PB&J PROTEIN BLONDIES

June 15, 2023

One flavor combo that never gets old is peanut butter and jelly! These PB&J Protein Blondies have all that nostalgic flavor with a boost of plant-based protein. Think moist peanut butter base with jelly or jam swirled throughout! These yummy squares are also gluten-free, dairy-free, and easily made vegan. 

Did you know? You do not need to worry about mold in store-bought peanut butter! Yes, peanut butter and other crops can become mold-contaminated if harvested and stored improperly. And certain types of mold produce aflatoxins, which have been linked to cancer.

However, if we look at the strictest "safe level" of aflatoxins, it's 2 micrograms per kilogram of bodyweight (136 micrograms for a 150-pound adult). The "no observed adverse effects" level is closer to 30 micrograms per kilogram of bodyweight. Leading brands of peanut butter have around 6 micrograms per kilogram of aflatoxins, but who eats over 2 pounds of peanut butter in a sitting?! When you look at the toxin level per serving, it's under 0.2 micrograms. Compare that to 136 micrograms being the strictest safe level for an average person to consume! (source)

So no, I do not worry about mold in my peanut butter. There is probably more mold growing in my laundry basket, ha! 

Now that we've cleared that up, let's get to the recipe. 

Protein recommendations

For these PB&J Protein Blondies, I used LIV Body Lean Vegan Protein in the new Peanut Butter & Jelly flavor (how fitting)! You could really use any flavor of vegan protein that's neutral... like vanilla. However, I chose this protein because it's free of artificial additives and tastes delicious! It also has added superfoods and probiotics. If you'd like to try it out, you can use my code "SARAHWILKINS" for free shipping on all LIV Body supplements. 

Please note, this recipe is NOT intended for whey, casein, or collagen protein powders. These each behave differently and cannot be substituted! I will say, if you wish to use whey protein, I would omit the flour and milk, and experiment from there. Whey is more "drying" and holds less moisture than pea protein.

Flour recommendations

For this recipe, I used a combination of powdered peanut butter and gluten free baking flour. If you don't have gluten free baking flour, you can substitute fine oat flour, cassava flour, or all purpose flour. Remember, you should omit the flour if using a whey blend!

The powdered peanut butter adds more peanut flavor, but can be substituted for more flour if you are allergic to peanuts. 

Peanut butter and substitutions

I prefer organic peanut butter with simple ingredients, but you do you! You will definitely want to use creamy peanut butter for this recipe. If you are allergic or sensitive to peanuts, you can substitute sunflower butter or another nut butter in place of the peanut butter. 

Sweetener recommendations

I used a brown sugar alternative in this recipe, because I think blondies are just better with brown sugar flavor! If you're looking for a sweetener without erythritol, I suggest this one. Of course, you can use regular brown sugar or any sweetener that measures like sugar. 

Eggs and other ingredients

The only other ingredients are baking powder, salt, unsweetened almond milk, one whole egg, vegan butter, pure vanilla extract (optional), and your favorite jam. Feel free to use any type of milk you like, it doesn't matter! You can also swap the vegan butter for unsweetened applesauce to lower the fat.

Swap the egg for one-quarter cup of warm water mixed with two tablespoons of ground flaxseed for egg-free and vegan!

And you can use any flavor of jelly or jam you like - I used organic strawberry jam.

Here's the printable recipe for these PB&J Protein Blondies! I hope you'll rate and comment below if you try them :)

This post contains affiliate links and is sponsored by LIV Body. 

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