Irresistibly chocolaty!
These brownies have a very rich chocolaty flavour. Just one bite will awake all your taste buds. However, you won’t notice that there is a hidden vegetable. This is a good alternative if you are on a paleo diet and fancy a guilt free treat. You can even make it for your friends and family and they will have no idea that you have sneaked in a zucchini, but it is always worth mentioning it once they have praised it just to see the expression on their faces 🙂 Warm them up and serve with paleo ice-cream or crumble some on top of good quality organic plain yogurt (my favourite)

By Mirka

• Serves 12
• Prepare in 20 minutes
• Bake in 25 – 30 minutes
• All Ingredient must be at room temperature

Ingredients

• 150g dark chocolate – 75% cocoa or greater 
• 1 medium zucchini – about 200g
• 2 eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract or 1 vanilla pod
• 4 tablespoons honey or xylitol – add more for sweeter brownies
• 1 cup ground almonds – 100g
• 3 tablespoons cocoa powder – 20g
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon baking powder 
• ¼ teaspoon salt

INSTRUCTIONS

Preheat the oven to 190°C / 375°F / 5 Gas and line a 20cm x 20cm baking tray with parchment paper.

Peel and finely grate the zucchini. Measure out 1 cup – 130g

Thoroughly mix all dry ingredients, almond meal, cocoa powder, cinnamon, salt, baking powder.

Melt the chocolate in the microwave on a medium setting for about 2 minutes, stirring every 30 seconds or in a glass bowl over boiling water making sore the water doesn’t touch the glass.

Beat by hand the zucchini, eggs, vanilla extract, honey until a smooth batter forms.

Add the melted chocolate making sure it is cool to avoid scrambling the eggs.

Now, working quickly, add the dry ingredient and stir well. If you had any of your ingredients refrigerated the batter will solidify at this point. Don’t worry just spread it in the tray.

Pour the batter into the tray and bake on the middle rack for 25-30 minutes (until knife comes out clear). Don’t open the oven door for the first 20 minutes.

Once done serve hot with ice-cream or leave to cool and dust with cocoa powder for richness, then crumble over plain yogurt. Enjoy x