Maybe I am just the stereotypical girl, but I really love Valentine’s Day. I always have. Maybe it’s the super-awesome gift baskets my mom used to put together for my sister and I to come downstairs to in the morning. Maybe it’s all the pink, purple and red. Or maybe I’m just a little bit of a romantic.
Ok, it’s all three.
Since I try to avoid most commercially produced chocolates, I wanted to try to create a gluten-free, paleo-ish dark chocolate brownie for Valentine’s day. To my surprise, my concoction worked! They turned out amazing! Soft, chewy, fudgy and stayed that way for days.
Not that they even lasted for days…
Guilty.
Aside from the dark chocolate (which can be organic), this recipe has minimal processed items, no flour, gluten-free and healthy in moderation. I try to avoid the gimmicks of “healthy” treats, because let’s face it, nutritionally speaking these are better for you overall, yes. But are they as healthy as fruits and veggies? Nope. They are just a better way for us health conscious folk to enjoy a little Valentine’s Day treat without the GMOs, chemicals and gluten.
INGREDIENTS
7 oz Organic dark chocolate, chopped finely
7 oz Organic coconut oil
3 eggs, beaten, room temp (organic, free-range)
1/2 Cup blanched almond flour
1 tablespoon coconut flour
3/4 Cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1/8 teaspoon baking soda
Dark chocolate chips/chunks to sprinkle on top (or mix into the batter if you prefer)
Preheat oven to 325°F.
Line a 9-inch square baking pan with parchment paper (unbleached). I trim any overhanging edges so that the paper fits snug and it isn’t hanging out of the pan.
Place the chocolate in a microwave-safe glass dish and melt chocolate in 30 second intervals. When chocolate is melted, add the 7 tablespoons of coconut oil and heat again until it is melted. I stirred the mixture every 15 seconds.
Once the chocolate and coconut oil are melted together add the remaining ingredients and blend well with either a hand mixer or large spoon. I used a spoon and it was pretty easy to handle. Just make sure you mix the ingredients really well.
Once your batter is mixed well, scrape into the lined 9-inch pan using a rubber spatula. Smooth batter out and slam the pan down on the counter a few times to remove any air bubbles that may be trapped. Sprinkle top with dark chocolate pieces/chunks/chips and place in center of the oven.
Bake for 30 minutes or until a toothpick comes out of the center clean. I let mine cool in the pan and cut pieces out as I wanted them. They stored well covered on the counter for about 4 days.
Be careful, they are addicting!
Enjoy!
