Fudgy Walnut Brownies

Like my chewy chocolate chunk cookies, there are certain recipes you just need to nail. For me, and my brownie-obsessed husband, it was these badboys.

Donovan’s brownie wish-list includes…

• Chocolaty

• Fudgy

• Walnut pieces

• Maybe a few actual chocolate chips thrown into the mix

My wish list includes…

• Grain-free

• Dairy-free

• Refined-sugar free

• High fat

• Moderate protein

• Low carb

You might think that it would be impossible to check off all requests from both wish-lists, but here in the Whole Happy kitchen, I am to please, and create delicious, healthy recipes wile I’m at at.

And lucky for you…and Donovan…and me…I did just that!

Presenting some seriously chocolaty, fudgy brownies with walnut pieces and chocolate chips, that are grain-free, dairy-free, refined sugar-free, high fat, moderate protein, and low carb. You can even throw in a scoop of collagen powder into the mix to give them even more protein, and that glorious tissue-reparative benefit of collagen!

If you don’t know what I’m talking about, check out the link below. It may be about bone broth, but there’s some info about collagen and why it’s so good for ya’ in the main body text...

Blog Post: Bone Broth: how to make it & why it should be a staple in your diet

OK, so back to these glorious brownies. Make them. Eat them. Share them. You can even sub half the baking powder for baking soda, leave out the walnuts and chocolate chips, and it’s magically transformed into a kick-ass cake batter with a slightly fluffier and airy texture. Amazing, right?

And if all else fails and the brownies are too gooey and aren’t cooking properly, well then, just like I always say, you now have a delicious pudding. In any event, there’s really no losing with this recipe!

Fudgy Walnut Brownies (grain-free, dairy-free, paleo)

*Prep time: 10 minutes

*Cooking time: 15-20 minutes

*Makes about 16 small brownies

Ingredients:

• 3 pastured eggs

• 2 tsp pure vanilla extract

• ¼ cup pure maple syrup

• 2/3 cup raw almond butter

• ½ cup virgin coconut oil, melted

• 1 cup almond flour

• ¼ cup coconut flour

• 1/4 cup pure organic cocoa powder

• 1 scoop collagen powder *optional (add a teeny bit more coconut oil if you do add it and want to keep the “fudginess”)

• 2 tsp baking powder (sub ½-1 tsp baking soda for one of the baking powder tsp’s if you want it to be fluffier and more cake-like)

• ¼ tsp sea salt

• 1/3 - ½ cup walnut crumbs and pieces

• ¼ - 1/3 cup dark chocolate chips *optional (do less walnuts if you opt for the chocolate chips, though)

• Optional toppings: shredded coconut, chocolate chips, sea salt

Directions:

1. Preheat your oven to 350F.

2. Either line an 8x8x2-inch baking tray with a couple strips of parchment paper that spill over the edges, or grease it generously with coconut oil.

3. In a mixer on medium speed, or by hand in a bowl, whisk together eggs, maple syrup, and vanilla.

4. Add in the almond butter and coconut oil, and keep whisking until thoroughly combined.

5. In a separate bowl, mix together almond flour, coconut flour, cocoa powder, collagen if you’re going for it, baking powder (or soda if you’re wanting that option), and sea salt.

6. In your food processor on low speed with a mixing paddle, or by hand in a bowl, slowly combine the wet and dry ingredients until fully integrated and smooth. The consistently shouldn’t be too runny, or too thick.

7. Fold in walnuts (and chocolate chips if you so desire).

8. Spoon the batter into your baking tray and smooth out the top, adding any toppings you’d like or leaving your brownies topping-free.

9. Bake for 15-20 minutes until cooked through. You can check by inserting a knife into the centre. It will still be a bit soft, and of course “fudgy” but shouldn’t be raw.

10. Remove from oven and let sit for about 5 minutes.

11. Remove from the baking tray and allow to completely cool on a wired rack before cutting and serving.

12. Store leftovers in the fridge.