The softest, fluffiest Vegan Brownies (Gluten-free, oil-free, refinedsugar -free)

Some days you want a brownie. Not a squishy, overly heavy slice of mush that leaves you in a sugar coma, but a light, fluffy slab of chocolate-y delight that you can chow on down with a scoop of vegan vanilla icecream and a glass of freshly made almond mylk... mmmmm. That's what dreams are made of!

And here I am, happily declaring myself a dream granter (if I don't mind tooting my own horn a little hehe). I whipped up this batch of delicious chocolate-y (incredibly healthy), gluten-free, oil-free, refined sugar-free brownies that suit chocolate lovers from all walks of life!

Let's get straight to it, because my house smells of chocolate and let's be honest, I can't resist the temptation of freshly made brownies much longer...

Ingredients:

• 1 tbsp psyllium husk + 3 tbsp water, mixed and left to sit 10 minutes
• 3/4 cup brown rice flour
• 1/2 cup oat flour (made from 1/2 cup certified GF oats)
• 1/2 cup almond meal
• 2 tbsp arrowroot
• 1/2 cup cacao powder
• 1/2 tsp himalyan pink salt
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 3 bananas, mashed
• 3-4 medjool dates, pitted
• 4 tbsp coconut sugar
• 1/2-3/4 cup almond milk (I used Luz Almond's cacao mylk, but any would do!)
• 3 tbsp peanut/almond butter
• 1 tsp vanilla essence
• 1/3 cup chopped walnuts or chunks of vegan chocolate (optional. but not really.)

How to:

1. Preheat oven to 180 degrees celcius. Line a 9 inch square cake tin with baking paper.
2. Mix together the psyllium and water and set aside while you prep everything
3. Whisk together dry ingredients (flours, arrowroot, almond meal, cacao, salt, baking powder/soda).
4. In a blender, place the bananas, dates, coconut sugar, nut butter/chocolate, and almond milk until combined. Once blended, add in the psyllium mixture, sugar and vanilla and mix well.
5. Pour the wet mixture over the dry ingredients and stir to combine. Fold in walnuts/nuts/choc chips etc until combined.
6. Spread the batter into the prepared pan and make it all level/even. Bake for about 30 minutes, or until a skewer comes out clean. Allow to cool COMPLETELY BEFORE REMOVING FROM PAN (I’m talking at least one hour here. Or else they will crumble and die. And you will cry.)
7. Remove from pan after that time, and let them cool even a bit longer… If you can. These taste best after resting for a night! 

optional: I topped these babies with a salted caramel coconut sauce which is super simple and insanely tasty! Just bring about 1/4 cup almond or coconut milk, 2 tbsp coconut sugar and a dash of mesquite powder to the boil in a small saucepan, stirring until it begins to bubble and thicken. Turn down the heat, add a dash of salt and continue simmering on medium heat until it reaches a consistency you enjoy!

I hope you all enjoy these as much as I did! For more recipes and food photos, follow me on instagram @fithealthyproject. If you recreate any of my recipes, don't forget to tag me so I can drool over your amazingness!

Samara x