Since starting on this crazy gluten-free adventure I have had to adjust my tastes to new favorites, and have never found anything that tasted EXACTLY like the non-healthy version. I have spent hours revamping recipes to get them “close enough.”  I have yet to find a GF cookie recipe that I like. And I’m not sure I ever will. But I have finally found a brownie substitute that is superior to the brownies I used to eat!

And I found it in a collected recipe book by Green Smoothie Girl. I’ve adapted the recipe as follows. But I have to tell you a quick story about how I got this book first.

GSG was in town doing one of her many lectures. My husband has been doing green smoothies for two years and it has changed his life–especially his health. He talked quite a bit about GSG so I decided that we should go. After being in the lecture, GSG asked for a volunteer to demonstrate how much time it takes to eat all of the ingredients in a green smoothie….without blending it! Well, I encouraged my man to volunteer, which he did, and he chowed down on kale, spinach, and a banana for the next twenty minutes. And when he finished within the allotted time, he won a free recipe book for me. Which was just darling of him.

But I wasn’t quite in the right place to make strange changes to my food…like making raw cranberry scones, or blending up a handful of rabbit food. I needed more time to think about it, to watch more food documentaries, and to research the health benefits. I like to take my time when making changes.

But now, I think I’m in the right place. And I don’t think this raw whole foods thing is too bad.

In fact, I love it.

Ingredients
(Prep: 20 minutes)
10 medjool dates
1/2 cup walnuts
1/8 cup raw cacao powder (or regular cocoa powder)
1 tsp vanilla (not raw)
1 pinch of Real salt

Line any old pan with tiny muffin liners. A good friend of our gave us some, so I jut used those up.

Grind the walnuts in a food processor (seriously necessary!) until they reach a fine consistency. Next, pour in all of the other ingredients (dates, cacao, vanilla, salt) and keep processing until thoroughly mixed. Should look very coarse and dry (this is normal).

On a clean work surface, empty the contents. Then take enough of the mixture into the palm of your hand and start rolling out tiny balls and place in the tiny muffin liners.

Makes about 12 brownie bites.

NOTE: These brownie bites are 86 calories each with 16 grams of carbs, 3 grams of fat, 1 gram of protein, 7 grams sodium, and 13 grams of sugar.