Thursday, February 16, 2012

Gluten Free Vegan Chocolate Brownies

You read that right...chocolate brownies that are both gluten free AND vegan! When my hubby Russ first told me about these, I was like "sure...I bet they taste great" (add LOTS of sarcasm). He decided to make them for me as part of my Valentines Day dinner he made me...and he made me a believer. They're chewy, chocolatey, and well...just perfect! So as my super belated Valentines Day gift to you...I'm sharing the recipe :)

Raw Brownies with Chocolate Avocado Frosting
From Food Loves Writing

Ingredients:
For brownie layer:
1 cup walnuts
1 cup medjool dates, pitted
1/3 cup cocoa powder

For frosting
1/2 avocado
3 to 5 tablespoons raw honey (you can adjust to taste)
1/4 cup cocoa powder
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
a hefty dash of cinnamon
a tiny pinch of salt

Directions:
1. Make the brownie layer: Line a loaf pan with parchment paper, with extra paper hanging off the sides so you can lift it out when the brownies are done. Combine walnuts, dates and 1/3 cup of cocoa powder in a food processor and blend until the mixture looks like clumpy dirt or potting soil. Pat this mixture into a compact layer in the bottom of your lined loaf pan.

2. Make the frosting: Combine avocado, honey, 1/4 cup cocoa powder, vanilla, cinnamon and salt in a food processor and blend until smooth. Spread mixture over the brownie layer in the loaf pan, creating an even layer on top.

3. Freeze the loaf pan for 30 minutes to an hour. Remove parchment from loaf pan, lifting the brownies out in one big piece. Slice and serve. Note the brownies will be slightly crumbly, so they are best eaten with a spoon or fork.

Just as a bit of bonus info, this recipe, being that it utilizes all whole foods, is filled with all kinds of nutritional benefits. Walnuts are high in Omega-3s, known to control inflammation. Dates are not only an excellent source of fiber but also B vitamins. There are rich antioxidants in cocoa powder and honey, and the avocado is one of those really amazing sources of good monounsaturated fat, shown to be easily burned by the body for energy.


On another note...I've been up to quite a bit these days in the crafting department. I've added a bunch of super cute crocheted headbands to the store...


And some pretty cute necktie onesies too :)


Plus, I'm working on some new animals I hope to be adding soon...so stay tuned :)



5 comments:

makingitmine said...

I'm always looking for tasty recipies that are vegan + Gluten free. There perfect for pot lucks.
p.s. That romper is so cute!

shanna said...

Hi Jill! I was just checking out your blog and saw my raw brownie recipe here! Love that you guys enjoy it--do you think you could link to my original post that you got it from? Thanks so much!

http://foodloveswriting.com/2012/01/10/raw-brownies-chocolate-avocado-frosting/

Micaela said...

my friend surprised me with one of your beautiful crochet headbands -- it was in my etsy faves and bought it for me for my baby shower :) i love it! and can't wait to see our first baby (she'll be here in Sept) wearing your beautiful creation. xo

jill louise said...

Just added the link! I got the recipe from Carrie, didn't know she got it from you :)

jill louise said...

Awe!!!! So glad! Feel free to share pics once she gets here :)