Gooey Gluten Free Brownies
Ingredients:
- 1/2 cup sweet potato puree (steamed then mashed or pureed)
- 1/3 cup raw agave syrup or raw honey
- 1/2 cup dark chocolate chips or Enjoy Life’s semi-sweet chocolate chips (free of dairy, nuts, gluten and soy) [melted with 1 tbsp coconut oil)
- 1/3 cup cocoa powder
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 3/4 cup apple sauce
- 1/3 cup water (may need to add a little more)
- 1 cup brown rice flour
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp sea salt
- 1/2 cup walnuts (optional)
Directions:
Preheat the oven to 375. Coat an 8 inch square pan with coconut oil and powder with flour. Combine sweet potato, agave or honey, melted chocolate/coconut oil, cocoa powder, vanilla and apple sauce. I used my vita mix blender, but a food processor would work well too. Mixture should be creamy enough to pour. Mix the flour, baking powder and salt and then transfer the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and mix. Options…mix in walnuts or sprinkle them on top. Pour the batter into the pan.
Bake for 35 minutes. Insert a tooth pick or knife to make sure cooked through. The top should be firm when you press down. Cool completely in the pan and then move to a wire rack.
Health Benefits:
It’s always good to add more veggies and fruit into the diet and this is a fun way to do it!
And the benefits of Cacao are endless.
- The source of chocolate, contains antibacterial agents that fight tooth decay.
- The smell of chocolate may increase theta brain waves, resulting in relaxation.
- Chocolate contains phenyl ethylamine, a mild mood elevator.
- The cocoa butter in chocolate contains oleic acid, a mono-unsaturated fat which may raise good cholesterol.
- The flavanoids in chocolate may help keep blood vessels elastic.
- Chocolate increases antioxidant levels in the blood.
- Mexican healers use chocolate to treat bronchitis and insect bites.
- The carbohydrates in chocolate raise serotonin levels in the brain, resulting in a sense of well-being.
Enjoy!