Grain Free Fudgy Brownies- A Recipe

So I may not have shared this here yet, but I have been on a completely grain free diet for the last month, experimenting to see if my inflammatory issues might be somewhat lessened if I eat this way. I am not sure whether I can see marked improvement or not, but it hasn't been as challenging as I thought it would be, so I have decided to continue a bit longer and see what happens.

The main thing is learning to think outside the box a bit. For example, instead of using taco shells or tortillas to make tacos, we made all the normal taco fillings {seasoned beef, cheese, salsa, tomatoes, avocados, sour cream, lettuce, etc.} and stuffed it into bell peppers. Or we made spaghetti fixings {seasoned beef and or sausage with spaghetti sauce that contained fresh tomatoes, zucchini, onions, garlic, etc.} and served it on top of big, beautiful portabella mushroom steaks.

We've made Reuben wraps- omitting the rye bread and wrapping the corned beef, sauerkraut, dressing and Swiss in cabbage rolls and steaming it. {I admit- this was good but I *did* miss they rye.}

We've made pork chops with mock mashed potatoes. {Because potatoes are a no-no.} We used steamed cauliflower, adding a teeny bit of garlic and butter and cream cheese, blending it up and adding seasoning to taste.

Basically we eat lean meats, lots of fresh fruit and veggies, moderate amounts of healthy fats {like avocados and coconut} very, very little dairy and next to no refined sugars. We avoid grains, gluten, tubers {like potatoes} and legumes.

I guess I could go a step further and try to eliminate all eggs and nightshades. But for now, the transition has been relatively painless and, I confess, my husband and I have sat around congratulating ourselves on our amazing recipe inventing creativity. :)

All this to say, the other night we wanted a decent dessert, and sometimes that's hard to come by when you aren't baking with grains or gluten.

So I came up with a brownie recipe that Trever and I both loved. I'll warn you now- if you like cakey-type brownies, these are not for you. This is a denser, fudgey-type brownie. I've always liked fudgier brownies, so they hit the spot for me. {And apparently for Trever as well, who ate about 3/4 of the pan on his own.}

Without any further ado, I present...


Grain Free Fudgy Brownies

Ingredients:
1/4 cup coconut flour
1/2 cup sugar
6 tablespoons full fat butter plus more for pan
3 eggs
1 (10 oz) bag semi sweet chocolate chips (I used the enjoy life brand because it is grain free, gluten free and dairy free.)

Preheat oven to 325 degrees.

Butter a brownie pan. {I used a 10x2, I think.} Line with parchment paper so that it hangs over the sides just a bit. {You will use these as *handles* to remove the brownies after baking.} Butter the parchment paper as well.

In a double boiler, melt chocolate and butter together over low-medium heat until smooth. Add sugar, eggs, and flour, mix well, until batter is glossy and starts to pull away from the sides. *Optional* add 1/4 teaspoon salt.

Pour batter into prepared pan and smooth out.

Bake in preheated oven for 35-45 minutes, depending on your oven. Mine took about 40 minutes. Brownies are done when a toothpick in the center comes out tender {moist} but clean. I personally think it is a tragedy to overcook a brownie, so watch them carefully. :)

Let them cool 30 minutes or so, then use parchment *handles* to lift them out of the pan. Cool completely. Enjoy!


Notes: If you enjoy flavored brownies, you can add a drop or two of vanilla, mint, or almond extract, to taste, to your batter. You can also add shredded coconut, chocolate chunks, or nuts, if you so choose.

*Coconut flour is very dense, so you don't have to use very much. And while it is pricey, a little lasts a long time.


These brownies were a tiny bit of a cheat, since I used 1/2 cup of sugar, but every once in a while, it's nice to have a little splurge.

We were very happy with them.

I hope you enjoy them as well!

{Please let me know if you try them- what you think and any variations you made!}

Love,
amy danielle