Gluten, Dairy and Sugar-free Brownies

Like a lot of people, around the first of the year, I start thinking about how I can be more healthy. Or maybe it's just guilt over the knowledge of all the cookies and cheese balls I've eaten over the holidays. I'm not here to sell you on any particular diet, but when my pants start fitting a little tighter than I'd like, I turn to Whole9. Although, I can't say I agree with all of it, I like the idea behind the Whole30 challenge. I'll let you read about it for yourself on their website if you'd like some more info. Basically, the goal is to heal your gut and break your dependency on sugar.

Clearly, making Whole30-compliant brownies isn't really within the spirit of the challenge. But in my mind, when I'm on the verge of devouring an entire sleeve of Oreos, this is a better alternative.

So, with that in mind, here we go. I based the recipe off one I found on Living Healthy with Chocolate, but with a few modifications.

Janelle's "Healthy" Brownies

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon ghee
• 1/2 cup almond flour
• 1/3 cup raw cacao powder
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 8 tablespoons Coconut Oil
• 2 eggs
• 3 tablespoons raw honey
• 2 tablespoons almond butter
• *optional* 2 tablespoons agave (If at all possible, I would try not to use this. However, I found the first time I made these they were a little too bitter for my taste.)

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. 
2. Grease 8x8 inch baking dish with ghee
3. In a large sauce pan, melt coconut oil. Once melted, let it sit for about 5 minutes. 
4. In a medium-sized bowl mix almond flour, cacao powder, baking powder and salt. 
5. After oil is cool, whisk in eggs, honey, almond butter and agave, if you're using it. Mixture should be pretty smooth but you may see some chunks from the almond butter depending on its consistency. 
6. Add dry mixture and continue to whisk. 
7. Once everything is mixed, it should take on the consistency of normal brownie batter. Transfer it to your baking dish. 
8. Bake for 25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the middle comes out clean. Every oven is a little different so keep an eye on them. 
9. Let them cool for a couple minutes before cutting. Then enjoy with your favorite topping! 

I added almonds to mine and enjoyed them with a banana and a cup of coffee. It's also probably worth noting, these come out a little more cake-y than fudge-y.