Brownies with a Twist

By Rebekah Owens

​Brownies are a classic treat that most chocolate and dessert lovers love to indulge in.  I tried out a bunch of made-from-scratch recipes that are a little different from the traditional recipe.  Some of these include a vegetable as one of the ingredients and some use only three or four ingredients.  Some are fudge-like, some are fudgey and some are more cake-like in consistency.  All are just a bit of a twist from traditional brownies and were really fun to make.  I hope you enjoy these as much as I did!

​Chocolate Zucchini Brownies by Texanerin Baking

​http://www.texanerin.com/chocolate-zucchini-brownies/

​For those of us who like the gooey goodness in our brownies, this is the recipe to try.  Moist and delicious, these double chocolate brownies will be a huge hit at your next party. No one will suspect there is a vegetable in them!!

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​Flourless Zucchini Fudge Brownies by Big Man’s World

​http://thebigmansworld.com/2016/05/20/healthy-flourless-zucchini-fudge-brownies/

​These fudgy brownies are fantastic.  I tried it three different ways – grating the zucchini, spiralizing it and then chopping it up (this was chunkier), and sticking chunks in a food processor.  All three were fine.  I preferred the spiralized version.  I felt like the texture was nice, but it was chunky, so to hide the veggie, do one of the other techniques.  Really good, though.

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Chocolate Covered Strawberry Brownies by Bakerita

​http://www.bakerita.com/chocolate-covered-strawberry-brownies-paleo/
 
These are more like actual fudge.  It uses fresh strawberries, so the shelf life is pretty short and it needs to be refrigerated.  But the taste is out of this world!  I’d like to try it with freeze dried strawberries and I think it would be delicious plain, too. 

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3 Ingredient Flourless Blender Brownies by Big Man’s World

http://thebigmansworld.com/2016/01/23/healthy-3-ingredient-flourless-blender-brownies/
 
These got rave reviews when I made them for the office to try – especially when I told them what was in them:  frozen bananas, nut butter, cocoa powder.  That’s it!  No way, right?!  These are a lot like fudge and need to stay refrigerated, but they are amazing.  Do be aware that the recipe only makes a few, so if you are feeding a large crowd, increase the recipe accordingly.

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​Flourless Double Chocolate Peanut Butter Mini Blender Muffins by Averie Cooks

http://www.averiecooks.com/2014/05/flourless-double-chocolate-peanut-butter-mini-blender-muffins.html
 
This is a fan favorite among my son’s friends.  And it is so easy to make.  Toss a few ingredients in a blender, blend, pour in a muffin tray, cook, enjoy!  They aren’t technically a brownie, but they taste like it.  The main ingredients are bananas, peanut (or other nut) butter and cocoa powder.  A terrific option if you want a healthier chocolate fix.

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​4 Ingredient Flourless Sweet Potato Brownies by Big Man’s World​

http://thebigmansworld.com/2015/11/27/4-ingredient-flourless-sweet-potato-brownies-paleo-vegan-gluten-free/
 
These mild tasting brownies were a nice twist on the “healthy” brownie.  I liked the taste – light and satisfying.  And the low ingredient list is all real food – mashed sweet potatoes, nut butter, a touch of maple syrup and cocoa powder.  Surprise your friends and family with this creative recipe.

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Low Carb Zucchini Brownies by Café Delites

http://cafedelites.com/2015/07/21/low-carb-zucchini-brownies/
 
While these brownies also use zucchini, the recipe yields a more traditional textured brownie.  Not as ewey-gooey as some of the others, this brownie would fool even the most trained tastebuds into thinking they are fully loaded with carbs – but they are not!  I used coconut oil and coconut sugar in mine, but she lists other options.

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​I’d love to hear what other good brownie recipes you like.  Feel free to share in the comments!

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​About the Author:  Rebekah Owens

Rebekah is the Public Relations Specialist and Assistant to the Director at the Center for Integrative Medicine.  She is also a massage therapist and a health food foodie who enjoys cooking and bringing samples in for her colleagues to test.