Gluten-free - What's a gluten?

I make this recipe because it is delicious, not because it is gluten-free.  For those avoiding gluten, you must try these treats.  I like the hearty texture of the quinoa flour and the almond butter.  It's an easy recipe to whip up, and worth the effort of grinding quinoa.  Enjoy!

Almond Butter and Quinoa Blondies

(From: EatingWell Magazine March/April 2013)

1/4 cup unsalted butter, softened
3/4 cup smooth or crunchy natural almond butter
2 large eggs
3/4 cup packed light brown sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3/4 cup quinoa flour*
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350 °F. Line an 8-inch-square baking pan with parchment paper (or foil), allowing it to slightly overhang opposite ends. Coat with cooking spray.

Beat butter and almond butter in a mixing bowl with an electric mixer until creamy. Beat in eggs, brown sugar and vanilla. Whisk quinoa flour, baking powder and salt in a small bowl. Mix the flour mixture into the wet ingredients until just combined. Stir in chocolate chips. Spread the batter evenly into the prepared pan.

Bake until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out with just a few moist crumbs on it, 25 to 35 minutes. Do not overbake. Let cool in the pan for 45 minutes. Using the parchment (or foil), lift the whole panful out and transfer to a cutting board. Cut into 24 squares. Let cool completely before storing.

*To make quinoa flour, purchase pre-washed quinoa and grind it to a powder in a clean coffee grinder.

1 square = 147 calories; 9 g fat(3 g sat); 2 g fiber; 15 g carbohydrates; 3 g protein; 7 mcg folate; 21 mg cholesterol; 11 g sugars; 10 g added sugars; 82 IU vitamin A; 0 mg vitamin C; 51 mg calcium; 1 mg iron; 73 mg sodium; 101 mg potassium