Healthy Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Dip

I have to admit, this I was skeptical of this recipe when I saw that the main ingredient was BEANS!

Mashed up beans turned into a yummy and healthy chocolate chip cookie dough dip?
Can it really be true?

It totally is.

A few ingredients, whipped up in the food processor, and voila!   A healthy snack!

I put this out as an afternoon snack with graham crackers.  I chuckled at my little secret ingredient as both my kids and a few neighborhood kids came and gobbled it all up.  They loved it!

I did make the mistake of telling my girls there were beans in it after they were done snacking.  They like beans, but one of my girls just couldn't get over the idea of eating chocolate and beans together, and didn't touch it again after that.

I have to admit, it is a bit off- putting to think about, but honestly, if someone else would have made this, I never would have known the base was beans.  Now, I say that knowing my palate has changed quite a bit and may not be the average Joes palate after eating fairly clean, so I loved how Chocolate Covered Katie did an experiment with a recipe very much like this one and took it to a potluck without telling anyone what was in it.  People ate it up and asked for the recipe!

{my handle broke..sad day..but it still works!}

I especially liked it after it had set up in the refrigerator.  The consistency became less creamy and more like real chocolate chip cookie dough--so much so that my youngest asked if we could bake it into cookies.

Healthy Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough

{adapted from Pink Recipe Box}

Ingredients

250g (1 can) garbanzo or white beans, drained

Pinch of salt

Pinch of baking soda

4 teaspoons vanilla extract

2 tablespoons peanut butter

2 tablespoons of milk (dairy, almond, soy, whatever you use)

2/3 cup sugar*

1/3 cup chocolate chips
2-3 Tbls oats (optional--only if you want a thicker dip)

Directions

Add all the ingredients except the chocolate chips to food processor and blend until completely smooth.

Stir in the chocolate chips, and serve with cookies, crackers or fruit.

{*For a sugar free version, you can use 11/2 cups pitted dates, soaked overnight.  Directions here.}