Making your own healthy brownies is a great way to sneak in some extra vegetables (no one will guess!) and ensure you're getting those all important 5 a day! The beetroot in these Cacao brownies by Aduna Feel Good Triber Monique Cormack up the nutritional value while giving them a gentle red hue. They also look incredibly decadent and taste amazing - who could resist?
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp Aduna Super Cacao Powder
- 250g beetroot, peeled and boiled until soft, cooled*
- ¼ cup apple puree or banana puree (about ½ mashed banana)
- ½ cup coconut flour
- 3 tbsp buckwheat flour
- 1 tsp gluten-free baking powder
- ½ tsp salt
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon (optional)
- 3 tbsp honey or other liquid sweetener of choice
- 2 tbsp coconut oil, melted
- 3 eggs
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- ½ cup dark chocolate chips, or chunks of quality dark chocolate
- 40g dark chocolate, extra, for drizzling
Method
- Preheat oven to 170°C and line a small brownie pan or alternatively, an 8-inch (20 centimetre) cake tin, with baking paper.
- Place the cooked and cooled beetroot in your food processor and blend until smooth. Add in the fruit puree, coconut oil, eggs, vanilla and honey and process again until combined.
- In a large bowl combine the coconut flour, buckwheat flour, cacao powder, baking powder, cinnamon and salt. Pour in the blended beetroot mixture and combine, then fold in the chocolate chips.
- Scoop the mixture into your lined cake tin (it will be very thick, as coconut flour is super absorbent) and smooth it down evenly.
- Bake for approximately 30 minutes, or until firm to touch in the centre and the edges are starting to darken and crisp.
- Remove from the oven and allow to cool to room temperature; best done on a wire rack once the brownie is cool enough to remove from the baking tin.
- Once the brownie has cooled, slice into desired shapes. Then, melt the extra dark chocolate (over a double boiler/bain marie on the stove, or alternatively you can microwave it in a rush) and drizzle decoratively over the top.
- Allow the chocolate to set at room temperature, or you can place in the fridge to harden more quickly.
- Store the brownies in the fridge for up to one week, or alternatively freeze them for a longer life (they will last a few months).
Enjoy!
Recipe by Monique Cormack.
