Vegan Protein Cookie Dough (Gluten-free)

A while back, I received an email from a company called Simply Stevia. 

Simply Stevia is a company that sells stevia products. If you don't know what stevia is, it is a natural sweetener that comes directly from the Stevia Plant. Research shows that stevia is helpful in treating multiple health conditions, aiding people with weight loss, and even treating diabetes. In cooking, stevia is used as a non-caloric sweetener and flavor enhancer.

The stevia from Simply Stevia is of really high quality. I loved that it wasn't too grainy and had the perfect amount of sweet to it. (They also sell liquid stevia.)

They asked me if I would be interested in some free product in exchange for a few recipes in which I used their stevia. I was pretty excited. I couldn't decide on a flavor for them to send, so they graciously sent me a box of their mixed flavors, which includes Peach, Caramel Delicioso, Pomegranate, Natural, Mixed Berries, Valencia Orange, and Mango.

The first thing I did was use the stevia in my morning herbal tea. It was really tasty. I am a lover of Bengal Spice herbal tea from Celestial Seasonings. I put boiling water in a large mug, steeped the tea bag in the water for about 5 minutes, then removed the tea bag and stirred in one packet of Caramel Delicioso Stevia and about 1/8 cup almond milk. The flavor combination of the cinnamon, cloves, ginger, vanilla, and Caramel Delicioso was divine.

After that, I wanted to experiment a little bit. I looked in my pantry and grabbed a can of chickpeas and oats. My body was craving one thing and one thing only: cookie dough.

After mixing together the chickpeas, oats, peanut butter, almond milk, vanilla, cinnamon, Caramel Delicioso Stevia, and chocolate chips, I knew my task was complete. 

Oh my GOODNESS GRACIOUS...

My cookie dough was perfect. Now I just needed to roll them into cute little bite-sized pieces.

My work here was done.

Vegan Protein Cookie Dough

gluten-free

about 2 cups cooked chickpeas, drained and rinsed (I used one 15 oz. can)

4 Tablespoons natural peanut butter

3 Tablespoons oats 

1/4 cup almond milk

2-3 packets Caramel Delicioso Stevia

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

a pinch of salt

3 dashes ground cinnamon

1/4 to 1/2 cup chocolate chips (vegans: use semi-sweet)

1. In a food processor, pour in the drained and rinsed chickpeas. Process for about 5 seconds. Add in the peanut butter and oats. Process for 15 seconds. Pour in the almond milk, Caramel Delicioso Stevia, vanilla, salt, and cinnamon. Process until smooth, for about 30 or so seconds. 
2. Make sure to taste-test your cookie dough at this point. Add in any more stevia or cinnamon that you need. 
3. Throw in about half of the chocolate chips and process into the cookie dough for about 20 seconds. Remove the cookie dough from the food processor and stir in the other half of the chocolate chips. (You can also choose to add in more oats here.)
4. Roll the cookie dough into bite-sized pieces or eat with a spoon straight from the container. :)  
5. Store in the fridge covered with plastic wrap or in a zippie.