For many of us, the days of overdoing our indulgence in sweets are in the past. The growing awareness of chronic diseases, caused in large part by being overweight or consuming too much of the wrong foods like sugar, simple carbs and unhealthy fats, is creating tough times for so many of the tasty treats we love. While I'm certainly more mindful of what I'm putting into this body of mine than I used to be, I'm also not about to give up on life's sweetest pleasures.
It's in these moments of determination and clarity (and PMS) that I often find myself trying to satisfy my cravings by putting a healthy spin on old favorites. This week, it was brownies…and fudge…and chocolate frosting. Blame it on the hormones.
Don't let these Nearly Raw Frosted Fudge Brownies fool you just because they're packed with healthy ingredients; they are sinfully delicious. I call these, "nearly raw" because I do use maple syrup, and even though it's organic and contains minerals like zinc, manganese and B2, the process of turning sap into syrup involves boiling, so it's technically not a "raw" recipe. Close enough for me!
Most of these ingredients can be found in your regular grocery store, but others, like cacao nibs, cacao powder, and coconut butter may involve a trip to a health food store or an online purchase. They last a long time, that is unless you find yourself making these on a regular basis. And trust me, you just might!
For the Brownies: Line an 8-inch square pan with parchment paper so that a bit hangs over opposite edges. You’ll use this to easily pull out the brownies. Place cashews, walnut and cacao nibs in a food processor. Pulse to a coarse meal. Remove and set aside. Add dates to food processor and puree into a paste. Add the ground nuts back into the processor, along with the cacao powder, coconut oil and coconut butter. Pulse to form a small sandy-pebble-like consistency that holds together when pressed between your fingers. Add in pistachios and pulse a few times to combine. The pistachios add a beautiful green accent, so don’t over process. Press mixture evenly into prepared pan, making sure the surface is smooth. Use a juice glass to press and roll. Refrigerate while making frosting
For the Frosting: Place all the ingredients in blender and blend until smooth and glossy. Remove brownies from refrigerator and pour frosting on top. Smooth evenly with an offset spatula or knife. Return to the pan to refrigerator to chill for several hours. Carefully lift up the edges of the parchment paper and remove brownies from tray. Cut into squares and serve, noting that a little bit goes a long way! Store in a sealed container kept in the fridge for up to 1 week. Best served after sitting at room temperature for about 30 minutes.
For the Brownies: Line an 8-inch square pan with parchment paper so that a bit hangs over opposite edges. You’ll use this to easily pull out the brownies. Place cashews, walnut and cacao nibs in a food processor. Pulse to a coarse meal. Remove and set aside. Add dates to food processor and puree into a paste. Add the ground nuts back into the processor, along with the cacao powder, coconut oil and coconut butter. Pulse to form a small sandy-pebble-like consistency that holds together when pressed between your fingers. Add in pistachios and pulse a few times to combine. The pistachios add a beautiful green accent, so don’t over process. Press mixture evenly into prepared pan, making sure the surface is smooth. Use a juice glass to press and roll. Refrigerate while making frosting
For the Frosting: Place all the ingredients in blender and blend until smooth and glossy. Remove brownies from refrigerator and pour frosting on top. Smooth evenly with an offset spatula or knife. Return to the pan to refrigerator to chill for several hours. Carefully lift up the edges of the parchment paper and remove brownies from tray. Cut into squares and serve, noting that a little bit goes a long way! Store in a sealed container kept in the fridge for up to 1 week. Best served after sitting at room temperature for about 30 minutes.
