Healthy-ish Protein Brownies

Yummmm! I admit I have a sweet tooth, and sometimes I just want a good old fashioned brownie at the end of the day. At the same time, I want to hit my protein goal! This is a variation of my mouth-watering protein brownies, and they were inspired by brownies I made from a recipe at Love and Lemons that I found simply INCREDIBLE.

These vary from my other brownie recipe in that they don't use any almond or peanut butter (so they're great for nut-free crowds) and they're completely grain free since they don't use oats. These are also not vegan, since they use eggs, but I find keeps them nice and moist. Sprinkling them with powdered sugar seems to trick the mind into thinking that they are regular decadent brownies!

Adding 15g protein to our daily intake in the form of dessert makes macro-counting... well... fun! With only 6g fat, it doesn't break the bank in other macro categories either (on my thyroid nutrition plan, I don't get a ton of fat or carbohydrates since my metabolism has slowed).

This recipe is husband-approved and just in time for Valentine's day! I'll be making these for my family and friends, and might even bring a batch to the gym on the 14th of February. :)

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Healthy-ish Protein Brownies

8 servings

Ingredients:

· 1 cup sugar substitute (I like Monk Fruit)

· ¾ cups protein powder (I used Vanilla Pea Protein from Naked Nutrition)

· 2/3 cups cocoa powder

· ½ cup powdered sugar

· ½ cup chocolate chips

· ¾ tsp salt

· 2 eggs (can substitute with 2 Tbsp chia seeds and 6 Tbsp water)

· 1 ripe banana

· 3 Tbsp coconut milk (or other milk)

· 1 tsp vanilla extract

Directions:

· Preheat oven to 350 degrees F

· Prepare an 8x8 baking pan by spraying with olive oil and sprinkling with gluten free flour (to prevent the brownies from sticking to the pan)

· Mix all dry ingredients

· Mix wet ingredients (eggs, banana, coconut milk, and vanilla) in a separate bowl

· Create a well in the dry ingredients, then pour wet ingredients and mix until incorporated

· The batter will be thick, but that’s okay!

· Pour into prepared pan and bake for 40 minutes, or until an inserted toothpick comes out clean

· Wait for the brownies to cool before slicing.

· Sprinkle with a tablespoon of powdered sugar if you like. Enjoy!

Nutrition facts:

Calories: 180

Fat: 6g

Carbs: 19g

Protein: 15g