I am having a chocolate craving. This is not new for me, but usually I try to dismiss it because I could really do some damage. So, today I am giving in and I started to read recipes to help me find a healthy fix. I love a good gooey brownie and think I may have found a good one! I was ambivalent about divulging the ingredients to my family for fear that they would say “yuck”. But, I couldn’t keep a secret and so I enlisted my daughter to help me make them and it turned into a family affair! She was definitely skeptical and was amazed at how GREAT they turned out! TBH, my entire family (my kids, my husband, my mother) and friends were in awe of how delicious they were!
Ok, don’t run away when I share this… trust me, it’s a really great brownie!
But before I share the recipe with you, I want to comment on another reason for making it super healthy. The rate of obesity continues to rise. Especially amongst children. According to the American Heart Association, “today, about one in three American kids and teens is overweight or obese. The prevalence of obesity in children more than tripled from 1971 to 2011”. And so, with good reason, childhood obesity is now the No. 1 health concern among parents in the United States, topping drug abuse and smoking. And so, while my kids are not overweight I am well aware of teaching them good healthy eating habits to live by.
Now, brownies, are not low calorie but these are made with healthy ingredients including whole grains, zucchini and applesauce in place of butter. And so it’s better than the processed ones you may buy in the supermarket.
And so here comes the healthy recipe!
Zucchini Chocolate Brownies (100% whole grain, dairy-free)
Ingredients
• 2 large eggs
• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
• 3/4 cup coconut sugar
• 1/4 cup unsweetened applesauce
• 1 cup whole wheat flour
• 1/2 cup dutch process cocoa powder (using regular cocoa powder may result in cakey brownies)
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 2 cups peeled and grated zucchini
• 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips + 1/2 cup mini chocolate chips to sprinkle on top (for dairy-free, use Enjoy Life Chocolate Chips)
Directions
1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F and line an 8"x8" pan with parchment paper or spray with baking spray.
2. In a large bowl, mix together the eggs, vanilla, coconut sugar, and apple sauce and let this sit for 5 minutes to let the coconut sugar dissolve.
3. In a separate medium bowl, mix together the flour, cocoa powder (sifted if lumpy!), baking soda and salt. Make sure there are no clumps before going on to the next step.
4. Add the dry mix to the wet, gently stir until combined. Be sure not to over mix!
5. Then fold in the zucchini and 1 cup chocolate chips.
6. Pour the batter into the pan and even the surface with a spatula.
7. Sprinkle 1/2 cup mini chocolate chips on top.
8. Bake for 30 - 35 minutes (14 minutes for the half batch) or until a toothpick inserted in the middle doesn't come out gooey. It might still be sticky - just not have raw batter on it.
How adventurous are you? Would you use these ingredients in your brownies? I would love to know your thoughts and what you think of these brownies! Email me at rachel@livehealthynyc.com