1/2 c. applesauce
1 c. raw sugar
2 tsp. maple syrup
2 tsp. vanilla
2 c. all-purpose whole wheat flour
1/2 c. unsweetened cocoa powder
1.5 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. salt
2 c. shredded zucchini [I peeled the zuc first, then used a box grater]
½ c. chopped walnuts (optional) [I opted out, and used chocolate chunks instead]
1/2 c. semisweet vegan chocolate chips (optional) [I opted in, thereby doubling the amount of chocolate chips called for. Party like a chocstar!]
1. Preheat oven to 350 and spray a 9x13 baking pan with cooking spray.
2. In a large bowl, mix together the applesauce, sugar, syrup and vanilla.
3. Combine the flour, cocoa, baking soda, and salt - stir into wet ingredients (it will look pretty dry at this point - don't worry, it moistens up with the zucchini. However, if necessary, add a little more applesauce). [I added in an additional 3 tsp. of applesauce]
4. Stir in zucchini - if batter is still too dry, add a couple tbs of applesauce.
5. Add any optional ingredients (walnuts, chocolate chips).
6. Spread into baking pan. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes in the preheated oven, until brownies spring back when gently touched.
This was an interesting recipe to say the least! As the recipe indicates, the batter was a little on the dry point. It was very very gummy like. The finished product was interesting too.
It was weird to see what looked like a baked good contain little chunks of green! The zuc shreds were visible, even after cooking the brownies. There were quite a few of favorable reviews. Aside, one of my coworkers said that it tasted like a magic brownie, minus the magical ingredient of course!
The title of the recipe, which includes the word “brownie,” is, in my opinion, a little misleading. I think a better name for the recipe would include the word “bread” or “loaf”. With the word “brownie” I was just expecting something much more chocolatey, fudgy, and sweet. My upstairs neighbor said that she liked the finished product precisely for that reason, because it wasn’t too sweet.
The chocolate chunks were AWESOME in this recipe. Even upon cooling completely, the chocolate chunks did not re-harden but rather maintained that gooey, melty chocolate texture. I used the semi-sweet chocolate chunks from the yellow bag. If I made these again, I’d definitely double up on the chocolate chunks and leave out the nuts…the chunks kind of made the recipe!
Another discovery is that the finished product tasted better after a few days. For whatever reason, the squares seemed denser and fudgier after being left out on the countertop (wrapped in plastic, though) for a few days. Overall, it was a successful, repeat-worthy recipe, especially given the healthful-ness of the recipe.
Just a thought: Zucchini has been bastardized! Ha ha, it never ceases to surprise me how we can take something so healthful and bastardize it into something unhealthy! C'est la vie!
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