If you're like me, you've hit the mid-winter doldrums. I'd rather stay at home under a blanket, watching Netflix and chowing down on chocolaty desserts than do pretty much anything else. 

This brownie recipe is the perfect solution. It's naturally gluten-free and vegan, high in protein, and off the charts delicious. I make a batch weekly (don't judge). Enjoy!

Brownies

 

Ingredients
 

  • 4 ounces Earth Balance or butter (1 stick)
  • 4 ounces unsweetened chocolate, chopped into chunks
  • 1 cup sugar (make sure it's vegan)
  • 2 flax "eggs" (2 tbsp freshly ground flax seeds + 6 tbsp hot water, whisked well and left to set for 10 minutes in the fridge)
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 100 grams teff flour
  • 2 handfuls chopped, freshly toasted walnuts
  • 2 handfuls semi-sweet or bittersweet chocolate chips


Directions

  • Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line and grease an 8-inch baking pan with 2 sheets of parchment, set perpendicular with enough to hang off the sides. 

  • Melt the Earth Balance and chocolate in a medium pot over low heat. Make sure not to burn the chocolate. Stir well.
  • Let the butter-chocolate combination cool until you can touch it. Add the sugar and stir until it is dissolved. Add flax mixture and stir really, really well (I count to 100 while I'm whisking the mixture). Pour in vanilla extract and stir. Add teff flour and stir batter well with a spatula for at least one minute. Toss in the chopped nuts and chocolate chips and stir until combined. 
  • Pour batter into prepared pan and spread it evenly into the corners. Bake until the edges have begin to pull away from the pan and the center is just starting to set, 20 to 25 minutes. SUPER IMPORTANT: don't overbake!
  • Remove brownies from the pan by lifting parchment hammock and placing it on a cooling rack. Cool for at least 45 minutes (so hard!).  Indulge away, and try to not eat them all in one sitting!