Tuesday, October 30, 2012

Whole Wheat Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Bars

      So apparently tomorrow is Halloween... When did that happen?! I didn't even get my decorations up this year except some spiderwebs on the fireplace. Usually I bake up a storm of pumpkin treats as soon as it is deemed acceptable or even a little sooner if my sister or fiancee beg me to make their favorite pumpkin infused baked good. But this year has been crazier than usual with school and work and sleep.
   
         Also since I don't use sugar or white flour anymore, it's been difficult finding any recipes that are appealing to me. Everything that had anything that I might be able to use had crazy ingredients like coconut or almond flour or coconut oil. I don't roll like that. I hate coconut with a fiery passion and I love using butter with an equally (non-hateful) passion. So I decided I'll just find a normal recipe and adjust it to my needs and hopefully it goes well.
       Luckily it did and that's how these babies were born! They're so good and of course I have to throw in some flax seed for a little nutty flavor but you can leave those out because the whole wheat flour gives it a hint of nutty flavor anyway. Also I used maple syrup to partially sweeten them just to give it that little boost of fally flavor. If you don't want to use whole wheat that's cool just sub out stuff for the stuff that I subbed out. (Inception recipe!) But anyway, I hope you like these yummy and healthy option for a nice pumpkin treat.

  Whole Wheat Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Bars
2 cups White Whole Wheat Flour (King Arthur)
1 Tbsp Pumpkin Pie Spice
1 Tsp Baking Soda
3/4 Tsp Salt
1/4 cup Flax Seed (optional)
1 Cup Butter (Softened)
 1/2 Cup Honey (Local!)
3/4 Cup Maple Syrup (Local!)
1 Egg (Local!)
2 Tsp Vanilla
1 Cup Pumpkin Puree (Local!)
1 1/2 Cup Chocolate Chips

 1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

 2. Mix together dry ingredients: Flour, Pumpkin pie spice, baking soda, and salt.

 3. Make a well in the dry ingredients and add butter, honey, maple syrup, egg, vanilla, and pumpkin.

 4. Use hand mixer and mix ingredients together until blended. (It will be doughy.) Fold in chocolate chips.

 5. Grease 9x13 pan with butter or other oil then press dough into pan.

 6. Bake for 35-40 mins.

 7. Enjoy your yummy fall treat! (Actually they are good anytime! So enjoy all the time!!) :)