Flourless Carrot Brownies

I base my dessert recipes on one thing. Will my oldest son eat it. Plain and simple. Just because I like something doesn’t mean anyone else will. So when I have to rein in the Teen from pigging out I know I had a successful recipe. Ford is smart enough to ask “what kind of (insert name) is this?” when something comes out of the oven. To which I replied “chocolate chip brownies!” and he sampled a small piece, and another, and another. I kept my mouth shut that they could be vegan, grain free, gluten-free and heavy on vegetables…..he doesn’t need that much information after all.

The brownies take a little work, due to grating the carrots, but are very worth it. The edge ones are crunchy/chewy, the inner pieces almost fudgy. And yes, I chose to use honey. I find it less processed than agave nectar. Use what you prefer.

Something I noticed recently: Often I see recipes on blogs mentioning that it is cheaper to make almond butter from scratch. So I priced raw almonds and natural almond butter at Costco and got a surprise. They were the same price per ounce! I then felt better about taking the lazy route at times. They sell a good brand, so I can use my time elsewhere. Like writing! Hey, time is limited….

Flourless Carrot Brownies

Ingredients:

• 1 cup unsalted natural almond butter
• 1½ cups finely grated carrots
• 1/3 cup honey or agave nectar
• 1 Tbsp flaxseed meal + 3 Tbsp cool water
• 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1 tsp baking soda
• ½ tsp ground nutmeg
• 1 cup dark chocolate chips (vegan and/or gluten-free as desired)

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350°, spray or lightly oil an 8×8″ glass baking dish.

Note on carrots – when grating use the small side of a box grater, they need to be small to disappear into the brownies.

In a small bowl whisk the flaxseed meal and water together, let rest for 10 minutes to thicken. Stir all the ingredients together until smooth, spread evenly into the pan. Bake for 35 to 45 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean in the center.

Let cool before cutting.

PS: As the brownies cool any remaining aroma of carrot will disappear.

~Sarah