Irresistible Raw Brownies

TGIM!  I know Mondays are rough so I wanted to brighten yours with an incredible brownie recipe. The only thing better than brownies, are brownies that from start to finish take less than five minutes to make.  Rich, decedent, irresistible, fudgey brownies that are ready in the blink of an eye.  They are sinfully good, even better than baked brownies.  Boasting only three main ingredients, dates, walnuts, and cacao powder, there is no reason to not fall in love with these brownies!

These brownies pretty much speak for themselves, so before I let you go run into the kitchen and whip up a batch, I'd like to briefly talk about the three main ingredients to really get you excited about this guilt free treat!

Dates:
These sweet, dried fruits are one of my favorite natural sweeteners.  While they are packed with natural sugars, they are a low-glycemic index food that do not significantly raise blood-sugar levels and don't leave you with a sugar crash.  They are also high in fiber, with just one date covering about 6% of your recommended daily fiber intake!  If all that is not enough, dates will add vitamins and minerals to your diet.  They contain B vitamins as well as vitamin K and A.  The minerals in dates include copper, magnesium, calcium, phosphorous, iron, and zinc.  Who needs multi-vitamins when you can eat a treat made of dates!

Walnuts:
Containing a whopping 2.5 grams of omega-3 fatty-acid, 4 grams of protein, and 2 grams of fiber per ounce, walnuts are quite the super nut!  Walnuts can help you sleep thanks to meletonin, are great for your hair due to high levels of B7, and can help prevent signs of aging thanks to B vitamins and antioxidants.  Like other nuts, walnuts are also great for hunger control, cancer prevention, and stress reliever.

Cacao powder:
As if you needed another reason to eat more chocolate, raw cacao powder is highly nutritious and and a great addition to your diet.  It contains essential minerals including magnesium, calcium, sulfur, zinc, iron, copper, potassium, and manganese, and B vitamins as well as vitamin E.  Cacao powder is also rich in antioxidants, heart-healthy fat, protein, and fiber.  Thanks to all this, you can improve your blood pressure and cardiovascular function as well as neutralize free radicals by adding cacao powder to your diet.  It also aids in digestion and can enhance not only physical well-being, but also mental health!  I always feel better after a good dose of chocolate :)

You can bag these brownies for lunches or as a afternoon pick-me-up.  I often keep one in my purse when I'm out all day in case a chocolate craving hits!  You can also cut them into pieces sprinkle them on ice cream, smoothies, and oatmeal.  I love how they are so simple to make and pack such an outstanding chocolaty flavor.  Let's keep in mind Valentine's day is coming up and nothing says 'I love you' more than a big plate of brownies.  I hope I was able to brighten your Monday!


Irresistible Raw Brownies
vegan, gluten-free

yield: 16 2" brownies

2 cups raw walnuts
22 dates, pitted (I use mejdool dates)
1 cup cacao powder
1/2-1 cup chopped raw almonds (optional but highly recommended)
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/4 tsp cinnamon (optional)

Directions:
Line the bottom of an 8x8 pan with parchment paper.  Add walnuts to the food processor and let run until the walnuts are almost a rough flour-like consistency (10-15 seconds).  Add cacao powder, cinnamon, and vanilla and process another 5 seconds.  Slowly add dates and process until mixture is crumbly, but holds together when pressed with fingers.  Mix in chopped almonds by hand and press into prepared pan.  Let set in the fridge for an hour.