MMU Recipe Challenge – Healthy Brownies

Fudgy or Cakey? Move over that debate…. Now we are talking of healthy or delicious? I say why not both!

When I was invited by Raya of MuslimMommyUSA for a recipe swap challenge for a healthy brownie recipe, I tried to think outside the cake mix box and ways to reduce all the processed excesses from the traditional recipe to come up with my own healthy version. Here’s how it went:

The Original Traditional Recipe:

Ingredients

1 cup unsalted butter, melted
2 3/4 cups white sugar
1/4 cup brown sugar
2 tablespoons vanilla extract
4 eggs
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 teaspoon salt

Directions

Preheat oven 350 F (175 C). Prep square or rectangular pan with parchment paper. Mix wet ingredients in a large bowl. Mix dry ingredients in medium bowl. Mix dry ingredients – 1/2 at a time – to wet ingredients until fully incorporated. Pour into 13×9 pan, and bake in center of oven for 30 – 45 minutes. Knife should come out with crumbs and not fully clean.

So what did I do with it?

I didn’t calculate the calories in here as I don’t think health is a number. For me healthy food has always meant wholesome, as unprocessed as possible and as close to nature as it can get. Here is why you should make my healthier version:

• Zero refined sugar. All the sweetness required is present thanks to super sweet dates.
• Made from whole grains including finger millet (raagi) flour which is high in protein,  calcium, minerals and whatnot. And it gives a nice even brownier(?) color.
• Contains half the butter and eggs as the original recipe, as they are not as bad as you are made to believe. They are natural wholesome ingredients, good for you in moderation. NOTE: For a fully vegan recipe. Here’s the replacement.

1/2 cup extra applesauce for the butter

2 tbsp flaxseed meal mixed with 5 tbsp water (beat and leave aside for 10 mins.) for replacing the eggs.

• Tastes just as good while satisfying your brownie cravings and your nagging conscience.

Print Recipe

Millet & Date Brownies

Course

dessert

Cuisine

Desserts, Healhty

Prep Time

15 minutes

Cook Time

45 minutes

Passive Time

45 minutes

Servings

squares

Ingredients

• 1 cup whole wheat flour
• 1/2 cup finger millet flour
• 3/4 cup dark cocoa powder
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp vanilla powder
• 1 tsp salt
• 2 cups chopped dates choose syrupy dates like medjool or khallas
• 1/2 cup melted butter
• 1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce baby food might be a good idea
• 2 organic eggs i know, i know .. regular is fine as well
• 1/2 cup milk
• 1/2 cup chopped walnuts optional

Course dessert Cuisine Desserts, Healhty Prep Time 15 minutes Cook Time 45 minutes Passive Time 45 minutes Servings squares Ingredients 1 cup whole wheat flour 1/2 cup finger millet flour 3/4 cup dark cocoa powder 1 tsp baking powder 1 tsp vanilla powder 1 tsp salt 2 cups chopped dates choose syrupy dates like medjool or khallas 1/2 cup melted butter 1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce baby food might be a good idea 2 organic eggs i know, i know .. regular is fine as well 1/2 cup milk 1/2 cup chopped walnuts optional

Instructions

1. 1) The usual preheat and lining drill. Oven at 180 C and parchment or butter for an 8x8 square pan. 2) Make a date paste by cooking the dates with half a cup of water for about 4-5 minutes and then blending it. 3) Mix the wet ingredients 4) Sift the dry ingredients 5) Dry + wet. Fold in the walnuts 6) Bake for about 30 minutes.

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