RECIPE FROM NOURISH
This secretly-good-for-you brownie is decadent, fudgy and jam-packed with tonnes of vital nutrients, including protein. You’ll have no idea that its secret ingredient is in fact orange kūmara (or sweet potato). But it is this totally underrated vegetable combined with the other delicious ingredients that make this brownie quite literally out of this world in so many ways. Taste, texture and nutrition; it’s a winner. And best of all, you can quite happily eat a few pieces without ruining your whole afternoon. This one’s a real crowd-pleaser and can be served warm, or kept in the fridge and used in lunchboxes, for parties or as a healthy nutrient-dense snack.
Dietary: Gluten-free, Dairy-free (optional), Vegan (optional)
Prep: 20 minutes
Cook: 40–45 minutes
Makes: 16–20 pieces
Ingredients
- 80g (2¾ oz) finely chopped dates (about ½ cup)
- 450g (1 lb) orange kūmara/sweet potato
- 4 tbsp ground flaxseed
- 6 tbsp cold water
- ⅓ cup ground almond meal
- ¾ cup cacao powder
- 1¼ cups coconut sugar
- ¼ cup hemp seeds
- ½ cup almond butter
- ¼ cup ghee or melted extra virgin coconut oil (see tip)
- 1 tbsp pure vanilla extract
- 3 tbsp protein powder (optional; see tip)
- 1½ tsp baking powder
- ½ tsp baking soda
- ¾ tsp salt
TO SERVE
- vanilla ice cream or coconut yoghurt (optional)
Method
- Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F) regular bake and line a 21 x 21cm (8¼ x 8¼ in) square or a 27.5 x 17.5cm (11 x 6¾ in) rectangular tin with baking paper.
- Soak your dates in just-boiled water for 10 minutes.
- Peel the kūmara and chop into 2cm (3/4 in) cubes, place in a steamer basket and steam for 10 minutes. If you don’t have a steamer, add 2 cups of water to a saucepan and add the sweet potato, cover and simmer on a high heat for 12 minutes.
- While the kūmara is cooking, combine the ground flaxseed and water together in a small bowl, stir and set aside for 5 minutes to thicken. This is called a flax egg.
- Thoroughly drain the dates, and add them along with the remaining ingredients, including the flax egg, to a food processor or high-speed blender.
- Once the kūmara is soft, remove from the steamer or drain well if using the simmer method. Add to the food processor, and blend on high until a silky smooth batter forms. Scrape down the sides a few times in between blitzing.
- Using a spatula, scrape the batter into the prepared tin and flatten until smooth.
- Bake for 40–45 minutes. The brownie should be firm on top but soft and fudgy in the middle. Once removed from the oven it will sink a little, and this is okay!
- Allow the brownie to cool for 30 minutes before slicing if serving warm. I prefer to refrigerate it for 3–4 hours before slicing. Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 10 days.
- Serve with a scoop of your favourite vanilla ice cream or a dollop of yoghurt, or enjoy as is!
TIPS & SWAPS
- If short on time, I put the brownie in the freezer for an hour and a half to rapidly chill before cutting and serving. This helps it ‘set’ and makes it easier to cut if you’re not serving it warm.
- Swap almond butter for cashew butter if you prefer.
- If you don’t have ghee, use butter; or use coconut oil for a dairy-free option.
- I use bone broth protein powder (unflavoured or vanilla-flavoured), but you can use a vegan protein powder if preferred. I recommend using one without refined sugar.
