Who doesn’t love a good old peanut butter and jelly combination? If you’ve been craving it but don’t want to have a sandwich, you should try out these PB&J bars that star a special ingredient— chickpeas! The steps are super easy to follow, and you’ll have a healthy snack in no time.
Chickpeas for the Win
You’ve probably heard a lot about chickpeas and the benefits they can bring to our bodies. They are rich in carbohydrates and can be used in many different recipes.
When blended, they can create flavorful, creamy soups, a variety of dips, and, of course, a perfect base for a gluten-free batter. That’s why we’ll use them for these healthy PB&J bars.
How to Make Healthy PB&J Bars
You probably have all of these ingredients in your pantry already, so you won’t need to make an emergency store run. Here’s what you’ll need.
Ingredients:
- 1 15-oz can low-sodium chickpeas, rinsed
- 2 tbsp. honey
- 2 tsp. pure vanilla extract
- 1/2 c. creamy peanut butter
- 2/3 c. old-fashioned rolled oats
- 1/2 c. roasted unsalted peanuts
- 1 tsp. baking powder
- 1/4 tsp. baking soda
- 1/2 tsp. kosher salt
- 1/3 c. strawberry jam
Instructions:
- Start by heating your oven to 350°F. Then, line your baking pan with parchment paper and make sure to leave it overhang on two sides.
- Put the chickpeas, honey, and vanilla in a food processor and blend until you get a smooth texture. Add peanut butter and blend everything again.
- Combine the oats, peanuts, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a food processor, but this time, make sure to get a chunkier texture. Set aside 1 cup of dough in a bowl.
- Place the remaining dough in the prepared pan and press in. Spread jam on top and crumble the reserved dough over the jam.
- Bake the dough until you get a light golden brown top (it should take about 25-30 min.). Let cool for about 15 min. in the pan and transfer to let cool completely. Cut in squares and serve. Voilá! You have a delicious and healthy little snack.
‘Emily in Paris’ Has Everyone Talking About Trauma Bangs
In case you missed it, Emily Cooper, a character from Emily in Paris, had a major hair moment in the first episode of season 3. The girl simply takes scissors and cuts her own hair, sparking a debate about trauma bangs and whether they’re a real thing or not. So, what’s a trauma haircut, and does it exist, or is it just part of the series plot?
Trauma Bangs Are a Real Thing
Licensed psychotherapist in Newport Beach, CA, Talia Bombola, LMFT, says it’s more than typical to want a change in appearance after a traumatic event. That can be anything, from a breakup to moving houses, another type of loss, or an extensively stressful event.
So, wanting to cut your hair and giving yourself trauma bangs is more than standard. To many people, that’s the way to mark a change in their lives and make a new statement about who they have become. In fact, changing your haircut can be perceived as an attempt to gain control over your life, however strange it might seem.
Why Do We Seek a Change in Appearance
There are a few reasons why people seek a change in appearance upon experiencing a traumatic event. As psychologists put it, it gives an individual security and comfort knowing they still have control over something in life. However, trauma bangs and other changes in the appearance of someone after a traumatic event might also signal a desire to escape reality or signal to others that you need support to cope with the stressful event.
As Bombola puts it, bangs don’t fall into the classification of changing appearance to cope with stress. She believes that using the term “trauma bangs” might even offend people who have undergone a truly traumatic event.
What Is Defined as a Traumatic Event
Bombola says that trauma responses range a lot from person to person but also from one traumatic event to another. So, one might feel sad or scared, or they might exhibit a physical reaction to the event. Those include sleep problems, increased heart rates, and more.
In addition, there’s also a palpable difference between trauma and stress. We’ve covered trauma already. Now, let’s define what stress is. Typically, many people experience stress on a daily basis. Common stressors include problems at work or with one’s family, financial difficulties, etc. However, not everyone who experiences stress undergoes trauma.
So, while trauma bangs might be considered one way to cope with a traumatic event, it’s far from the only way to signal that one is undergoing a difficult situation in one’s life.