I love a tasty, healthy snack, especially if it involves dark chocolate.
Since going plant-based in January 2019, buying healthy snacks from organic food stores has been more difficult. Don’t get me wrong; I am in no way complaining because I love that there are so many options for plant-based eaters to choose from, and that warms my heart. But it gets complicated in that vegan food does not necessarily mean healthy or sugar-free, and this is where I am still left to fend for myself in the food aisles.
I have to keep a low sugar intake because plant-based eating is still quite high in simple and complex carbohydrates, which means a general spike in my Insulin
I am practising Intermittent Fasting, which has done wonders for my Insulin in the past 4 months. Before leaving South Africa for Toronto, Canada, my last blood test showed that my Insulin was a single digit and below the 8-point threshold. Of course, one reading doesn’t mean that I have reversed my Insulin Resistance – I’ll have to stay on this train for at least six months and have consistent readings before this is considered a successful beating of pre-Diabetes. My endocrinologist was persistent in his scolding of getting my Insulin and Glucose to be at a 1:1 ratio in order for me to be considered, cured of Insulin Resistance.
So that leads me to share my recipe for a sweet potato brownie that is a firm favourite in the Naidoo-Thomson household. 😛 Not only is it a moreish dessert, but it can also be a light meal with a cup of peppermint cacao. You’ll be eating something yummy, and it’s nutritiously-dense, so you’re getting the health benefits from it too 😉
Ingredients
Sweet Potato Brownies (makes 16 squares)
- 3/4 cup (143g) mashed sweet potato (1 large)
- 1 cup (227g) unsalted hazelnut butter (any nut butter will do) stirred well
- 1/4 cup dark maple syrup
- 1/3 cup (32g) date syrup
- 1/3 cup (35g) coconut flour
- 4 tablespoons (31g) unsweetened cacao or cocoa powder
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon powder
Sweet Potato Icing
- 1 large sweet potato, cooked and mashed
- 10 ounces (283g) dairy-free dark or semi-sweet chocolate chips
Instructions
Sweet Potato Brownies
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Preheat the oven to 180 degrees Celsius (350 degrees Fahrenheit). Line a 20cm x 20cm (8″x8″) baking pan with parchment paper or grease pan with coconut oil.
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Cook the sweet potato (microwave with some Avocado oil for 10-15 minutes on the appropriate setting or boil on the stove) until well cooked, and mash well with a fork. Place 3/4 cup of the mashed sweet potato in a large bowl, followed by the nut butter, date syrup and maple syrup. Whisk to combine.
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Add the almond flour, cacao/cocoa powder, cinnamon, salt, and baking soda. Mix until evenly combined and incorporated.
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Transfer batter (it will be thick) to the greased pan. Using a spatula or your hands, spread and pat the mixture into an even layer. Bake for 20-25 minutes, until a toothpick, comes out mostly clean.
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Allow brownies to cool in pan on wire rack.
Sweet Potato Icing
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Once the brownies have cooled, prepare your icing. Cook the remaining sweet potato in the microwave at appropriate setting until it easily mashes with a fork.
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Add mashed sweet potato and chocolate chips to the saucepan and cook over medium-low heat. Stir often, just until chocolate chips have melted. Remove from heat and stir until mixture is smooth.
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Spread the icing on top of the cooled brownies. Allow glaze to cool and set before slicing brownies into squares.
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Store the batch in an airtight container in the fridge.