Raw Brownie Basics

Chocolate Brownies

One of my favorite things growing up were Keebler’s Grasshopper cookies and a close runner up was the Girl Scout’s Thin Mints. Making the transition into the raw food world is a lot easier knowing you can still have some ‘bad’ foods. The great thing about these ‘bad’ foods are they are still a whole lot healthier than some of the ‘good’ foods I was eating on the SAD (Standard American Diet). I got a basic brownie recipe and added fresh mint leaves to get that wonderful mint chocolate taste. They came out wonderful and there is so many other things that you can add to this basic brownie recipe to get endless chocolate combinations. Even those these brownies are raw and have a ton of antioxidants in them, they still are best eaten in moderation due to the coconut butter and agave nectar. These are versatile and great for parties or to freeze to have around when you need to satisfy a chocolate craving.

Basic 3 brownie ingredients with fresh mint leaves.

Ingredients:

1 c. walnuts

1 c. dates [approx. 15 Medjool dates] *

¼ c. cocoa powder

Optional add-ins:  Fresh mint leaves, ¼ cup coconut, ¼ cup chopped walnuts, ¼ cup raw cocoa nibs,  raspberries [or other fruit], etc.

Blend all ingredients in a food processor until mixed. I used fresh mint leaves, so the batter was a little moister than it would be plain. When mixing in add-ins such as coconut, walnuts, or cocoa nibs, stir in by hand rather than using the processor.

*Note: I buy dates at Costco, they are always amazing and good for the budget. The nice thing about buying them in bulk is they last forever in the freezer. I eat a lot of them frozen as a sweet snack.

Frosting:

I found this frosting recipe that had avocados in it. I was interested to try them in a sweet recipe since they have such a creamy consistency and so many health benefits. I found this recipe on TriniGourmet http://www.trinigourmet.com/index.php/raw-vegan-brownies-recipe/ and changed it slightly to match the mint theme. I thought these would also be amazing plain with a raspberry sauce.

I ended up only using 1.5 avocados because my husband ate half of one, and I thought that it was plenty. So even 1 avocado may be sufficient. And I added fresh mint leaves to get that ‘grasshopper’ taste.

1 or 2 avocados
1/2 c. agave nectar
1/4 c. cocoa powder
2 T. coconut oil
1 T. vanilla extract
dash course salt

Blend all the ingredients in a vitamix or high speed blender until frosting consistency. Spread over the brownie batter and place in freeze for at least an hour before serving. These can last nicely in the freezer for a while and it’s great to grab one out for on the go. If they are going to be going quickly, just keep them in the fridge

Tags: brownies, chocolate, mint, raw, recipe