healthy brownie recipe

Joy McCarthy’s Super Fudgy Chickpea Walnut Brownies

“They’re full of goodness and they taste like heaven!”

In our new What’s Cooking series, Canadians in the food world share their favourite at-home recipes: the easy, delicious—even occasionally healthy!—meals that they go back to again and again. On today’s menu: Joy McCarthy’s recipe for Chickpea Walnut Brownies.

 

Joy McCarthy is a holistic nutritionist and founder of JoyousHealth.com, an award-winning website focused on healthy living. She is also a three-time bestselling cookbook author, most recently of The Joyous Cookbook. Joy knows we’re all craving comfort foods right now (which are often full of refined sugars and fats), so chose today’s healthy Chickpea Walnut Brownie recipe as a “remedy for that, because these fudgy brownies are full of goodness and they taste like heaven! Plus, they are packed with tons of fibre, plant-based protein, iron, magnesium and calcium, and they support digestive health.”

 

healthy brownie recipe
Joy McCarthy’s Chickpea Walnut Brownies: “They are packed with tons of fibre, plant-based protein, iron, magnesium, and calcium and they support digestive health.”

 

CHICKPEA WALNUT BROWNIES RECIPE

Yields 12 squares

INGREDIENTS

  • 4 Medjool dates, pitted
  • 1 can (14 ounces/398 mL) chickpeas, drained and rinsed
  • 1⁄2 cup (125 mL) real maple syrup
  • 1⁄3 cup (75 mL) coconut oil, melted
  • 1 egg
  • 1 teaspoon (5 mL) pure vanilla extract
  • 1⁄2 cup (50 g) raw cacao powder
  • 1 teaspoon (5 mL) baking powder
  • 1⁄2 teaspoon (2 mL) fine sea salt
  • 1⁄2 cup (65 g) chopped raw walnuts
  • 1⁄2 cup (90 g) semi-sweet dairy-free chocolate chips

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Preheat the oven to 350F. Line the bottom and sides of an 8-inch (2 L) square baking pan with parchment paper or grease with coconut oil.

2. Soak the dates in hot water for 10 minutes, then drain.

3. In a food processor, combine the dates, chickpeas, maple syrup, coconut oil, egg and vanilla. Pulse until fully combined.

4. In a small bowl, stir together the cacao powder, baking powder and sea salt. Add to the chickpea mixture and pulse to combine.

5. Remove the blade from the food processor and fold in the walnuts and chocolate chips. Scrape the batter into the prepared pan. Bake for 20 minutes, or until a fork inserted in the centre of the brownies comes out clean.

6. Let cool in the pan on a rack for 10 minutes. Remove from the pan to cool completely before cutting into 12 squares. Store, wrapped well with plastic wrap, in the fridge for up to 1 week or in the freezer for up to 3 months.

Excerpted from The Joyous Cookbook by Joy McCarthy.

 

JOY’S KITCHEN ESSENTIALS

What are your three essential pantry ingredients?

“Coconut flour, dry quinoa and canned fish like sardines or bone-in salmon. I’m a big baker, so I always have a stock of my favourite flours. Quinoa can be whipped up into an easy and inexpensive meal in no time with some fresh veggies. Lastly, canned fish like sardines or salmon provide omega-3 fatty acids and vitamin D for brain health, supporting mental health and well-being from a nutritional perspective.”

What’s your best at-home cooking advice?

“Have fun! Get your hands dirty! I suggest trying one new recipe every week. Many people get really stuck in their ways of eating the same meals all the time. Trying one new recipe per week is an excellent way to get some new inspiration and you’ll be so proud of yourself that you did!”

What kitchen tool can you not live without?

“The best place to start is with a good chef’s knife. Whether you’re making vegetable soup or making a pasta sauce packed with veggies, a good quality knife can cut your chopping time in half. I love to cook, but I love to eat just as much as, and I would rather be efficient in the kitchen.”

Who’s your favourite person to cook for?

“Family for sure! I love surprising people with my recipes and then telling them all the healthy ingredients after they’ve gobbled it up. I love cooking for and with my 4-year-old daughter. She’s not easy to please, so this has helped me to get creative with cooking!”

 

healthy brownie recipe
Joy McCarthyThe Joyous Cookbook by Joy McCarthy, $32, chapters.indigo.com

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