Autumn Treats: Healthy Raw Chocolate Brownies

Happy Friday! 

This post has been a loooong time coming. In fact, if I'm brutally honest, I'd forgotten all about it until I discovered it in my draft blog posts. But despite it being 5 months late, I couldn't not share it as these simple, 5 ingredient chocolate brownies are too delicious to keep to myself! 

Ever tried GU's rich chocolate torte? I have. Last weekend. We had friends round for Sunday lunch, things got crazy and I demolished two (rather large) slices of the thing. All 566 calories worth, a sugar particles dream as each and every one now has a cosy new home in the form of my tummy. 

Now keep that rich, indulgent beauty in mind. These brownies have the same decadent chocolatey taste, but there is one vital difference: these brownies are healthy. Every single ingredient will benefit you. Yeeaah, you heard me correctly.

Picture this. Your tummy is the house. Gu chocolate represents a load of crooks and criminals. These raw chocolate brownies represent a lovely little family. 

Now I know which I'd prefer to fill me....

Criminals. Bad vibes. They'll probably wreck the place. The family will fill the house with love and goodness, so it's no longer just bricks and mortar, but a home. 

Our bodies deserve to be filled with love and goodness because we only get one to last us a lifetime! #preach 

Now that the cheese is out the way (mmmm, cheese) let's get on to the recipe...

I've adapted my own recipe inspired by the wonderful Madeleine Shaw. I've tried out a few of her recipes which are all made from whole foods, including her cauliflower pizza (see blog post here). 

You'll need:

100g medjool dates
150g hazelnuts (Madeleine uses walnuts)
50g coconut oil
50g raw cacao powder
A squeeze of sweet freedom's 'natural sweetener' (Madeleine uses a pinch of stevia)

Simply blend the hazelnuts until they resemble small grains of sand. Then add the dates, sweet freedom/natural sweetener of your choice and raw cacao powder. Slowly pour in the coconut oil and continue to blend until you're left with a gooey, nicely blended mixture. 

Grease a tin with coconut oil and add all of the brownie, pressing it down so that it forms a solid, flat dessert and place in the freezer for half an hour to let it set. I didn't have a square tin so I used a round one. I was clearly breaking boundaries that day...who says brownies can't be triangular?! 

...and voila!

I topped mine off with raspberries and a dusting of cacao powder.

Chocolate + health = an extremely happy Nish.

So next time you're craving something sugary...have a go at these. They're quick, easy, healthy and also extremely rich so you probably won't be demolishing a second slice in one sitting! 

I'm definitely going to have to whip some up this weekend. Writing this post has ignited a chocolate craving in me stronger than Russell Brand's sex drive. 

XOXO