Make these 7-Ingredient Gluten Free Brownies to satisfy your sweet tooth without sacrificing your wholesome diet. These brownies are gluten-free, contain a higher protein content than most brownies, and are moist, sweet, and fudgey!
Social media is a funny thing.
It is so crazy to think that after years have passed since middle and high school, we are all still able to connect and enter into each other’s lives through the virtual world of Facebook.
We are able to see how each other’s lives have evolved since the last time we saw them. We get to see how people change and see if they are still who they are when we were all together in the classroom.
Fun fact, or maybe not so fun fact: high school was not a good time for me.
I was not into drinking and smoking, I was not into catty gossip, and I was left out a lot because of that. I had a jerk boyfriend who I look back on and wonder why I was so blind to be with him (for three years at that). I was often made fun of for being ambitious (literally, this one girl made fun of me for wanting so badly to get into my alma mater. HAHAH??)
I never felt like I could be myself except with a select group of girls (like… maybe three) because everyone else was so quick to tap into their judgments and be just plain mean. It was like everyone else was trying to be a certain way, and I was just trying to be myself, which apparently wasn’t acceptable.
There were many tears that no one saw, many days of dreading going to school that no one saw. I was social, I played sports year-round, I was in countless school clubs and organizations, I made good grades, on paper everything was great, but inside I was struggling more than anyone could realize.
But after all of it, I am actually thankful that I had that experience at that age. It made me a little bit stronger, it prepared me for whatever struggles were to come, and it taught me about myself. It was not fun at the time, and of course hindsight is 20/20, but I know those years turned out the way they did for a reason.
ANYWAY, THESE BROWNIES ARE THE BOMB.
I recently got some chickpea flour from Thrive Market and I’ve been totally experimenting with it. One experiment being these brownies, that thankfully turned out just as I had hoped.
These brownies are
Fudgy
Moist
Chocolatey
Sweet
Easy
Wholesome
[Tweet “Gluten-free brownies using chickpea flour!”]
And a little surprise with these: a combination of milk chocolate chunks and white chocolate chips. Like Emeril says…BAM!
- 1 cup chickpea flour
- 2/3 cup agave nectar or maple syrup
- 5 tbsp cocoa powder
- 1/4 cup coconut oil, melted and cooled
- 1 egg
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup white chocolate chips
- 1/2 cup milk chocolate chunks (optional)
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees and prepare an 8×8 baking dish.
- Combine chickpea flour and cocoa powder in a large bowl.
- Add in nectar, coconut oil, egg, and vanilla extract. Stir to combine.
- Fold in chocolate chips and stir to combine.
- Pour batter into baking dish and spread out evenly.
- Bake for 20 minutes.
Join the conversation:
Have you ever experienced anything like my high school years?
What’s your favorite type of flour to use?
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Maddie says
I am currently a junior in high school and I can relate to your experiences. I keep reminding myself that college will be better. Thanks for sharing your story. I think so many teenagers struggle with these same high school problems but are often times ashamed of their experiences. If we all share our struggles, we can become stronger together (okay totally sorry for all the cheese there)
Side note: THESE LOOK FREAKING AMAZING! I just bought a big bag of chickpea flour and I will be making these this weekend
The Blissful Balance says
I honestly cannot imagine growing up right now with social media the way it is. I mean we had MySpace in middle school and Facebook was getting big right around my junior year, but it was NOOOOOTHING like it is today. So it must be 100x worse! And I agree – people, teenagers, must unite in that way!! <3 Thanks so much Maddie!
Carly @ Fitliving Eats says
These look so delicious! I have some chickpea flour sitting in my pantry that I might just have to whip out to make these. I’m with ya – high school was not a glamorous time for me either. Girls can just be so plain mean and I went to a small school which made it even worse. Plus, the boyfriend I had… ewww! Ha.
The Blissful Balance says
Yes ya gotta!! Theyre so easy and yummy. I’m obsessed with using chickpea flour now haha. Oh gosh, my school was about 7,000 students, I can’t imagine a small school like that. MEH!
Erin @ The Almond Eater says
I’d say middle school AND high school are tough because people are so easy to judge. I’m fairly certain I had zero opinions about anything because i didn’t want someone to make fun of me. That said, even though I sometimes hate Facebook, I do think it’s cool to be able to see what people are doing. Also, THESE PHOTOS. So pretty!
The Blissful Balance says
I agree. I was with the same people in middle school, so I think it really started there. Kids can be so mean lol I’m afraid for whenever I have kids!! And now I feel like its worse with social media and cyber bullying and that crazy nonsense! Social media is wonderful but has a bad side especially in the hands of younger peeps I think.
