Fudgy Nut Butter Brownies (Vegan, Gluten Free)

My parents have been in town visiting for the past week. This was their first time out west and I think they really enjoyed themselves. It's always fun to see something new and the terrain and landscape in Colorado is just a bit different from Rhode Island. They enjoyed the mountain views, the break from humidity and how cheaply and easily you can attend baseball games. Monday we drove to the top of Pike's Peak which had breath-taking view after breath-taking view.

While my parents were here I took advantage of having two new taste-testers around and was able to try out a few new recipes on them. A stir-fry with peanut sauce, a mexican squash quinoa salad and this brownie recipe. I also wanted to make a strawberry blackberry crisp, but in all honestly was feeling too lazy to chop and grate the ingredients so I went with the brownies instead (I plan on sharing the crisp recipe later this week!) These brownies were made vegan for me, gluten-free for my mom and delicious for my dad...and well, all of us. They received two thumbs up.

I not only wanted to make delicious vegan, gluten-free brownies, I wanted to make brownies with some actual nutritional value, that weren't full of sugar and junk. So instead of processed chocolate powder, we're going to give ourselves some antioxidents, iron and magnesium and use raw cacao. Instead of white flour, we're going to use a little coconut flour to give these brownies some fiber. Instead of eggs, we're going to use  flax seeds rich in omega-3 fatty acids. Rather than oil, we'll use our favorite nut butter to add some protein. Do I have you convinced to try these yet? 

Fudgy Nut Butter Brownies

Adapted from this recipe.

• 1 Flax Egg (1 TB ground flax seeds mixed with 3 TB warm water)
• 3 Tablespoons Coconut Flour
• 1/4 Cup Raw Cacao Powder
• 1/2 Teaspoon Baking Powder
• 1/2 Teaspoon Baking Soda
• Pinch of Salt
• 1/2 Cup Brown Sugar
• 1 Cup Nut Butter (I used peanut butter)
• 1/2 Cup Unsweetened Almond Milk (or other nondairy milk)
• 1 Tablespoon Pure Vanilla Extract

Makes one 6 inch pan.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a small bowl, make the flax egg and set aside. In a medium bowl, combine coconut flour, cacao, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Mix in the brown sugar and nut butter. Using a whisk or fork, whisk the flax eggs until they are an even consistency, add the vanilla extract and whisk again until combined. Add the vanilla flax mixture to the rest of the ingredients. Lastly, add the almond milk and stir until everything is combined without over mixing. Pour batter in a greased 6 inch pan (I used coconut oil as grease) and place in the oven for 35-40 minutes or until a toothpick can be inserted and cleanly removed. Allow to cool approximately 10 minutes before serving. Dress it up how you like or eat it plain. Either way, enjoy!

Options & Sidenotes:

-Mix in or sprinkle on top before baking, 1/4 Cup Vegan Chocolate Chips and/ or Chopped Nuts

-Next time, I will definitely try this with Almond Butter for a richer chocolate flavor

-I used a no-stir peanut butter, sometimes the nut butters that need to be stirred are too oily for baking

-I baked my brownies in a 6x8 inch glass Pyrex dish, I recommend using a 6 inch pan so they come out thicker, however an 8 inch pan might be okay

-The original recipe calls for Pure Maple Syrup, which I did not have on hand, but feel free to try using it if you were looking for a less processed sugar

-To make the brownies more decadent sprinkle with Cacao Powder before serving

How was your holiday weekend?

What tasty food did you eat?