Guilt-Free Sweet Potato Brownies
While I do make my living helping people find their healthiest lifestyles, that doesn’t mean I don’t give into my sweet tooth every once in a while. In fact, who’s to say we can’t enjoy a warm, gooey treat and maintain a nutritious diet?
Not me!
In this week’s recipe, I’m sharing an all-time favorite, my Guilt-Free Sweet Potato Brownies. And while, no, they aren’t broccoli and Brussel sprouts, these brownies are certainly a dessert you can feel good about.
Share and enjoy!
Ingredients
1 cup mashed sweet potato (one large sweet potato cooked)
1 cup almond butter (or nut butter of your choosing)
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract
2/3 cup maple syrup
2/3-1 cup cocoa powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp salt
1 cup dark chocolate chips
1/3 cup cacao nibs
The Right Kind of Sweets
Just because something is sweet and tasty doesn’t mean it can’t have a place in a balanced diet. Sweet treats are perfectly fine in moderation and even more rewarding when chosen carefully. Many of the unhealthy aspects of sweets come from the refined sugars and processed ingredients stuffed into standard store-bought options.
Instead, this recipe uses natural sweeteners like maple syrup, cinnamon, and vanilla extract to give you all those delicious flavors. And by centering the recipe around the highly nutritious sweet potato as opposed to the refined flour that makes up most brownies, you’re adding tons of fiber, vitamins, and minerals into your diet.
Similar alternatives can be found to boost the nutritional value of most other treats and desserts!
A Sweet Relief for PMS
Packed full of nutrients, sweet potatoes are actually one of the best foods to help women fight off PMS symptoms. Not only will their complex carbs help satisfy cravings without leading to the inevitable sugar crash that comes with so many other “easy” snacks, but the high levels of potassium found in sweet potatoes have been found to relax muscles and ease period cramping.
Rich in magnesium and vitamin B, sweet potatoes can also boost serotonin, calming the mood swings that can arise during the luteal phase of a woman’s menstrual cycle.
Cacao, Ka-Pow!
Cacao, the unrefined beans that are at the root of all chocolates, are full of nutrients. Unfortunately, many of those vitamins and minerals are lost in the production process. That’s why it’s always better to opt for the darker versions of chocolate, as they contain more cacao than their milk chocolate counterparts.
While not as sweet, dark chocolate retains much of the magnesium, fiber, and antioxidants that make cacao so nutritious. Cacao nibs go a step further, providing nutrients that can help improve your heart health, calm your anxiety, and boost your mood.
They’re the perfect addition to our Guilt-Free Sweet Potato Brownies!
Instructions
Cook the sweet potato however you’d like. I peel and chop into cubes and boil in a large pot of boiling water for 15 minutes or until very soft. Allow to cool before mashing.
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and line a square baking dish with parchment paper.
Mash sweet potato in a large mixing bowl. The more mashed the better consistency you will get from your brownies.
Add in the almond butter, maple syrup, eggs, and vanilla extract and combine thoroughly.
Stir in the cocoa powder, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon and combine until creamy.
Add in the chocolate chips and cacao nibs. Stir to combine.
Place mixture into the baking dish and bake for 25 minutes.
Allow to cool before cutting into squares.
Guilt-Free Sweet Potato Brownies
Ingredients
Instructions
- Cook the sweet potato however you’d like. I peel and chop into cubes and boil in a large pot of boiling water for 15 minutes or until very soft. Allow to cool before mashing.
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and line a square baking dish with parchment paper.
- Mash sweet potato in a large mixing bowl. The more mashed the better consistency you will get from your brownies.
- Add in the almond butter, maple syrup, eggs, and vanilla extract and combine thoroughly.
- Stir in the cocoa powder, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon and combine until creamy.
- Add in the chocolate chips and cacao nibs. Stir to combine.
- Place mixture into the baking dish and bake for 25 minutes.
- Allow to cool before cutting into squares.