Baked Vegan Lentil Blondie Protein Bars

Red lentils cook down soft enough to blend into a completely smooth batter, and they carry vanilla and caramel flavors much better than chickpeas do. These bake dense and chewy through the middle, closer to a blondie than a cake. Cook the lentils plain in water, with no salt or aromatics.

Ingredients

• 1 cup dried red lentils
• 1/2 cup natural creamy almond butter
• 2 scoops (64g) vanilla plant protein powder
• 1/2 cup pure maple syrup
• 1/4 cup coconut flour
• 2 tablespoons ground flaxseed plus 5 tablespoons water
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
• 1/2 cup dairy-free chocolate chips

Instructions

1. Simmer the lentils in 3 cups of water for about 15 minutes until very soft, drain them thoroughly in a fine mesh sieve, and let them cool for 10 minutes.
2. Stir the ground flaxseed and water together and set aside for 5 minutes to gel. Heat the oven to 350F and line an 8x8-inch pan with parchment.
3. Blend the cooled lentils, almond butter, maple syrup, flax gel, and vanilla in a food processor for about 90 seconds, until completely smooth.
4. Pulse in the protein powder, coconut flour, baking powder, and salt just until combined. Over-mixing at this stage makes the bars rubbery.
5. Fold in the chocolate chips by hand, spread the batter into the pan, and bake for 25 to 28 minutes, until the edges are set and the center still looks slightly underdone.
6. Cool completely in the pan, at least 90 minutes, before cutting into 12 bars. Warm bars will tear apart.
7. Store in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 5 days, or freeze for up to 3 months.

Tips

• Drain the lentils hard and let them steam dry in the sieve. A few extra tablespoons of cooking water pushes the batter into cake territory and adds 10 minutes to the bake.
• Coconut flour absorbs several times its weight in liquid, and so does plant protein powder. Do not add more of either to fix a loose batter; chill the batter for 15 minutes instead.
• Canned lentils work in a pinch. Rinse them well and use 2 1/2 cups drained, then skip step one entirely.

FAQ

Can you taste the lentils?

No. Red lentils are mild and the almond butter and vanilla cover them completely. Brown and green lentils are much earthier and will show through.

Can I use oat flour instead of coconut flour?

Yes, but use 3/4 cup rather than 1/4 cup. Coconut flour absorbs roughly three times as much liquid as oat flour.

Why are my bars dry?

Almost always over-baking. Pull them while the center still wobbles slightly, because plant protein powder keeps firming as the pan cools.

Are these gluten free?

Yes, as long as your protein powder and chocolate chips are certified gluten free. There is no flour of any kind in the recipe.

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