Enjoy a Brownie Today in Honor of National Brownie Day

Today is National Brownie Day, an entire day designated to the fudgy chocolaty treat we all love!  Not quite a cookie, but not quite a cake, brownies are undoubtedly one of the most satisfying desserts and there is no better day than  today to whip up a batch for the whole family to enjoy.

Whether you love them with nuts or extra fudgy with a scoop of vanilla ice cream, there is always a place for brownies in every chocolate lover’s heart.  The good news is, there are a lot of creative ways to reduce the fat and calories in brownies and even increase the nutrient content.

For starters, there is no rule against adding leafy greens, like spinach, to your homemade brownie mix.  Adding vegetables to dessert recipes is a great way to sneak in extra nutrients because they get completely disguised by the other ingredients – you won’t even know they’re there!  Also, using black beans in a brownie recipe can be used to replace some or even all of the flour.  Black beans will actually give a very moist, rich consistency to the brownie and will not make your brownie taste any different than the real kind.  Oats can also be added to replace the flour and are best when placed in a food processor to create your own homemade oat flour.

If you love your brownies fudgy, a great food to incorporate into the recipe is dates.  Dates are very dense and sweet and will give you that fudgy texture which makes brownies so decadent.  Bananas have a similar affect and banana and chocolate is a delicious combination!  You can also feel free to throw in ground seeds or your favorite nut butter.

As you can see, there are so many healthy ingredients that work wonderfully in brownie recipes.  In honor of National Brownie Day, take the time to try out a healthy twist on brownies.  If not, do not feel bad about treating yourself to the “regular” version – it is okay to enjoy the foods you love every now and then!

Your turn to take action: What is your favorite way to make brownies?

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