Paleo Brownies

Don’t let the ‘paleo’ in the title of this recipe throw you off! These brownies may be health conscious but they’re still rich, chocolate-y and decadent – everything a brownie should be. No compromising on flavour here!

Lately, I’ve been drawn to recipes with fewer ingredients and steps because they feel less fussy. For me, it’s totally a mental thing. But, when I see a simple recipe, I feel like I can easily incorporate that into my already busy day.  I know so many of you can relate to this as well and that’s why I’ve really been striving for less ingredients, fewer steps and just real, whole foods when I’m in the kitchen recipe developing.

I can totally understand how recipes with too many ingredients or steps can be a deterrent for a lot of people. They can feel complicated and overwhelming. Trust me, I get it! I’m hoping that by providing you with simple recipes like these Paleo Brownies that they entice you to get back into the kitchen and to create more home cooked foods.

It’s only been recently that I’ve been playing around with cassava flour as a grain-free option in my baked goods and I have to say, I’m really impressed. I think it’s a fantastic grain and nut free alternative. It’s very mild and neutral in flavour. When I first started experimenting and saw the price tag for a bag of it, my jaw nearly dropped! It’s definitely a pricey option. What I did initially, was to find it in bulk and only purchase what I needed. Obviously, now that I’m using it more regularly and with confidence, I have invested in a larger bag. If you’re curious about this flour but like me, scared off by the price tag I suggest starting small. Look for cassava flour in bulk and use it in a recipe to see what you think of it first.

For those of you who aren’t familiar, cassava is a tuber. It’s in the same family as yams and potatoes. Cassava flour is actually produced from the entire root, peeled, dried and ground. It is NOT the same as tapioca flour. Cassava flour contains more dietary fibre. You can use cassava flour in any recipe calling for all-purpose, whole wheat or even gluten-free flour. Like most grain-free and gluten-free flour options, cassava flour can be temperamental. It absorbs more liquid which means you don’t always need as much when making substitutions. It’s definitely a bit of trial and error to find the right balance when you’re experimenting with grain-free options. But these brownies have been tried and tested. No experimentation necessary! They are a delicious, grain-free, gluten-free and soy-free dessert.

If you’d like to make them dairy-free as well, simply use coconut oil in place of grass-fed butter. As far as paleo goes, maple syrup shouldn’t be a staple item but given that this is a dessert recipe, there’s nothing wrong with it as a treat every now and again 😛 So go ahead and enjoy – guilt free!

Paleo Brownies
These brownies have been tried and tested. No experimentation necessary! They are a delicious, grain-free, gluten-free and soy-free dessert.
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Ingredients
  1. 1/2 cup cassava flour
  2. 4 eggs
  3. 2/3 cup monk fruit sweetener
  4. 1/4 cup maple syrup
  5. 3/4 cup grass-fed butter, melted
  6. 1/2 cup cacao powder, sifted
  7. 2 tsp vanilla extract
  8. 1/2 tsp sea salt
Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 300F. Grease and flour an 8 inch square baking pan.
  2. In a large bowl, beat eggs until fluffy and yellow.
  3. Add monk fruit and maple syrup to the eggs and whisk.
  4. Add all remaining ingredients to the mixture and ensure that everything is fully incorporated. 5. Pour brownie batter into the pan and bake for 45 minutes or until a toothpick inserted comes
  5. out clean.
  6. Let the brownies cool completely before cutting into squares.
  7. Optional: top with homemade coconut whip or dairy-free ice cream before serving.
Notes
  1. These will keep stored in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
  2. Tell us, have you experimented with cassava flour? What was your experience like?
Holistic Wellness https://holisticwellness.ca/
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The BEST Ever Decadent Chocolate Brownies

Chocolate lovers rejoice! 

You’re gonna love these delicious chocolatey gooey gems. A few months ago when I was putting together my Healthy Holiday Baking eBook, I came up with this recipe and was pretty much in heaven. 

And guess what? You know you’ve hit gold when your mom tells you she loves them and wants the recipe. Jackpot! She just basically confirmed these brownies were a winner. 

You see, my mom has been suffering with lupus (an autoimmune disease) and inflammation for a long time now. 3 years ago she got hit bad and basically couldn’t walk or move without my dad helping her get around. She was in so much pain. Literally, from head to toe she was inflamed and hurting. 

So, of course, I came in and helped revamp her diet. She made an incredible commitment to eating more organic, ditching the dairy and going gluten free. 

Well can you guess what happened? 80% reduction in her pain! 80 freaking percent! She’s not 100% because some of her medication has side effects, but from not being able to walk at all, to cleaning the house, going out and about doing her chores and enjoying the weekends out with my father, her quality of life has improved GREATLY!!

In fact, one thing she reported back to me was that she could think more clearly. Um, ya, gluten has a tendency to cause foggy brain. Crazy right?

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The reason I wrote my Baking eBook was for a few reasons; 1. I wanted to share delicious and healthier treats with my tribe (you guys rock!) and 2. because my mom really wanted to enjoy something sweet without having gluten and a boat load of crappy and fake ingredients. 

So I got to work and created a ton of recipes that are all gluten free, most are dairy free and all recipes contain only natural, whole food ingredients (because that’s how I roll!). 

