Raw Fudge Brownies

There are a MILLION different reasons why you are going to fall in love with these brownies. But since you would get awfully bored waiting for me to list them all off, I will leave you with these. The top ten.
1. They taste incredible!
2. There is absolutely zero, zilch, none... NO refined sugar
3. They are dairy free
4. They are gluten free
5. They have that ooey gooey, melt in your mouth thing going on
6. They are (practically) guilt free
7. You can sculpt them into pretty much anything... little hearts, circles, batman figurines?
8. They taste like a mix between brownie batter and cookie dough
9. It's chocolate, enough said.
10. Oh, and did I mention they take less than 5 minutes to make?

If you haven't noticed yet, these may just happen to be one of my favorite chocolate treats. Now that I have reduced/eliminated my dairy and gluten intake, it can be quite difficult to make and find treats that are free of both these ingredients. Luckily, with the help of google, I have been able to greatly expand my raw and healthy treat repertoire. Stay tuned for some more raw, vegan and gluten free dessert recipes! Strawberry Cheesecake anyone?

Raw Fudge Brownies

~ Serves 1 - 4 ~ 

Time: 5 minutes prep, 1 hr total 

Ingredients: 

~ 1 cup walnuts

~ 1/3 cup Medjool dates, pitted

~ 1/4 cup cacao powder

~ 1 teaspoon sea salt

~ 1 teaspoon vanilla 

~ 1/4 cup toasted coconut, shredded & unsweetened (optional) 

Collect and prepare all ingredients as listed above. Please note: the dates will need to be pitted! To do so: slice in half, remove/discard pit (see picture).

In a food processor or high speed blender, combine walnuts, Medjool dates, cacao powder and sea salt. Blend/process until you get a sticky, thick mixture. Add in the vanilla and toasted coconut, if using, and blend for another 30 seconds. If the mixture is too sticky, add a few more walnuts. If the mixture is too dry, add in one or two more dates.

Place brownie mixture in a square baking dish. Using your fingers, press down and flatten until you get a smooth, even surface. You can either enjoy right away or refrigerate brownies in a sealable container for 30 to 60 minutes. They will keep for 3-5 days in the fridge.... if you can make them last that long.