It’s been one of those weeks where I just needed chocolate! Not just any old chocolate though, fudgey, gooey chocolate in the form of a brownie. So that’s exactly what I decided to make. Chocolate got a bad rep but if its the raw unprocessed cacao, then there’s really no need to be sorry for eating it as it’s packed full of goodness. I actually recommend some of my clients who are low in magnesium to consume raw dark cacao, and it is also a rich source of anti-oxidants and fibre. Read more about the benefits of cacao in my post here!

Now everyone loves a brownie but probably not the gluten, dairy and sugar that they are laden with. Well I might just have the answer for you and I think these could be the healthiest version to be created! They contain no sugar but get their slight sweetness from sweet potato and some raw honey. They contain protein from the eggs and healthy fats from the coconut oil. Did you know that coconut oil actually helps you to burn fat and speed up your metabolism? The medium-chain triglycerides (MCTs) in coconut oil can increase how many calories you burn compared to the same amount of other fats. One study found that 15-30 grams of MCTs per day increased 24 hour energy expenditure by 5%, totalling about 120 calories per day!

Did you also know that sweet potatoes contain loads of fibre (which non of us get enough of), and an antioxidant called beta-carotene which gives them their orange colour? Beta carotene is the precursor to vitamin A which is super good for eye health, glowing skin and a strong immune system. With it being an antioxidant it naturally helps to fight free radical damage (we are exposed to a lot of this through pollution, pesticides, EMF’s, toxins, BPA etc). So including lots of anti-oxidants in your diet helps to prevent things like cancer which can be caused by excessive free radical damage. If you want to read about other ways to prevent cancer then check out my blog post on this here.

Not only are these brownies super healthy but they are SO easy to make – you cant go wrong with them it’s just a matter of mixing the wet and the dry ingredients together and popping them in the oven.

I hope that you enjoy these as much as I did and that you get pleasure out of baking AND eating them.

Remember that doing a little of what you love goes a long way in achieving overall wellness. For me this is baking, finding therapy in my kitchen (and eating the produce afterwards of course!)

So go out there today and do (or eat) something that you love – I promise it will do you the world of good!

 

Ingredients

1 medium sized sweet potato – baked

3 eggs whisked

¼ cup coconut oil – melted (I stick it in the oven in a dish while the potatoes are in)

1/3 cup raw honey

3 tablespoons coconut flour

2 tablespoons cacao powder

¼ tsp baking powder

1 tsp vanilla extract

¼ tsp cinnamon

Dark Choc chips – (optional)

Method

Bake that sweet potato to start with, throw it in a very hot oven (about 225 degrees) for about 35 minutes. Once it is soft, peel off the skin and mash it up in a bowl. Then turn down your oven to about 175 (fan assisted).

Now add your wet ingredients: eggs, coconut oil, honey, vanilla to the bowl and mix together.

Then add your dry ingredients: coconut flour, cacoa powder, baking powder and cinnamon (and choc chips if using).

Mix well. Pour in to a 8×8 square tin lined with baking paper. Bake for 30 minutes. Let cool slightly then slice and serve! These keep very well for at least a week – if you can make them last that long!

 

 

 

Wishing you all a happy and healthy week

xxx