Double Fudge Brownies - grain-free + sugar-free!
IT'S FINALLY HERE! Well, TWO things are finally here! First, I leave for my bachelorette weekend in Palm Springs tomorrow with 14 of my closest friends to spend the weekend poolside - and I'm SO excited! We'll be doing yoga, tie-dyeing, taking selfies on pool floaties, and just generally chilllllling before I have to get back to the stress of wedding planning on Monday. I can't wait! But before I go, I also teased you guys last week on instagram with this recipe, and figured it was only right to share it with you babes before I left on this long weekend adventure. It's a recipe I'm super proud of and super into because it's totally free of ANY sugar (you'll see how!) and all grains, making this the perfect batch of brownies to make for someone with food allergies or who is just crazy strict watching their diet, like I am in prepping for this wedding. (I wanna look badass and feel my best!)
I based the recipe off of the Double Fudge Mint Brownies recipe in my cookbook, Homestyle Vegan, but the original version is full of flour and sugar and all things generally off limits for people with food allergies. Of course, if you need to tweak it to suit your particular preferences please do so, but let us know what changes you make in the comments! It can be helpful for other readers to see what substitutions worked...and which didn't. These are the ultimate fudgy brownies, soft and dense with a chewy outer crust. You can pull them from the oven a few minutes early if you like 'em even fudgier, but either way I think they're best served warm with a glass of almond milk on the side. Anyway, I've got bathing suits and sunscreen to pack, but trust me - you're going to love every second of eating these - and you're going to love how healthy they are even more!
INGREDIENTS
1/2 cup almond flour 1/2 cup oat flour 1/2 cup cocoa powder 1/2 cup monk fruit sweetener (we use Lakanto Classic) 2 tablespoons cornstarch 1 teaspoon baking powder 1/2 teaspoon salt 1/3 cup coconut oil, melted 1/2 cup monk fruit syrup (we use Lakanto Maple Syrup to keep it sugar-free) OR maple syrup OR agave nectar 1/4 cup unsweetened almond milk 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 1/2 cup vegan chocolate chips or chunks DIRECTIONS Preheat oven to 350º. Grease or line an 8x8 in baking dish. In a large whisking bowl whisk together the flours, cocoa powder, monk fruit sweetener, cornstarch, baking powder and salt. In a separate mixing bowl, combine the melted coconut oil, monk fruit syrup, unsweetened almond milk and vanilla extract. Pour these wet ingredients into the dry ingredient mixture and use a wooden spoon to combing the mixture completely. The batter may be stiff, so feel free to get in there and use your hands if you like. Once the batter is uniform, pour in the chocolate chips or chunks and stir to evenly distribute them throughout the batter. Press the mixture into the prepared baking dish, using the back of the wooden spoon to press the mixture down evenly into the dish. Bake for about 30 minutes, or until an inserted toothpick comes out almost completely clean. If you bake them too long, they will become dryer and much more cake-like than fudge-like in texture. Remove the dish from the oven and place it on a cooling rack to cool completely before slicing. For the ULTIMATE fudge brownies, see the tip below. Once cooled, slice and enjoy! NOTES Make these brownies EXTRA FUDGY by refrigerating them after cooling for at least 1-2 hours before slicing. The fridge helps cool the core before it has set completely, resulting in some of the best damn brownies ever! Leftovers can be left on the counter or in the fridge in an airtight container for up to three days. After that they'll start drying out. 
