Let’s talk brownies ladies and gentlemen!   If you are like me who L O VE S all things chocolate, then you would agree that finding the HEALTHIEST and FUDGIEST BROWNIE recipe will be a day to remember!   This brownie is a one-bowl recipe so that’s another plus especially for you busy mommas out there.

So what makes this brownies super fudgy?  The secret ingredient is TAHINI.   Tahini is made from sesame seeds that are lightly toasted and ground into a delicious nutty paste and peanut butter look-a-like.  It can be either hulled (skinned) or un-hulled.  Unhulled tahini is slightly healthier because it contains the whole sesame seed, however hulled tahini is less bitter.   You can easily find tahini in your groceries at th healthy food section. I also tried substituting half a cup of tahini with all-natural peanut butter and it was really good too. I would probably just lessen the sugar ratio so it’s not overly sweet.

How healthy is tahini?  Since it comes from sesame seeds, it’s a great source of essential vitamins and minerals such as phosphorus, lecithin, magnesium, potassium.   It helps regulate blood pressure and cholesterol, can help balance hormones, and helps improve skin health.  Talk about being a superfood!  It’s a staple in Middle Eastern cooking and is a key ingredient in hummus which is an excellent choice for a healthy dip or spread.   You can also use tahini as an alternative to your salad dressings by adding some lemon, honey, and fresh herbs.  And of course, it’s perfect for baking as a substitute for butter or margarine.

Another healthy ingredient to this recipe is COCONUT FLOUR which makes these brownies GRAIN-FREE.   Coconut flour has gained so much popularity among healthy bakers because of its nutritional value and versatility too.  Coconut flour comes from 100% coconut meat which has been ground and dried.  It’s actually not “flour” per se since it contains zero grains, gluten or nuts.   This also makes it very ideal for those who are paleo eaters, or who have gluten sensitivity, nut allergies, or even Celiac disease.

How do we sweeten up these healthy bites?  Through my favorite sweetener which are coconut sugar and pure maple syrup.   We all know that refined sugars and high fructose corn syrup supply “empty” calories and consuming these in large amounts have harmful effects to our health.  Hence, switching to more natural sweeteners is the way to go.  How do you know if it’s pure maple and not the artificially flavored ones?  Read the labels!   The ingredients should only state 100% pure Canadian maple syrup.  No other ingredients.  Apart from the fact that it is healthier, it also tastes soooo much better!

Coconut sugar is also an ah-mazing way to sweeten up your baked goods.  It comes from the sap of the coconut, which is they sugary fluid in the coconut.  It is packed with nutrients such as zinc, potassium, calcium, and some polyphenols and anti-oxidants that has tons of health benefits.

Enough said about how healthy these babies are.  Now, who wants these HEALTHY, FUDGY BROWNIES?

WHAT YOU’LL NEED:

• 1 cup tahini
• 1/2 cup coconut sugar
• 1/4 cup pure maple syrup
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 eggs
• 1/3 cup unsweetened raw cacao or cocoa powder
• 1 tablespoon coconut flour
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/3 cup chocolate chips
• 1/4 cup chopped walnuts

Optional: drizzle

2 tablespoons dark chocolate chips

1 teaspoon coconut oil

METHOD

Pre-heat your oven at 350 degrees F.   Line a 9×9 baking pan with parchment paper.  In a large bowl, mix all the ingredients except the choco chips and walnuts.  Combine well using a spoon.  Fold in the nuts and choco chips.  Don’t overmix as you would want these brownies fudgy, and not dense.

Pour into the prepared pan and spread it using a rubber scraper.   The batter will be very sticky so you can spray the rubber scraper or spoon with some baking spray to keep it from sticking to the batter.

Bake for about 20-25 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean when inserted.  Let it cool for about 10 minutes before cutting into squares.  You may also drizzle melted chocolate on top and sprinkle a bit of sea salt. Enjoy warm or chilled.