Fudgy Brownies

For the last couple of weeks we've been eating out of the "Plant-Powered Families" cookbook by Dreena Burton. I highly recommend this cookbook, especially if you're looking to start eating more whole-foods plant-based in your family. There are some great recommendations in the front and back on how to get started and what sorts of staples to have on hand. I definitely don't have all of those staples on hand, but my dream kitchen would. :) Anyway, we've enjoyed just about everything we've had out of there so far! This recipe was no exception. Deeeeeeeeelish! 

The frosting is definitely not required, unlike many other sugar-free cake-type things that are inedible without their frosting. Without the frosting, these are very fudgy brownies in appearance, texture, and taste. With their frosting, they're amazing brownies with amazing frosting. Still fudgy. I made my own coconut butter for the frosting (easy to do! blend up coconut!) and didn't have much coconut so I couldn't get it as creamy as it would've been otherwise. Hence the lumps. 

Warning: with the frosting, you can definitely taste coconut. Just in case you don't like that.

You will not believe what these have in them. And what they don't have! For one thing there is zero flour of any kind (yay gluten free people! Yay nut-free people!). I don't recommend tasting the batter until you've put in all of the ingredients. Before you add the dry ingredients, it tastes rather savory...I was skeptical, but all good things come to those who wait!!

Fudgy Brownies

"Crazy Brownies" by Plant-Powered Families

1/2 C kidney beans

1/2 C pitted dates

1/3 C peeled, cooked, and cooled diced yellow potato

2 T tahini or nut butter

2 T coconut butter (or more tahini or more nut butter)

1/4 C pure maple syrup

3 T unsweetened almond milk

1/2 C + 2 T unsweetened cocoa powder

1/2 C coconut sugar

2 T arrowroot powder (cornstarch may also work here?)

1 1/2 tsp vanilla

1/2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

3 T chocolate chips (I didn't put in)

1. Preheat oven to 350 and line or spray an 8x8 pan. 

2. Using a small or mini food processor, puree beans, dates, potato, tahini, and coconut butter until smooth. Add the maple syrup and milk and puree some more. Set aside.

3. In a medium bowl, combine cocoa powder, sugar, arrowroot, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Add the wet ingredients plus the vanilla to the dry ingredients and stir well until combined (overmixing is not an issue since there is no flour). Stir in chocolate chips, if using.

4. Transfer mixture to the brownie pan and spread evenly. Bake for 22-24 min. They'll firm up even more while they're cooling and are fudgier with less baking, so don't overdo it. 

5. Remove from the oven and cool completely before adding any frosting or removing any from the pan. Did I eat a whole row of these before they were cool? Why yes, yes I did. But I wouldn't necessarily recommend that for optimal results. 

Chocolate Frosting (optional-only need about half this recipe for these brownies. But you will eat it all with a spoon)

Plant-Powered Families

1/2 C coconut butter

6 T unsweetened cocoa powder

1/8 tsp salt

6-7 T milk (for easier spreading, go with 7)

6 T maple syrup

1. In a small saucepan, combine all the ingredients over very low heat. Whisk through until coconut butter is melted and all the ingredients are smooth. 

2. Pour into a glass container and cool completely in the fridge before using. You will need to reheat a bit or add almond milk to get to spreading consistency--if reheating, pour/spread over the brownies and then refrigerate the whole thing until solidified.
3. If you have any extra (ha), roll into truffles, spread between graham crackers, or dish out with a spoon!