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S'mores Brownies
It's officially feels like summer here in So Cal with temps in the low 90s this week. Ugh. On the plus side, it's been warm enough that we've started planning our first camping trips of the season. And I can't wait! Sometimes dragging all the ingredients for s'mores - the vegan chocolate, marshmallows, and graham crackers, and of course a good stick! - can be a pain in the butt. And often, I end up forgetting at least one of the necessary ingredients! These days, I save myself time and space in the cooler by just pre-making a tray of these fudge, ooey-gooey S'mores Brownies instead. They whip up quickly, taste BETTER (yup, I said it) than the traditional version, and make late-night campfire munching a breeze! Instead of graham crackers, the marshmallows and chocolate chunks are nestled into rich, chocolatey brownie batter - no stick needed. I like to put them in the fridge for a bit before cutting into them for even fudgier brownies. And they couldn't be easier to travel with: they last sealed in a ziplock bag in the car or on the counter up to 3 full days. Pack up the tent and preheat the oven - we've got some s'mores to eat!
INGREDIENTS
1 tablespoon ground flax + 3 tablespoons warm water 1 cup sugar 1/2 cup unsweetened almond milk 1/2 cup vegetable oil 1 teaspoon vanilla 1 cup all purpose flour 1/3 cup cocoa powder 1/2 teaspoon baking powder 1/2 teaspoon salt 1/2 cup chocolate chunks 1/2 cup vegan marshmallows (we used Dandies!) DIRECTIONS Preheat the oven to 350ºF. Grease or line an 8x8 inch baking dish. In a small bowl which together the ground flax and warm water. Set it aside to gelatinize. In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together the sugar, unsweetened almond milk, vegetable oil and vanilla. Add in the flax mixture and stir well to combine. In a separate large mixing bowl combine the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder and salt. Make a well in the center and pour in the wet ingredient mixture. Whisk together until a smooth batter forms. Fold in the chocolate chunks and marshmallows and pour the mixture into the prepared baking dish. Bake for 20-30 minutes, until an inserted toothpick comes out clean. Let cool completely before slicing. Enjoy! NOTES Makes 12 brownies. For even fudgier brownies, fridge the cooled brownies at least 2 hours before cutting into them. Pumpkin Chocolate Freezer Fudge
Yep, more pumpkin. We told you it was coming! But this one is more of a treat yo' self kinda recipe. When I was growing up, we always picked apples and pumpkin at Bailey's, the family-owned orchard down the street. Mrs. Bailey would always make the richest, most amazing chocolate & peanut butter fudge, and it was a tradition to get a square before we left the orchard. I know it was full of sugar, but it was heaven. I can still taste it.
Now as an adult, and one who watches my sugar intake at that, fudge isn't something we make often. But with this crazy hot weather we're still having in Souther California, I was CRAVING some fall. That being said, we all deserve a treat, and being freezer fudge, its easy to eat just a piece of week and preserve the goodness for months to come. Plus, I'm a SUCKER for pumpkin/ chocolate combos, and the velvety, rich pumpkin layer compliments the dark chocolate beautifully. So today, instead of trick-or-treat, we say TREAT YO' SELF! I think even Mrs. Bailey would approve.
INGREDIENTS:
Chocolate Fudge Layer: 1/4 cup vegan butter or coconut oil 4 ounces dairy-free dark chocolate 2 1/2 cups confectioners sugar 1 tablespoon boiling water Pumpkin Fudge Layer: 1/4 cup vegan butter or coconut oil 2 ounces cashew butter (or nut butter of your choice) 2 ounces pumpkin purée 1/2 teaspoon vanilla 2 1/2 cups confectioners sugar 1 tablespoon boiling water DIRECTIONS: Chocolate Fudge Layer: Using the double-boiler method (a bowl placed in in a saucepan of boiling water WITHOUT touching the water), heat the butter and chocolate together until melted, stirring occasionally. Remove the bowl from the pan and stir in half of the confectioners sugar. Add a tablespoon of the boiling water from your pan to the mixture, and stir to remove any lumps. Add in the remaining confectioners sugar and stir like a madwoman (or madman!) until the mixture is smooth. Press into a waxed-paper lined 8x8 baking dish and set aside while you make the pumpkin layer. Pumpkin Fudge Layer: Using the double-boiler method (a bowl placed in in a saucepan of boiling water WITHOUT touching the water), heat the butter, cashew butter, pumpkin purée, and vanilla together until melted, stirring occasionally. Remove the bowl from the pan and stir in half of the confectioners sugar. Add a tablespoon of the boiling water from your pan to the mixture, and stir to remove any lumps. Add in the remaining confectioners sugar and stir like crazy again until the mixture is completely smooth. Pour the mixture over the chocolate layer, then tap the baking dish gently on the counter to smooth and remove any bubbles. Place the baking dish in the freezer to set, for at least 3 hours. When ready, remove the fudge from the baking dish by pulling the waxed paper out. Place block of fudge onto a flat surface, like a sitting board, and use a large fat knife to cut into 1-in. squares. Store uneaten fudge in the freezer indefinitely. Enjoy! 
