Flourless (Raw) Brownies

Raw Brownies

Temperature's rising outside, it's a good time for raw desserts which don't require turning on the oven. I've explored raw food desserts as a way to eat a healthy and delicious treat without flour, butter, sugar, or eggs. Technically, nothing on a raw food diet is heated above 118 degrees; foods are either raw, dried without preservatives, sprouted or dehydrated.If you don't have a dehydrator, don't worry, you can "dry" foods by placing them on a piece of clean screen in your oven set to a low temp (no more than 200 degrees)and leave the door open a crack. Of course this requires turning on the oven which is what we are trying to avoid. This recipe can be eaten without dehydrating, the brownies will just be more moist.

In your food processor pulse 1 cup pecans or walnuts (raw unsalted) into a meal. Add 1/2 cup pitted Medjool dates* and pulse until dates are pulverized and mixed into the nuts. Add 1/4 cup cocoa powder (or raw cacao powder), 1 tsp vanilla extract and a pinch of sea salt. Process until the mixture starts forming a ball (dough). 

Gather the dough and press into a square on a piece of waxed paper or parchment. It should be about 1/2 inch thick. Score the dough into 16 small brownies; I use a pizza wheel for this. Press a piece of pecan or walnut into each brownie. Dehydrate for several hours until desired dryness is reached OR refrigerate until firm. Eat!

*Medjool dates are soft dates and work better for raw desserts than the smaller, harder types.

Variations 

Add shredded unsweetened coconut.

Add chopped dried cherries.

Add 1/4 tsp chili powder.

Add 1/4 tsp cinnamon.

Frost with a puree of avocado, agave, cocoa powder.