Valentines Paleo Style..

Satisfy your sweet tooth and cuddle up next to your honey while keeping your diet in check. I know I know...sugar is sugar and we should avoid it. HOWEVER....Valentines Day is coming and these brownies taste better than ANY Paleo desert Ive ever had. Seriously. Make them. Make LOTS!! We'll work it off on Wednesday :)





Cake-like Brownies

1 (16) ounce jar salted almond butter, smooth roasted
2 eggs
1¼ cups agave nectar
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
½ cup cacao powder
½ teaspoon celtic sea salt

In a large bowl, blend almond butter until smooth with a hand blender [it will have separated in the jar].
Blend in eggs.
Blend in agave and vanilla.
Fold in cacao
Blend in salt and baking soda [want it mixed in well].
Fold in chocolate chips.
Grease a 9x13 inch Pyrex baking dish
Pour batter into dish [it will be stickier than traditional brownie mix].
Bake at 325° for 35-40 minutes [same timing for brownie edge pan].

Makes about 24 brownies

THESE ARE A TASTY, BUT I LIKE THE FIRST RECIPE BETTER.... GIVE THEM BOTH A TRY :)

Gluten Free Brownies w/ Coconut Oil

5 ounces high quality dark chocolate
1/2 cup Organic Coconut Oil
1 cup plus 2 tablespoons organic light brown sugar
1/2 cup almond meal
1/4 cup brown rice flour
1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
2 organic free-range eggs, beaten
1 tablespoon bourbon vanilla*

Optional:
1/2 cup chopped pecans or walnuts, if desired
Dark chocolate chips for the top, if desired

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line an 8x8-inch square baking pan with foil and lightly oil the bottom.

Melt the dark chocolate and coconut oil in a saucepan over low heat, gently stirring. (Or melt in a microwave safe measuring cup and stir together to combine.)

In a mixing bowl whisk together the brown sugar, almond meal, brown rice flour, fine sea salt and baking soda. Make a well in the center and add the beaten eggs, vanilla extract and melted dark chocolate mixture. Beat on low-medium for two minutes, until the batter begins to come together. At first it will seem thin, like cake batter, but keep beating until it thickens and becomes smooth and glossy.

If you are adding nuts, stir in the nuts by hand and spread the batter into the prepared baking pan. Even out the batter with a silicone spatula.
Stud the top with some dark chocolate chips and press in slightly.
Bake in the center of a preheated 350 degree F oven for 32 to 35 minutes, or until the brownies are set. The top will crack, like a flourless chocolate cake.
Cool on a wire rack; and remove the cooled brownies from the pan by gripping the foil edges and lifting the brownies out as a whole.
Chill for an hour before cutting. (Though warm and gooey is really divine, if you don't mind them falling apart.)
Yield: 12-16 servings

*For chocolate-mint brownies use 1 teaspoon peppermint extract and 1 teaspoon vanilla extract.