So let’s get to my mom’s favourite recipe, my best ever decadent chocolate brownies. Hope you enjoy them as much as we do! 

Oh! and stay tuned for a very special 50% off discount on my baking eBook, coming soon for Valentines Day. 

P.S. If you’ve been dealing with inflammation, know that through the right diet, you can heal and get better! Our bodies are so miraculous when we give it the right support and nutrients. If you’re suffering, in pain and feel like their is no hope, trust me, their is a solution. Email me and let’s set up some time to discuss if working together is the right solution for you. Email me at: samantha@holisticwellness.ca for a complimentary consult call. 

The Best Decadent Chocolate Brownies Ever!
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Step 1 Chocolate
  1. ¼ cup mini chocolate chips
  2. 3 tablespoons almond or coconut milk
  3. ¼ cup cacao powder
  4. 3 tablespoons coconut oil, melted
Step 2 Dry
  1. 3 tablespoons arrowroot starch
  2. ¼ cup coconut flour
  3. ¼ teaspoon baking soda
  4. ½ teaspoon cinnamon
  5. pinch sea salt
Step 3 Wet
  1. ½ cup pure maple syrup
  2. ¼ cup olive oil
  3. 2 eggs, whisked
  4. ¼ cup canned pumpkin
Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 350F. Place all of step 1 ingredients over a double boiler and melt together over low heat.
  2. Next, place all the dry ingredients into a bowl and combine.
  3. In a separate bowl, combine all the step 3 ingredients. Mix well, then pour into the dry mix, along with the Step 1 chocolate ingredients. Mix everything together with a hand mixer until well combined.
  4. Pour batter into a greased 8x8 brownie pan. Bake for 25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Let cool before transferring to a wire rack and cut into 12 even squares.
Notes
  1. * Feel free to add walnuts, dried cherries or other dried fruits, nuts or seeds to this recipe.
Holistic Wellness https://holisticwellness.ca/
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Chocolate Fudge Walnut Brownies Under $7 & Rice Noodles with Mixed Greens for Simple Meatless Monday Goodness!

Happy Family Day Everyone! Hope today is a day full of family fun! And what better to way to enjoy a day off then to bake up some sweet goodness! Inexpensive sweet goodness that will take you 30mins! Now…before we get into ooey gooey details, I must explain that when I bake…I bake from scratch! All ingredients as natural and organic as possible, the best flours, I try to omit as many common food allergens as possible, and still manage to produce a delicious sweet treat that is damn good! HOWEVER….I’ve been hearing all about a pre packaged chocolate brownie mix that is gluten free, corn free, GMO free AND made in Canada. I just HAD to try it! And let me tell you sweet friends o’mine…it was AmAZiNg! So, I can’t take full credit for this recipe, as most of it was done for me, but I did add my own nutritionista flair to the mix 😉 Onto the recipes…………

Ingredients: organic cane sugar, brown rice flour, white rice flour, potato starch, natural cocoa, chocolate chips, aluminum free baking powder

Ooey Gooey Chocolate Fudge Walnut Brownies

Ingredients:
Entire bag of Purest chocolate fudge brownie mix
2 large eggs
1/2 cup melted butter (I used 1/2 cup coconut oil instead)
1 tsp vanilla extract
I added – 1/3 cup chopped raw walnuts

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350. Lightly grease a 8×8 inch pan. In a large mixing bowl, beat the eggs and vanilla extract together, slowly add melted coconut oil and continue to beat for one minute. Add entire bag of brownie mix to the wet ingredients and beat until combined into thick batter. Add chopped nuts and mix. Spread batter over prepared pan and bake for 30 mins. Remove from heat and completely cool. Freezes well!

Rice Noodles with Mixed Greens (adapted from 30 Minute Vegan)
This is the perfect dish for sneaking in those calcium rich liver loving greens!

Ingredients:
4 ounces uncooked rice stick noodles
2 tbsp brown rice vinegar
2 tbsp agave nectar
1 tbsp peeled and minced ginger
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 cup tamari
1 tbsp diced red chile, or tsp cayenne (optional)
3 cups thinly sliced organic mixed greens (swiss chard, kale)
1 medium sized carrot, grated (1 cup)
1/4 large cucumber, cut into half moon
handful sunflower or mung bean sprouts
2 tbsp thinly sliced green onion
1/2 cup minced fresh cilantro
1/2 cup minced fresh Italian parsley
1/4 cup minced fresh mint
sea salt

Directions:
Cook rice noodles according to package directions. Combine vinegar, agave, ginger, garlic, tamari, and chile. Whisk well. Place greens, carrots, cucumbers, sprouts, green onion, all herbs and salt in a bowl and toss with half the vinegar mixture. Toss the rice noodles in the remaining mixture. Layer the noodles down on a plate or bowl first and top with the veggies. *If you are storing this dish for later, it would be a good idea to add only enough dressing to the noodles as needed to keep them moist, so they won’t get sticky. The rest should be stored separately from the vegetables, or the greens will become soggy and wilted.

** Top this dish with chopped toasted almonds, or toasted sesame seeds
** Experiment with other veggies- mushrooms, eggplant, zucchini
** Freshly squeezed lime juice could work in place of brown rice vinegar

Happy Healthy Fun Family Day!

Health & Abundance,
Samantha 🙂

 

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