Marina @ A Dancer's Live-It says
Ahhh chickpea flour!! Must buy! These look SO delicious Christina. I enjoyed high school because my music department and my cross country team were like a second family, but outside of those groups I sometimes felt alone and ugly. This was really only for freshman year because sophomore year is when I found my boyfriend, who I’m still with now, so yay!! <3 Senior year marked the beginning of my orthorexia, but now I'm currently kicking its ass and enjoying life as a recovered and healthy woman.
The Blissful Balance says
Yes yes you must try!! These came out pretty fudgey I feel like chickpea flour has some sort of moist component. That’s so great to hear! I found that in high school I had a much better time with my track team than with my cheerleading team. The cheer team was suuuper catty and I was NOT into gossip. But I cheered for 8 years because I loved it and I couldn’t let that stop me! And look at you, you are such an inspiration!! Kick that orthorexia’s booty girlfriend! You rock! <3
Emily @ My Healthyish Life says
I had a sort of opposite experience where I really loved high school, my friends, my school and my life. Ironically even at my all-girl’s Catholic high school my friend group was really solid and we never (or at least I never) got into arguments. But college (really, the first two years) were so rough. I was thrown for a loop and very discouraged. I guess we are proof that tough times, no matter when they occur, don’t last and things happen for a reason
Oh and timely GF recipe for celiac awareness month 😉
The Blissful Balance says
Funny because I think my sister had the same thing. High school was fine for her, but her freshman year of college was full of tears and spontaneous trips to Gainesville by my parents who were worried about her lol she did not do well until she found her niche with salsa dancing!
rachel at athletic avocado says
Oh my gosh I was the same in high school! My sister and I didn’t do anything “bad” haha so we were left out a lot with our friends and eventually stopped talking to a lot of people. Now we have friends that don’t do “stupid things” so it’s much better haha. Anyways, these brownies look so fudgey and delicious! Love that they are made with chickpea flour too!
The Blissful Balance says
Lol right!! It was like I was shunned for following the rules. Immaturity at its finest I guess!
Alyssa @ renaissancerunnergirl says
I was not a fan of the whole middle to high school time of life either, because while I had it together on the outside (good grades in AP courses, cheerleader, student council, a few good friends and fairly well liked in general) I was just so unhappy because I was doing everything other people wanted me to (or I thought they expected me to) and not thinking about what I wanted. It did teach me to value thinking about what I want and need and making that a priority, and it did teach me not to care what others thought of me quite so much, so I suppose I’m grateful for it too.
The Blissful Balance says
Yeah I can totally relate. You put that so perfectly!! Great to spin it in a positive way. <3
Amanda @ Exploring Life & Things says
Okay these brownies look so good. I’ve never baked with chickpea flour at all! That’s bizarre to me that being ambitious was something that was seen to be made fun of. I feel like that’s one of the best qualities anyone can have! I fortunately really enjoyed high school but I was similar, wasn’t into drinking or anything at all. I think I was so naive and didn’t even think that was a thing back then. My friends and I would spend Friday and Saturday nights at Panera or like.. choreographing dances haha.
The Blissful Balance says
Yeah I didn’t get it either but I remember being so, so hurt, mostly because I just didn’t understand!! That sounds like a group of friends I’d want to be a part of haha!
GiGi Eats says
Chickpea flour is DEFINITELY on my TO-TRY list!!! <3
The Blissful Balance says
You’ve gotta try it its my new obsession!!
Ellen @ My Uncommon Everyday says
For me, high school was when I made excellent friends and learned to be totally okay avoiding drama with great people by my side. College has been a totally different story so far, and I still feel closer to my high school friends than anyone I’ve met in college. The funny(ish) thing is, my best friends from high school are having the same experience, so in a long-distance way, we’re going through it together. Either way, I think that whole feeling of being a little isolated/alone is a really bad experience that can be really good for you. Like you said, I’m stronger and I know myself a little better because of it.
And on a totally different note, I really need to get myself some chickpea flour. I don’t know anything about it, but if it made brownies that fudgy, then it’s a must-try for me
The Blissful Balance says
That’s pretty much the same as my sister. We had opposite experiences. Looking back it’s crazy for me to look at old photos from high school because yeah I had friends, I look happy, but I totally wasn’t! I’m glad you have your friends to relate to you and lean on during this time though that’s great. And I agree – I feel stronger because of it!
Emily Weir says
It wasn’t just you, our high school was dumb. I had the same problems with “friends” since I was so boring and decided not to go wild senior year and try every drug and alcoholic beverage imaginable. Jokes on all of them since we’re probably more successful and happy than most, AND don’t have beer bellies in our mid-twenties 😉 Also, I didn’t know chick pea flour was a thing so I’m going to need to go experiment with that now.
