Gluten & Sugar Free Brownies

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This month seems to be all about chocolate, so we thought we’d share a recipe that is all about chocolate, but a much better alternative to other sugar-laden chocolate treats (and because the recipe contains no flour it is perfect for anyone who is gluten intolerant). Chef Vanessa Marx created the most delicious Gluten & Sugar Free Brownies, our latest NutritionConfidence Recipe.

Our Dietitians say: 

Historical evidence shows that cocoa has been used in a medicinal capacity for over two thousand years (since the time of the ancient Mayan and Aztec civilisations and following its introduction to Europe in the Middle Ages).

A large Harvard study showed that cocoa consumption is associated with decreased blood pressure, improved blood vessel health, and improvement in cholesterol levels, among other benefits.

The cocoa bean’s therapeutic properties can be attributed to certain constituent compounds, known as flavonoids.

RECIPE

Makes 48

Ingredients

200 g raw cocoa paste (solid)

375 g ground almonds

6 whole free-range eggs

250 g xylitol

300 g cocoa butter

50 g desiccated coconut

3 tablespoons cocoa powder

1 teaspoon baking powder

How to make it

– Preheat the oven to 160 C

– Grind together the cocoa paste, ground almonds, coconut, cocoa powder & baking powder.

– Whisk together the eggs and xylitol until light and fluffy and the xylitol is dissolved.

– Melt the cocoa butter.

– In a large bowl, fold together the ground cocoa mixture & the egg mixture until combined.

– Fold the warm cocoa butter into the mixture until all combined.

– Pour the batter into a greased baking dish and bake for 30-40min until set.

– Leave to cool a pond then slice into squares

The nutritional value serves 48:

Energy: 572 kJ

Protein: 2 g

Carbohydrate: 6 g

Total fat: 12 g

Fibre: 1.7 g

Sodium: 13.5 mg

Enjoy! If you want to download the recipe card visit: http://www.adsa.org.za/Public/Recipes.aspx

Raw Avocado Chocolate Mousse

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Finally, a dessert that is as yummy as it is ‘good for you’. We love this ‘Raw Avocado Chocolate Mousse’ as a very clever alternative to regular chocolate mousse. A plant based chocolate alternative, the mousse is packed with healthy unsaturated fat and an ideal alternative for vegans. Besides this perk, it contains none of the major allergens (cows milk, egg, soya, tree nuts, peanuts, wheat/gluten) and is ideal for individuals suffering from allergies to these food items.

Our dietitians say:

Avocado pears contain primarily mono-unsaturated fats that have been shown to assist in keeping your heart healthy! They are also a good source of Vitamin E, which keeps your skin healthy and speeds up healing, as well as protecting red blood cells; Folic Acid, which helps with the production of red blood cells; and Selenium, which is an integral part of anti-oxidants (these help protect body cells from the damaging effects of free radicals and also needed for the proper functioning of the immune system)

RECIPE

Makes 4 portions

Ingredients

1 ripe avocado

1 ripe banana

1 orange

3 tablespoons cocoa powder

2 tablespoons xylitol

How to make it

– cut the avo in half. Remove the pip from the centre and discard. Remove and discard the skin too.

– in a food processor, add the avo, banana, cocoa powder, and xylitol.

– zest and juice the orange and add both to the food processor.

– blend the mixture until completely smooth and dark chocolate brown. The sweetness and darkness can both be adjusted by adding more or less xylitol and cocoa powder. The xylitol can also be substituted with honey, a low calorie or non-nutritive sweetener.

– you can remove the orange and replace with another flavour variation like cinnamon, lemon zest etc.

– spoon the mousse into 4 glasses for serving and refrigerate until ready to serve.

– serve with fresh fruit or biscotti

The nutritional value serves 4:

Energy: 1075 kJ

Protein: 3 g

Carbohydrate: 17 g

Total fat: 19 g

Dietary Fibre: 6.5 g

Sodium: 46 mg

To download the recipe card, visit http://www.adsa.org.za/Public/Recipes.aspx