I don’t want to alarm anybody, but these Pistachio Coconut Blondies are the most epic blondies EVER. Definitely one of the best vegan desserts I’ve ever made, without the slightest hint of vegan-ism to them…for all the haters out there that will turn their nose up just seeing the word vegan. *eye roll emoji*  They’re VEGANNNNN- there I said it again.  Free of eggs, butter, milk, and instead, full of antioxidants, healthy fats, and straight up drool worthy flavor.  Seriously, the first time I made these, my mom and I ate the entire batch within 24 hours.  I had to slap her hand away while I was trying to photograph this next batch…she was eating my subject! (And that is saying something, because my mom was luckily *blessed* without a sweet tooth…I, however, was not. sigh.)

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See those little green chunks in there? Well, they’re more than just a pretty pop of color, they’re nutrient rich pistachios- the star of today’s show! If you’ve ever gone shopping and gotten pissed at how expensive pistachios are (no? just me? fair enough. ) it’s because a pistachio tree takes 10-12 years before it produces its first crop!  Ok, I semi-forgive you, delicious nuts, because dayuuuuuum that requires major TLC from farmers and some serious patience. Wayyyy more patience than I have, so I guess I’ll cross Pistachio Farmer off my potential career list.

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Ok, so we know these nuts are delicious, especially when baked into these Pistachio Coconut Blondies, but just how good are they for you? To start, I recently learned that because of the copper content in pistachios, they are helpful to the body in absorbing iron from other food sources.  This was FANTASTIC news for me, since my body doesn’t seem to be absorbing any iron, as my ferritin levels keep going down. Plus, copper is a beneficial mineral for your skin.

These nuts can also be a great addition to those with an active lifestyle, as they are a good source of potassium, with each serving providing equivalent amounts as a medium sized banana! Potassium is an electrolyte that contributes to nerve function and muscle control, and unfortunately we lose the mineral through sweat during exercise, thus it’s important to replenish post workout, so you don’t experience muscle weakness, cramping, or fatigue.

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In case you’re not sold on how amazing pistachios are quite yet, consider this: a serving is considered one ounce, which is 49 shelled kernels- a whole lot more nuts in a serving than any other variety! (I’m allllll about volume foods!) Plus, per ounce they contain 6g of protein (with most nuts only containing 1-2g), 13g of fat (most contain 16-20g), 25% of your daily vitamin B6, 8% of your magnesium, and 6% of your iron needs! *Quickly scrambles to include pistachios in every meal from here on out*  Looking for another recipe to include these nutrient bombs in STAT? Try my Brussel Sprout Grain Salad that is literally one of my favorite salads of all time!

Plus, it’s important to get in some veggies before you top one of these Pistachio Coconut Blondies with decadent vanilla ice cream…

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Are you drooling yet?

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Hey, they don’t have to go with melty ice cream on top, serve it with coffee and you’ve got an instant justification to eat dessert for breakfast 😉

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Or serve them with both…we’re all adults here, who’s gonna stop us?

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Perhaps my favorite part about these Pistachio Coconut Blondies is how freakin chewy they are! The batter is the perfect cross between a cookie and a brownie, the pistachios add an amazing nutty crunch, and the coconut flakes* add another layer of flavor and crusty bite. These blondies are super simple to make, and transport easily to any occasion that might need some sweetening up 🙂 Put these on your To-Do list this weekend!

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pistachio blondies, coconut pistachio blondies, vegan blondies, vegan coconut blondies, almond butter blondies

pistachio blondies, coconut pistachio blondies, vegan blondies, vegan coconut blondies, almond butter blondies

 

*Coconut flakes can sometimes be hard to find in regular stores.  I definitely recommend the flakes over shredded though, because the texture is much nicer.  I ordered mine online, and this is the brand I use.

 

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