The Blissful Balance says
Lol ok that’s good to hear. Lots of mean girls! Yes you’ve got to try it it’ll change your life ;D
Ashley @ Fit Mitten Kitchen says
So I have NOT made anything with chickpea flour yet but you can bet that is likely the next flour I’ll try! These look amazing and love that you added white chocolate 😀
HS definitely had it’s moments but I suppose overall it was alright. I had some close friends that were straight up B words though, definitely wouldn’t put up with that shit today! Thankfully as an adult you can have a little more control over who your “friends” are, and surround yourself with awesome peeps.
The Blissful Balance says
If I were in high school now, I would 100% not have any friends hahah. I mean if I was me now, and everyone else was still in their ‘high school’ phase. Because I just do not give a shit anymore and if you have negative energy, BYE FELICIA
Megan says
Aw I’m so sorry that high school was so sucky for you. I was fortunate enough to have a lovely small group of friends who made it much more bearable. I was so shy and self conscious though and I always felt like an outsider. Even now in college I feel a little lost at times because I’m not into the drinking and partying scene.
The Blissful Balance says
I got into it a bit in college, and then realized wow this is SO not me. So I snapped out of it. I guess I was “finding myself”! It’s all about the journey, every path you take is in front of you for a reason <3
Kristy @ Southern In Law says
YUM! I love that you used chickpea flour in these as they look seriously delicious!
High school wasn’t a good time for me either! I never really had any true friends because I seemed to get close to one friend only to have someone else come and drive a wedge between us and I was bullied in a not so obvious way (as in, I wasn’t bullied in the lets put your head in the toilet or beat you up movie way).
At the time I thought I’d never have any friends and I was some kind of freak, however, I quickly realised that one of the best parts of growing up is that you realise you don’t have to be insanely jealous – and thanks to that I have friends who love me for who I am and don’t bully me because I might be better at some things than they are!
The Blissful Balance says
I was definitely bullied a bit. There was this girl who hated me for God knows why, and every time I passed by her in the hallway, her and her minions would laugh out loud and point at me. Every single time, it sounds stupid but it really messed with my head! Until one day I got fed up and screamed at her hahah. It’s important to learn from these journey’s, just like you said – now we have people in our lives who love us for us!
Emily says
Chickpea flour does work wonders with baked goods/energy balls. I loved that you used it for brownies.
Thank you Christina for always being vulnerable and sharing the challenges and victories you’ve had. It’s often, when we stand apart from the crowd, that it’s the biggest struggle, but you also learn so much, and I’ve seen that you’ve learned so much. It’s incredible!
The Blissful Balance says
Aw thank you so much Emily your comments always make me smile!
Georgie says
Girl, you know this but I can 100% relate. I was actually talking with an old friend who has had her fair share of struggles from a young age and we were talking about how it’s been a blessing. We’re strong, reliant and have a ton of grit for 20-somethings where some of our friends are just now facing things they’ve never dealt with before.
Oh and these brownies? they look amaze-balls
The Blissful Balance says
Totally. I wish you went to my high school we’d be BFFs 100%!!!
masala girl says
i LOVE chickpea flour and use it all the time, sweet or savory
i had quite the opposite experience actually. loved high school (well, except for senior year ironically haha), but thought it was “only okay” and college would be much better. nope. it’s been tough making friends and finding groups that i feel comfortable in. even though i’m trying to be in a lot of clubs and seem busy and happy, i miss HS sooo much. here’s to a better 3rd year though!
The Blissful Balance says
I had my fair share of rejection in college, just because I was trying so hard to find that ‘group’ that I belonged to. So I tried out for a dance team (I was into salsa dancing), this college ambassador program, other stuff like that and every time I was rejected I felt like crap, nobody wants me haha. But it definitely made me stronger and lead me to a group of friends I found naturally!
Danielle says
I also had a similar experience in high school. It was mostly because I didn’t drink or smoke, and because I quit cheerleading to dance and do chorus stuff. Not good times, man! Luckily I’m doing pretty great now. Growing up going to school is a scary thing, I don’t know how kids do it. These brownies look amazzzzzzing. See, I didn’t even know there was such a THING as chickpea flour! You learn something new every day.
xoxo
Danielle
Afloat On A Full Sea
The Blissful Balance says
Omg that reminds me of a friend of mine who was on the cheer team with us, she joined the theater group and was made fun of. Not severely but I always remember being like shut up who cares if she joined theater!! Teenagers are so mean lol!