand

6. Pour the mixture into tray and bake for 20 minutes.

7. Leave to cool for 15 minutes before slicing into about 12 brownies.

The Peanut Butter brand to supplement your workouts

For those of you who, like myself, enjoy regular exercise as part of a healthy lifestyle, what better way to supplement your workouts and help your muscles recover than with a delicious and natural source of protein in the form of my all-time favourite spread: peanut butter!

Hi-PRO Nutrition has released both crunchy and smooth varieties, which have the perfect creamy consistency and endless nutritional benefits. First of all, every 2-tablespoon serving boasts 10g of protein – that’s 25% more than most peanut butters – all of which comes exclusively from natural peanut ingredients, making it suitable for anyone lactose-intolerant or vegans since it does not contain whey.

Whilst it is calorie dense, coming in at 203 cals per serving, this combination of healthy fats and protein will keep you feeling full. Despite no added sugar or salt, Hi-PRO remains incredibly flavoursome, whilst offering a generous dose of fibre (2.4g) and a whole range of vitamins and minerals, including niacin, folate, magnesium, zinc, and vitamins B3, B6 and E.

It is also really versatile – it can work well as a spread on toast, as a dip for apple slices or medjool dates (my favourite!), whisked into pancake batter, blended into smoothies, stirred into porridge or overnight oats, or used in baking for cookies and other sweet treats.

The only downside is that it can be dangerously addictive and I have found myself on more than a few occasions simply eating it straight out of the jar with a spoon!

Check out their website, pick up a jar in your local Sainsbury's for £2.70 or order it on Amazon.

Below are a few of my recipes using Hi-PRO, and I have also incorporated Hi-PRO peanut butter into my recipe for Açai Chia Overnight Oats (click here) - or head over to @cerealandpeanutbutter on Instagram for many more! 

 

Post-workout chocolate milkshake

1 frozen banana

½ avocado

1 tbsp Hi-PRO crunchy peanut butter

1 tbsp chia seeds

2 tbsp raw cacao powder

1 tbsp cacao nibs

1 scoop chocolate protein powder (optional)

2 chopped medjool dates

1 cup almond milk

Whizz up all ingredients in a blender, pour into a bowl and top with fruit, seeds and granola.

Açai Smoothie Bowl

1 frozen banana

2 tbsp acai powder

1 tsp ground cinnamon

1 tbsp Hi-PRO smooth peanut butter

1 cup brown rice milk

1/2 cup coconut milk

Handful of blackberries

Handful of blueberries

Whizz up all ingredients in a blender, pour into a bowl and top with fresh fruit, nuts and granola.

PB&B Toast

1 banana, mashed

2 tbsp Hi-PRO smooth peanut butter

2 pieces rye bread, toasted

Handful of berries

Mix the banana and peanut butter together, spread over toast and decorate with berries.