The most fudgy brownies you’ve ever had, plus a healthy mint matcha frosting. Loaded with healthy fats, antioxidants and we’re sneaking in some collagen peptides for skin and joint health!
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This post is sponsored by my partnership with Vital Proteins. Thank you for your continued support in allowing me to partner with brands I trust and enjoy working with!
One sure-fire way my body is trying to tell me I am stressed? Canker sores. (What a way to start off a post, Ashley… Canker sores… Just bear with me.)
Without fail I WILL get canker sores when I am stressed out. It’s something I have noticed since college. No matter how much I try to avoid the other symptoms of stress (i.e. not sleeping well, super irritable, possibly on the verge of tears) the canker sores surface and then it finally hits me. It’s like a slap in the mouth (literally) saying “Hey Ashley, slow your roll. You’re only one person. Take a deep breath.”
So over the past few days I have had to take (several) deep breaths and remind myself to take one day at a time.
Ways to de-stress
Lie on the floor in corpse pose. But seriously… Even better if you can find a sunny spot in the room–yes, like a cat or dog would….
Journal in the morning. Before the craziness of the morning happens, down a glass of water and take 10 minutes to write down a few things you’re grateful for. It helps keeps things in perspective. Sometimes I’ll write down how my previous day was and end the passage with a little pep talk for how I envision the day to come.
Exercise first thing in the morning. As hard as it can be to get out of bed, getting in some movement first thin in the morning is a great mood-lifter. Good for the body and soul, exercise releases feel-good hormones that carry with you throughout the day. Even if it’s five minutes and a circuit of 3 different moves, it helps! i.e. push-ups, squats, planks, repeat
Bake. You had know that one was coming right? Alright maybe for some this might not be a stress-free activity but of course for some of you this applies! Not only can the process of baking help to de-stress, but then you get to eat the de-stressing baked good. It’s a double whammy of de-stressing tactics.
And OBVIOUSLY I have the best thing for you to bake next time you’re feeling stressed
paleo fudgy flourless brownies with mint matcha frosting
I can’t get over how good these brownies are. They’re the ultimate fudgy brownie. Almost like those ones you get by the case with all of the different toppings and flavors from places like Costco… you know, the brownies you buy for open houses, showers, huge parties. And everyone is all “Oh my gosh who made those brownies?!” And then it’s a kept secret because they actually came out of a box.
But NOW you can make these brownies and proudly own the fact that they were made in your kitchen. And maybe slip in that they just so happen to be flourless, grain-free (and gluten-free) and secretly better for you than the store-bought ones.
For the Brownies
- dairy free dark chocolate
- coconut oil
- cacao powder
- salt
- vanilla
- eggs
- coconut sugar
The first couple of ingredients for the brownies gets combined in a sauce pan to melt the chocolate and the coconut oil together, before adding in the cacao powder, salt and vanilla. You then mix the eggs and coconut sugar in a separate bowl, one at a time until smooth, before gently folding into the cooled melted chocolate mixture. Give it a good stir then transfer the batter to a square pan to bake for about 35 minutes.
The hard part here is waiting. Not only are you waiting for the brownies to bake, but then you’re also waiting for them to cool… IDEALLY for 3-4 hours, if not overnight. I know I know, but chilling the brownies will make sure they set properly for the ultimate fudge factor. The bonus for this is that if you’re making these for a party, you can make them the night before 😉
And fudgy brownies like this NEED a frosting. It’s basically a rule.
for the frosting
- coconut cream
- matcha
- mint extract
- honey
Yes, that is right. We are sneaking in some collagen peptides into the mint matcha frosting for a little health boost. This frosting just went from average to way awesome. Except is mint matcha frosting really average? … I digress.
So now from the frosting you’re getting a little does of antioxidants from the matcha, healthy fats from the coconut cream, AND a skin and joint health protein boost from the collagen peptides.
If you aren’t familiar with collagen peptides and what it has to offer, be sure to check out this post (and this one too!)
For the frosting you just whip together the coconut cream, honey, matcha, mint extract and collagen peptides until smooth. Spread on the brownies and transfer the pan back to the fridge for 20 minutes (or freezer for 10 minutes). This will set the coconut cream and you’ll get smoother cuts when slicing into the brownies!
PRO TIP: Run a large, sharp knife under warm water for a few minutes then wipe dry. Slice into brownies to get smooth cuts, but rinse and wipe knife clean between each slice to get clean-cut squares.
Paleo Flourless Fudgy Brownies with Matcha Mint Frosting
Ingredients
for the brownies
- 6 TBS coconut oil*
- 8 oz quality dark chocolate 60%, 1 1/2 cups dairy-free chips, or 2 4oz quality bars, chopped
- 1 TBS water
- 1/4 cup cacao powder, or unsweetened cocoa
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 3/4 cup coconut sugar**
- 4 large eggs
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
mint matcha frosting
- 1 14 oz canned coconut cream, discard water/save for smoothies
- 2 scoops collagen peptides
- 1 TBS quality matcha powder
- 1/2 tsp peppermint extract
- 1 TBS honey, or 1-2 drops liquid stevia
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 300F, line a 9×9 or 8×8 square pan with parchment paper, or greased foil, allowing overhang on edges of pan. Set aside.
- In a heavy saucepan over medium heat, melt coconut oil and the dark chocolate together, stirring constantly until fully combined. Remove from heat, stir in cacao powder and salt until smooth. Set aside.
- In a medium bowl using whisk or electric mixer, beat together sugar and eggs one at a time, until smooth, about 3 minutes. Then stir in vanilla extract.
- Gently fold in half of the egg mixture into the pan of melted chocolate until combined, then add in the last half of the egg mixture stirring until fully combined and mixture is smooth.
- Pour brownie batter to prepared square pan. Bake for 30-35 minutes until edges have slightly risen. Middle may appear underdone, but everything will set and fall upon cooling. The key is to not over-bake them!
- Allow brownies to cool in pan completely, then cover and refrigerate 2 hours (or overnight).
- Before you’re ready to serve the brownies, prepare the frosting: in a medium bowl using electric mixer (or whisk attachment in stand mixer) whip together coconut cream, collagen peptides, matcha powder, peppermint extract, and honey until smooth. Remove brownies from refrigerator, spread on frosting using spatula, covering brownies evenly. Carefully lift brownies from pan, placing on cutting board. Using a large, sharp knife gently cut into 20 squares. TIP: for clean edges on all sides, wipe knife with paper towel in between each cut.
- Place brownies on serving tray, enjoy!
Recipe Notes:
**dry sweetener of choice may be subbed Store leftover frosted brownies in fridge, about 3-5 days (if they last that long…)
Nutrition Information
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