And if you can believe it- its pretty healthy. Full of rich, healthy coconut fats, real dark chocolate, and can even be made sugar free. This frosting is so versatile; it can be piped, spread, whipped, and eaten directly from the bowl with a giant spoon.
A couple notes on this decadent frosting:
-Coconut milk has a tendency to melt in heat. For best results, if you're frosting cupcakes or something similar, keep them refrigerated or at least in the shade until you're ready to enjoy them! -I used 99% dark chocolate from a large bar of bulk chocolate. You can sub in 10 ounces of whatever percentage dark chocolate you prefer, but if you use something a litte sweeter, you may want to add less sweetener to the frosting later. -You can keep this frosting sugar-free by completely removing the sugar suggested or using a sugar substitute, such as stevia. -Coconut milk is a tricky thing. Oh, Ladycakes did a great tutorial on making coconut whipped cream and how to avoid disaster. Some highlights: before buying flip your can and listen for a slight gurgle. If it sounds like there is room to slosh there is excess air-which you want to avoid. Refrigerate your can, untouched, overnight before using. Scoop gently, and use only the thickest, hardest, whitest part from the top. Keep the leftover coconut milk and toss it in a smoothie or at the very least, the compost. Also, I usually buy Thai Coconut brand because its consistently good and easy to find, but most other 100% full fat coconut milk cans will work.
Ingredients:
10 ounces 99% dark chocolate 1 can full-fat organic coconut milk 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 2 tablespoons turbinado or powdered sugar (or sweetener of your choice)
Instructions:
Refrigerate the can of coconut milk on a stable shelf overnight. When ready, open the can and scoop the full-fat, thick white layer off of the top half of the can and into a medium sized saucepan. Save the clearish liquid at the bottom to use in smoothies, oatmeal, or anything else that requires a milk substitute. If using block chocolate, chop and measure 10 ounces of chocolate. (Keep in mind: 8 ounces=1 cup, so 10 ounces=1 1/4 cups) Add chopped chocolate (or chocolate chips, or whatever) to the saucepan. Turning the saucepan to a very low simmer, stir chocolate/ coconut mixture generously as chocolate melts, making sure nothing sticks or burns. It will only take a few minutes for the chocolate to melt and form a uniform consistency. Once melted, immediately remove from heat, add in sugar and vanilla, and stir until completely combined. Pour saucepan mixture into a heat-safe bowl and put in into the fridge for at least 2 hours but as long as overnight. Once the chocolate frosting has set it will look fudge-like in the bowl. When ready to use, remove from the fridge and sit at room temperature for 30 minutes to an hour. The longer is sits and warms, the softer the frosting will be and the easier to work with. Using hand beaters, slowly begin to whip the frosting. Using back and forth hand motions and rotating the bowl around, make sure to fluff and whip all of the frosting. The more air whipped into it, the fluffier the frosting will become. Once fluffed to your liking, use to frost cakes, cupcakes, fingers and spoons. We used ours to frost a double layer gluten-free chocolate cake. It was a rich, dark, wonderful contrast to the sweet chocolate cake. It also made for a great glue between layers. Frosting can be refrigerated and re-whipped as needed, for up to one week in an air-safe container. Enjoy!
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