– vegan – gluten free – grain free – Oil free – refined sugar free –
Fudgey, gooey, decadent flourless sweet potato brownies, packed with a lot more vitamins, minerals and protein than your regular box of brownies. These brownies are best for those of us that like them fudgey rather than cakey – think of the that top layer of a Betty Crocker cosmic Brownie! Not only are they Super easy to make, but they are vegan, gluten-free, grain-free, oil-free and refined sugar-free.
Cooking essentials:
A food processor or blender
An 8″ x 11″ baking dish
See below for a breakdown of nutritional information and substitutions.
[mpprecipe-recipe:41]
For the brownies, you will need:
- Sweet Potato: loaded with vitamins and minerals. One cup of sweet potato has all your daily vitamin A intake, almost half your vitamin C and manganese, 36% of your copper, 34% of your B6, 24% of your biotin, and 20% of your potassium. Nevermind that they contain antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. For this recipe, you will want to bake the sweet potato whole to get the best texture in the brownies.
- Natural Peanut butter: a great way to sweeten your recipe and get some added protein, healthy fats and fiber. However, peanut butter is also high in calories, so it is best to adhere to the recommended serving size if trying to lose weight. Be sure to choose a peanut butter brand that is least processed to prevent added ingredients liked sugar and trans fat. Look for peanut butter that contains only peanuts and maybe salt. Substitutions: any nut butter will work.
- Pure maple syrup: although high in sugar, is loaded with 24 antioxidants that help protect against free radical damage. It also contains anti-inflammatory properties that help to protect against chronic diseases, brain inflammation, intestinal inflammation, and nerve inflammation. Therefore, pure maple syrup is a great natural sweetener when used in moderation. Fake maple syrup is made with high fructose corn syrup and provides zero health benefits.
- Cacao Powder: a great way to get all the flavor of chocolate without all the sugar that comes along with it. Note that there is a difference between cacao and cocoa powder. It is important to choose a high quality cacao powder, which is richer in magnesium, iron, potassium and calcium. Cocoa powder, although cheaper, typically contains unnecessary fillers and less minerals and antioxidants.
- Vanilla extract: I recommend choosing a higher quality vanilla extract, as cheap vanilla extract often has artificial flavors and caramel coloring that disrupts digestive health. Stay away from extract that has propylene glycol, which is essentially just antifreeze. Pure vanilla extract is actually a great antioxidant and can reduce inflammation.
- Sea salt: a natural alternative to table salt, which is more heavily processed and contains additives.
- Baking powder
- Coconut cream: the thick top layer of coconut milk, often sold separately. Do not mistake coconut cream for cream of coconut, which is a sweetened version often used for baking and desserts. Look for a coconut cream that consists only of coconuts, water and guar gum; anything else is unnecessary, inorganic and unnatural.
- Dairy-free chocolate (organic): although normally brought up with negative connotations, chocolate (particularly dark chocolate) in moderation has many health benefits, as it is loaded with minerals. Just 2 ounces (1/3 cup) provides 100% of your daily copper intake, 37% of your iron, 42% of your magnesium, 61% of your manganese, 25% of your phosphorus, 23% of your zinc and 16% of your potassium. Not many other foods can boast this many minerals! I recommend buying high quality, organic dark chocolate that is free from vegetable oils and artificial colors & flavors that disturb the digestive system. Furthermore, look for chocolate that is made with cacao rather than cocoa, since cacao is richer in magnesium, iron, potassium and calcium. For this recipe, I used dark chocolate made with 72% cacao. Anything above 70% cacao will provide you with the healthful benefits in chocolate. Remember to check the serving size of your chocolate, as very little is needed to get its benefits and over-consuming is not good for health.
