If you’ve read my blog lately, you probably know two things: I love anything chocolatey and sweet, and I’ve been doing a no processed sugar January. That’s obviously not the most fun combination, but it’s finally February first and I’m still alive! So whether you’re steering clear of processed sugar or you’re just trying to make 2017 a little healthier, this guilt free fudge brownie recipe is a good one to try. It also doesn’t hurt that it’s really simple! 🙂 That’s pretty much a necessity for any recipe I will be making.
So what makes these any better for you than regular brownies?
Well, for one, they’re processed sugar free, gluten free and dairy free (if you opt for coconut oil over butter). More importantly, the ingredients are all based in whole foods. Swapping almond flour for bleached white flour adds a nutritional boost, and switching out dates for processed sugar is a big advantage. One of the worst things about how many of our processed or store bought baked goods are made is that they contain ingredients with zero health benefits. Everything is so over processed that it’s stripped of any nutrients that may have been there in the first place, making for a treat made up of empty calories. Our bodies need calories; they’re the energy we use to live! However, empty ones aren’t doing our bodies any favors. That’s what can be so great about making ‘healthified’ treats at home. You pick and choose the ingredients that fuel your body while giving your taste buds a treat.
It’s also important to remember that these are still a treat! They’re made with beneficial ingredients, but they’re still not meant to be eaten as one serving by one person all at once, though I was making these before dinner yesterday and I was temped.
Guilt Free Fudge Brownies Recipe:
16 Medjool Dates (you will need a good bit more of the regular, smaller dates if you use them)
1 Cup Nut Milk (or preferred milk)
1.5 Cup Almond Flour (quick explanation on how you can make your own if you have almonds on hand at the bottom)
1 Cup Cacao or Cocoa
1 Egg (flax egg could most likely be subbed here)
2 Tbsp Melted Grass Fed Butter (melted coconut oil would work as well)
What To Do:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
In the food processor (or blender), add dates and milk and process. You want it to be a runnier version of date paste before you add it to the other ingredients: really smooth and almost creamy. It’s going to take a minute or two of blending to get a good consistency!
In a mixing bowl, mix almond flour and cacao/ cocoa powder together.
Once the date and milk mixture is finished, add it to the flour mix and stir completely.
Add your egg and oil. Mix until everything is combined smoothly. It’s going to be a thick batter, making these nice and fudgey after baking!
Grease your pan with some butter or coconut oil and pour in. Since the mix is thick, you’ll probably need to spread it around a bit so it’s evenly distributed around the pan.
Bake for 20 – 25 minutes. Checking around 20 to make sure they’re ok!
Allow to cool and enjoy! 🙂
*If you want to make your own almond flour: Put almonds in your food processor and process until finely ground. You don’t want to over process or they start to turn to almond butter! Be sure not to over stuff the food processor with almonds; leave them a little room! The measurement will be different from regular almonds to flour, so you’ll need to ground more than 1.5 cups.
Sweat, Smile, Repeat!
xxNiki
