What to have for that chocolate afternoon snack? Blondie or brownie? These are life’s most important decisions…. I recommend you try both healthy recipes and decide for yourself.

Eating delicious baked goods is a hard job, but someone must persevere and nosh.

Of course, even the blondies are loaded with dark chocolate. They have a nutty flavor from tahini, plus an extra protein punch derived from a super-secret, stealthy plant-based ingredient.

The delicious pastry is infused with essence of warm spices and are naturally sweetened. If you are gluten-free, these are a wonderful and easy go-to dessert.

Deep, fudgy brownies are equally tempting. The key is to use six ounces of organic, rich 72% dark chocolate with almonds and sea salt in the batter and sprinkle of crunchy, flavorful sea salt on top.

If it’s a decadent chocolate fix you need, these will quench the cocoa appetite of even the biggest chocoholic. I would know; these were my breakfast one morning. No need to wait for afternoon tea. You’ll never know that they are light and gluten-free.

Lots of high quality, earthy dark chocolate is incorporated into the batter. Of course.

Apparently there is a food divide between the blondie and brownie folks.

Chocolate-obsessed eaters prefer brownies. Those who would take a warm chocolate chip cookie anytime, anyday reach for a blondie.

Me? I’m an equal opportunity eater, as long as chocolate is involved.

---

 Print

Stealthy Healthy Tahini Blondies (GF, VEG)

Makes 16 brownies

Ingredients:

1 can, 15 ounce can of low-sodium cannellini beans, rinsed very well and drained
1 flax egg (or a real egg, if the recipe need not be vegan)
1/4 cup Israeli tahini
1/4 cup banana purée (about one, very small, overly ripe banana)
1/3 cup real maple syrup
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1/2 tsp fine salt
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon of a warm spice (i.e. cardamom, cinnamon or nutmeg)
1/2 cup 72% organic, dark chocolate chips or chopped dark chocolate
coconut oil cooking spray, for spraying the pan
2-3 Tablespoons sugar in the raw, for sprinkling over the cooked blondies

*add 1/2 cup finely ground certified gluten-free oat flour for a more cake-like blondie

Preparation:

Preheat the oven to 350•F.

Spray a nonstick pan well with coconut oil cooking spray or grease using any oil with a high smoke point.

Combine all of the ingredients, except for the dark chocolate, in a food processor.Process until the batter is very smooth.

Fold in most of the chocolate chips, reserving three tablespoons to sprinkle on top of the batter.

Spread the batter in the prepared pan, taking care to smooth out the top.

Sprinkle on the reserved chocolate chips and the sugar in the raw evenly over the batter.

Bake for 20 minutes. A toothpick inserted in the middle of the batter will come out clean when baked through.

Cool for 30 minutes on the counter, then in the refrigerator for another hour.

Then, cut into sixteen squares. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator.

---

 

Fudgy Oh-My-God Brownies with Almonds and Sea Salt (GF, VEG)
Makes 16 brownies

Ingredients:

3/4 cup sugar in the raw, blended until powdery (measure before blending)
1/4 cup organic safflower oil
2 flax eggs (or two regular eggs, if the recipe need not be vegan), room temperature
2 teaspoons good quality vanilla extract
1 large golden delicious (or sweet apple), cored and chopped, or 1/2 cup natural applesauce
3/4 cup all-purpose, gluten-free flour blend, such as Cup4Cup
3/4 cup good quality cocoa powder
1/2 teaspoon fine salt
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon instant espresso powder
2, 3-ounce organic, 72% dark chocolate bars with almonds and sea salt (I love the Endangered Species variety), coarsely chopped
Coarse sea salt, to taste, to sprinkle on top of brownie batter

Preparation:

Preheat the oven to 350•F.

Spray a nonstick pan well with coconut oil cooking spray or grease using any oil with a high smoke point.

Combine all of the ingredients, except for the dark chocolate, in a food processor. Process until the batter is very smooth.

Fold in most of the chocolate, reserving three tablespoons to sprinkle on top of the batter.

Spread the batter in the prepared pan, taking care to smooth out the top.

Sprinkle on the reserved chocolate chips and the sea salt evenly over the batter.

Bake for 20 minutes. A toothpick inserted in the middle of the batter will come out clean when baked through.

Cool for 30 minutes on the counter, then in the refrigerator for another hour.

Then, cut into sixteen squares. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator.

---

©Shanna Koenigsdorf Ward, shannaward.com (2013-2015), unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without expressed and written permission from this blog’s author, Shanna Koenigsdorf Ward, and/or owner is strictly and completely prohibited.