The other night, I noticed some bananas in the basket on my kitchen counter that were ready for the trash can. Being that I don’t like to waste anything, I brainstormed a bit on what I could make with this now blackened on the outside, overripe on the inside fruit. Banana bread was the first thing that came to mind, but being that it was late on a Sunday night, I didn’t feel like going out to the market. So, as I often do, I looked around my kitchen to see what I could make with what I had. The first two ingredients that I noticed were almond butter and cocoa. I immediately thought of my favorite gluten-free lapsang brownies that have become a staple dessert around my apartment. So, I took this recipe, based off of one on Elena’s Pantry, and thought why not substitute the eggs for these sweet bananas, and that’s exactly what I did. I wasn’t sure how it would turn out, but when it was finished baking, my roommate ran into the kitchen wide eyed wondering what the delicious smell was. She took one bite and was hooked, and so was I. I was really excited that this turned out so well, as I’m always trying to think up some creative vegan recipes for the few vegan friends who surround me, and often come over for dinner- so this one is for them (and you, since this is a tasty treat for anyone)! Here’s the recipe…

1 16 oz jar of smooth almond butter
2 ripe bananas
1 cup agave
1 tbsp vanilla extract
1/2 cup cocoa powder
1/4 tsp sea salt
1 tsp baking soda
1 cup dark chocolate chips

In a large bowl, blend the almond butter, bananas, agave and vanilla until smooth. Blend in the the cocoa powder, salt and baking soda. Mix in the chocolate chips. Grease a 9×13 pyrex baking dish and pour in batter. Bake at 350 degrees for about 30-35 minutes.