Peanut Butter Swirl Brownies

BOO YA! Squeezed one in juuuuuuust before the end of the month.

Hi friends! Remember me?! Bet you thought I forgot about this blog, didn’t you? Alas, I did not — just my usual busy self, way too cool for school. And by that I mean: life has been absolutely jam-packed (especially around the holidays) and I’ve been relatively struggle-y on the cooking/baking/blogging front. For that, I apologize – because, for reals, I’ve been floored at the number of people who have asked when the heck my next post was coming. I mean… people read this? What?

You guys. No words, just love.

But with that I say never fear! I have high hopes for the next twelve months — well, I guess we’re down to eleven at this point, aren’t we? Regardless, I’m getting myself organized and planning lots of big things — blog-related and otherwise! Seriously, the suspense; I know.

So I was going to kick off the 2014 edition of Confessions with a bread recipe – because at the start of a New Year’s diet and brand new workout regimen, aren’t carbs just what the doctor ordered?! The answer is of course no and (lucky for you guys) I quickly came to my senses… but only after a failed attempt at a whole wheat honey oat loaf and a few choice words for the stupid un-risen dough ball that sat sneering at me from the bottom of my bowl. Side note: do you know how frustrating it is when your dough doesn’t rise properly – or AT ALL?! It’s clear that a few more test runs are needed before that recipe gets anywhere near this blog!

As you may have deduced from my desire to bake you all a loaf of deliciously carb-y bread, my New Year’s diet thus far has consisted of chocolate, booze and lots and lots of carbs. It’s one of those “I swear I’m going to start eating healthy next week” situations… and of course, next week never really arrives. So instead of going cold turkey and cutting out sweets and/or carbs entirely, I decided to trick my body… sort of.

I came across a recipe a week or two ago that caught my attention. It was developed by one of my favorite bloggers, Minimalist Baker — already a sure sign that something delicious was going to happen in my kitchen. They were brownies — and, of course, I’m always on board with brownies. But the catch here is that they were healthy! And no, not in a delusional I’m-substituting-whole-wheat-flour-for-all-purpose-and-calling-it-healthy kind of way [… uh, guilty]. Like, legit healthy. Natural and organic ingredients and all that jazz. You see, here’s the thing… they are vegan. No, no, wait – don’t go! I PROMISE you won’t be disappointed by this one. How about this – pretend I didn’t call them vegan, go make them immediately, and then we’ll chat?

Honestly, these brownies are too delicious for words — made even more appealing by the fact that they aren’t chock full of butter and carbs. If the word ‘vegan’ typically scares you away, I highly recommend that you make your first exception here. Normally I interpret vegan as a synonym for tasteless, texture-less and weird, so I totally get where you’re coming from. But something about this recipe caught my eye and I literally cannot stop stuffing them in my face.

moo x2.

Quick disclaimer: zero creativity occurred during the making of this blog post. 100% of the credit goes to Dana, the mastermind behind this delicious recipe. I saw, I drooled, I followed directions. A few minor adjustments were made, but really — look at them! Why change something that is so perfect already?!

Oh, another reason these brownies are the absolute best? You can lick the spoon (and bowl) clean! No eggs = no danger of salmonella. Winning, all around.

…except for the stomachache you’re sure to have after “accidentally” leaving some of the batter in the bowl and then proceeding to eat it with a spoon while your [noticeably smaller batch of] brownies are baking.

wait… what?

Peanut Butter Swirl Brownies

 

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Prep Time

20 mins

Cook Time

40 mins

Total Time

1 hour

 

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons flaxseed meal
• 5 tablespoons water
• 15 oz. can black beans
• 3 tablespoons coconut oil
• ¾ cup cocoa powder
• ¼ teaspoon sea salt
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• ¼ cup agave nectar
• ¼ cup raw cane sugar
• 1½ teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• ½ cup salted natural peanut butter
• 2 tablespoons powdered sugar
• ½ cup dark chocolate chips

Instructions

1. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F; grease an 8x8" or 9x9" pan [or something of similar dimensions].
2. In the bowl of a food processor, combine the flaxseed and water; pulse a few times. Let the mixture rest while you rinse and drain the black beans.
3. Add remaining ingredients (through baking soda) to the food processor; run for 2 to 3 minutes, scraping down the sides as needed. The consistency should be smooth and relatively thick - think pancake batter. If you feel that your batter is too thick, add a tablespoon or two of water and Stir in the chocolate chips by hand, and then pour the batter into the greased pan of your choice.
4. In a small bowl, mix the peanut butter and powdered sugar. Scoop the mixture by tablespoon and dollop randomly on the top of your batter; swirl using a knife or toothpick. Add a few more chocolate chips to the top if you desire.
5. Bake for 40-45 minutes, or until the edges of the brownies start to pull away from the sides of the pan. A toothpick inserted in the center will likely not come out clean, so instead gauge the 'doneness' of your brownies by removing only when the center no longer jiggles when shaken.
6. Allow the brownies to cool for at least 30 minutes before slicing and/or serving. They are relatively crumbly, so you may need to toss them in the fridge or freezer for a bit before slicing.
7. Store in an airtight container for a few days, or in the fridge for up to a week or two.

Notes / Variations

If preferred, substitute honey or maple syrup for the agave nectar and/or coconut sugar for the cane sugar.

Recipe From: Minimalist Baker | Vegan Peanut Butter Swirl Brownies

Nutrition Information

Serving Size: 1 brownie Calories: 216 Fat: 8.4g Saturated Fat: 3.4g Carbohydrates: 29.5g Sugar: 9.5g Sodium: 131mg Fiber: 6.8g Protein: 8.6g

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Here’s to 2014! I have a feeling there are big things ahead :) Until next time!