This stellar recipe includes healthful dried apricots and omega-3-rich walnuts and flaxseeds, plus people-pleasing chocolate chips, to make blondies that are as good for you as they are delicious. They pack beautifully in a picnic basket and make the perfect offering for a potluck or cook-out.

We include the author’s directions for making a vegan version, too. They’re both divine! Here is the recipe:

INGREDIENTS

1 1/2 cups whole wheat pastry flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
Pinch of ground nutmeg
2 tablespoons ground flaxseeds
3/4 cup vanilla low-fat yogurt or soy yogurt
1/4 cup maple syrup or rice syrup
2 tablespoons safflower oil
1/4 cup low-fat milk, rice milk, or soy milk, as needed
3/4 cup finely diced dried apricots
3/4 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips, preferable cane juice sweetened
1/4 cup finely chopped walnuts

1. Preheat oven to 350F. Lightly oil a 9- by 9-inch baking pan.

2. Combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, nutmeg, and flaxseeds in a bowl and stir to mix.

3. Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients and add the yogurt, syrup, oil, and enough milk to make a smooth but slightly stiff batter. Stir to thoroughly combine. Add apricots, chocolate chips, and walnuts.

4. Smooth mixture into the prepared pan. Bake 25 to 30 minutes, or until the top is golden brown and a test-knife inserted in the center comes out clean (except for the gooey chocolate chips!)

5. Cool the blondies in the pan until warm, then cut into squares.

Makes 12 squares.