Pumpkin Caramel Blondies

Hi everybody, Eloise from @eatlikeeloise here. As you all know, this weeks @bananabambinos theme is PUMPKIN! You all know that this is my favourite food/ingredient in the world and I was so excited to get inventing. So I made these pumpkin blondies with a lovely caramel on top and some much loved chocolate mousse. They are a base of pumpkin and beans, loaded with protein and are vegan!

Vegan/ Dairy Free/ Gluten Free/ Refined Sugar Free/ Nut Free/ High Protein

Blondies

350 grams steamed pumpkin

1 tin of beans drained and rinsed (cannelini/butter/chickpeas) (150 grams once drained)

2 tbsp flaxseed oil (or coconut oil)

1/3 cup plant based milk

5 tbsp natural sweetener

1/2 cup vanilla plant based protein powder

1/2 cup buckwheat flour

1 heaped tbsp flax meal

1 tsp ground cinnamon

1 tbsp mesquite powder

Caramel

1/2 cup natural sweetener

1/2 tbsp mesquite powder

1/4 cup plant based milk

1 tsp apple cider vinegar

Chocolate mousse

2 small avocados

1/4 cup plant based milk

1 heaped tbsp each carob and cacao powder

1 heaped tbsp each vanilla and chocolate plant based protein powder

1/2 tsp ground cinnamon

3 tbsp natural sweetener

Preheat oven to 180 degrees Celsius fan forced. In a food processor, blend pumpkin and beans. Add in oil milk and sweetener and blend again. Add the rest of the ingredients and blend until combined. In a lined square cake tin, spoon in the batter and level out and put aside.

Start on the caramel. Heat a large frypan. Add on sweetener and stir on medium heat until melted and fragrant. Add in mesquite and stir constantly. Add in milk and acv and continue stirring for another 5 minutes. BE CAREFUL NOT TO BURN OR STICK A FINGER IN IT...trust me, blisters badly. Pour the caramel on top of the batter to make a light layer, stick it in the oven and bake for 15 minutes. Whilst in the oven, wipe your food processor clean and put in all the ingredients for the mousse and blend until super smooth. Take the blondies out of the oven and let cool or serve immediately cut into squares and served with a dollop of chocolate mousse and crushed pepitas or sesame seeds.