I’m a big fan of anything associated with chocolate; especially of the “baked goods” variety. Whether it’s Chocolate Cakes, Chocolate Brownies, Chocolate Bars,or Chocolate Cookies…you name it; and chances are I’ll love it (and eat it). However, I do NOT love the way I feel after eating 2,3,4,5+ of these tasty chocolate treats. The guilt always ruins my evening. I feel compelled to do 100 sit ups and run around the block; but instead I usually just eat another slice of whatever it was that made me feel guilty in the first place. Is this a sign of self-loathing behavior?
Fear not! I think I’ve found a solution for my chocolate-guilt: These Brownie Bites. They are made with No Sugar, No Milk, No Butter….AND still taste awesome! I decided to make them in a muffin pan so I could have individual brownie bites. That way, it’s easier to keep track of how many I’ve had (and I can’t cut a GIANT piece and say “oh, but I only ate ONE”…hahaha I’ve totally done that before). Also, by making them into “bites” I can freeze half **and just pop one in the microwave (for 15 seconds) when I NEED a chocolate fix. Genius!
I found this recipe on Jillian Michael’s website; I just love Jillian. (Is anyone else BEYOND distraught that she’s no longer going to be on The Biggest Loser? I’ll still watch the show…but it won’t be the same.)
What you’ll need:
-1/2 c white whole wheat flour
-1/3 c cocoa powder
-1/2 c unsweetened applesauce
-2/3 c honey
-2 tbs olive oil
-1/4 tsp baking powder
-1/4 tsp baking soda
-3 tbs ground flax
-1/4 tsp salt
-1 egg
-1 tsp vanilla extract
-1 tsp cinnamon
-1/2 c 60% cacao chocolate chips
First things first: Preheat the oven to 350° and grease a muffin pan.
In a small bowl, combine your dry ingredients: flour, salt, baking soda, baking powder, ground flax. Mix everything together with a fork (or a whisk). Set aside
In a large bowl, add the honey and cocoa powder. Stir these two ingredients together until well incorporated. (make sure your honey is room temperature or warmer..it makes stirring much easier)
To the cocoa-honey, add applesauce, oil, egg, cinnamon and vanilla. Stir until everything is mixed together nicely. Add the “dry” ingredients to the bowl; stir until a nice lump-free batter has formed.
Fold in your chocolate chips to the batter (you could also mix in some nuts at this point as well….if you’re into that sort of thing).
Distribute your batter evenly among the 12 “cups” of your greased muffin pan. Bake for 20-25 minutes. Do the old “toothpick test” to make sure they’re done.
Serve warm; with a scoop of natural vanilla ice cream…or homemade whipped cream…or fresh berries. They store very nicely in an air tight container for up to a week. However, they probably wont last that long.
**To freeze: wait until the brownies are cool. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper, place cooled brownies on paper, place in the freezer until they are frozen (roughly and hour). Once frozen, remove from baking sheet and store in a zip top freezer bag or freezer friendly air-tight container; up to one month (but you’ll be lucky if they last more than a week).
FosterChaffee
thefeelgoodfoodie 