Hello Brownies.

Or may I be more specific; hello brownies made without refined sugars, gluten, and artificial ick. Hellooo indeed.

I was never a chocolate brownie girl until not too long ago. When I made brownies back in the day, it was always with a boxed mixture of Betty Crocker’s finest. Most (normal) people would turn that boxed powder confection into the actual brownies pictured on the box. I, on the other hand, was very content with the sugary and fudgy brownie batter instead. Half – I kid you not – half of the batter would go missing before it made it into the oven. And by missing, I’m referring to my mouth as the culprit.

The batter always tasted so much better than the actual brownies anyways. My brownies would come out of the oven as a crumbly, dry mess that was overly sweet with burnt ends and a flaky texture. Where was the ooey-gooey-ness of the delectable batter?

When I started living a healthier lifestyle, Betty, Pillsbury, and their boxed comrades and I had a falling out. It’s ok; we were never really that close anyways. I started experimenting more with turning the delicious brownie batter I loved into a gooey and delicious brownie, but made solely with whole foods and unrefined ingredients. After a few trial and errors, these delectable sweet potato brownie babies were born. And let’s all say it together again: Hello brownies!

These brownies aren’t like your typical crumbly and flaky brownies. Oh no – they are moist, decadent, fudgy, and gooey. They melt in your mouth and don’t slap you in the face with sugar. They’re subtly sweet, ridiculously creamy and moist, and will make you SO happy that you stuck it out and didn’t eat all of the brownie batter. Not to mention these brownies are filled with plant based goodness like Vitamin A rich sweet potatoes, fiber filling dates, heart healthy coconut oil, flavonoid rich cacao powder, and coconut flour, which is made from dried coconut meat and boasts protein, manganese, and fiber.

Hello (sweet potato, chocolate, rich, decadent, gluten free, refined sugar free, paleo, man approved) Brownies!

Sweet Potato Brownies

Makes 16-18 brownies

2 medium sweet potatoes, peeled and chopped into small cubes (make sure they are of the orange variety!)
1 heaping cup Mejdool dates, pits removed and soaked in warm water for 10 minutes
¼ cup raw cacao powder
½ cup coconut flour
¼ cup coconut oil
4 tablespoons maple syrup
½ tsp baking soda
1 egg
¼ tsp of cinnamon
Dash of sea salt

Method:

Preheat oven to 350° F and line an 8×8 or 9×9 baking tray with parchment paper.

Once sweet potatoes are peeled and cubed, steam them for 20 minutes or until they are easily pierced with a fork.

In a food processor or blender add pitted dates and steamed sweet potatoes. Blend until mixture is completely pureed and dates and sweet potatoes are incorporated.

Add date/sweet potato mixture to a large bowl with the remainder of the ingredients and beat with a mixer until thoroughly mixed. The brownie batter will be very thick and dense.

Spread brownie batter in lined baking tray and bake for 25-30 minutes.

Let cool 15-20 minutes before cutting your brownies.

Once brownies are completely cooled, store in the refrigerator and enjoy! Feel free to warm them before serving to have brownies à la mode with ice cream (specifically an ice cream that contains 5 or fewer ingredients)!