Ginger Beanies

Ever since Katie posted her Chocolate Chip Blondies recipe, made from a can of chickpeas, and then it subsequently took over the world (oh the drama of the all…) I’ve been mulling over what I can do to put my own Smart Kitchen spin on them. My first thought when I stumbled over to her blog that day? GINGERBREAD!when I learned—from this website, where I get all of my food holiday knowledge–that yesterday (June 5th) was National Gingerbread Day, well, it seemed like the right time to act. [It also justified my believes that gingerbread is in season all year round, not just in the winter.]
As Katie herself pointed out, she’s not the first to make a sweet treat featuring the musical fruit. I don’t know who first made black bean brownies (I think it was Jessica Seinfield.*) but they go way back to before I was blogging, or even knew that food blogs were “a thing.” However, I have been meaning to try them for a long time.
*I’m being totally serious. She wrote that whole cookbook four or five years ago about sneaking puree into your kids’ foods so they will eat it. I have a copy. It’s in Spanish. Long story. I’ll tell you it sometime.
I have also been meaning to change their name. Because seriously, people, why are we calling them brownies or blondies, when the only obvious choice here is beanies?
They might not earn you any cool* points if you wore them on your head…
*And by ‘cool’ I mean ‘if you were in kindergarten.’^
^Although if you did put these on your head and you were in kindergarten, that probably WOULD actually be considered cool.

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But these Ginger Beanies are quite tasty, if I do say so myself.When I first set out to make them, I followed Katie‘s recipe, with some variations on spices and whatnot, and they were very flavorful…but they were also very…flat.At first, I thought, “Well, that’s OK, it’s the thickness of a cookie, really.”Except I don’t particularly like thin cookies. And what’s the point of making them so flat when you end up eating two at once to feel like you’re actually biting into something?Not to be outdone by this teenie beanie quandary…I went back to the drawing board (in my mind). What resulted were the scrumptious little good-for-you treats that made for a little bit bigger of a bite. [Teeny beanie on top...in between-y beanie on the bottom. I can only imagine what would happen if I kept doubling the recipe.]First step? Double up on the beans. [The more you eat, the more you...]I chose butter beans. Why? Well, you can’t bake without butter, right?
And you can’t make gingerbread without molasses. Interestingly enough, spraying the measuring spoon with cooking spray really DOES make it super simple to scoop.A little o’ this, and a little o’ that…including half a banana (mashed up flat*).
*I know you appreciate my rhymes. Even if they are often false. Because I didn’t actually mash the banana first. But whatever.I didn’t use too much sugar in these, but you could add more if you want. I think because I spiced them so heavily (combined with the intense flavor of the sugary molasses) you don’t really need anymore. The batter was quite yummy. It’s Gingerbread Hummus, it is. [Well, if it had chickpeas in it. Now it's just Gingerbread Bean Dip.]Spread it into your square baking pan……and top with chopped pecans. [Pe-can you can.*]
*That was funny in my head. Like “pe-cause you can”?Bake ‘em for 40 minutes at 350 degrees…and wait for the top to crackle.Hey, love is a battlefield. And I love these.
They are super fudgy, and I tell y’all what: lima beans* never tasted so good.
*Butter beans are large lima beans. In case you were wondering.

Ginger Beanies

2 14.5 oz. cans large butter beans (or other white bean)
1/4 cup oat flour (or other flour of your choice)
2 Tbsp. brown sugar
3 Tbsp. molasses
1/4 cup unsweetened applesauce
1/4 cup mashed banana (about half a medium-sized banana)
1 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. ground ginger
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. ground nutmeg
1/8 tsp. salt
pinch of ground cloves
1-2 Tbsp. chopped pecans (optional)

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Combine all ingredients (except pecans) in a food processor. Process until smooth.
3. Spread bean batter into a 8″-square pan coated with cooking spray. Sprinkle pecans on top, if using.