Zucchini Brownies "Zeebies" - gluten-free, dairy-free, healthy, and can be vegan!
My zucchini-hating kids adore these brownies. They are healthy and delicious, gluten-free, and can be vegan. YUM!!!
Prep Time15 minutesmins
Cook Time35 minutesmins
Total Time50 minutesmins
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Servings: 24brownies
Author: Valerie Mates
Ingredients
EITHER 2 cups of all-purpose flouror 2 cups of gluten-free flour mix (I use 1/2 cup each of: teff flour, quinoa flour, potato starch, and garbanzo bean flour -- but any flour mix should work)
1 1/2teaspoonsbaking soda
1/3cupunsweetened cocoa powder
1cupchocolate chips
EITHER 1 cup of white sugar OR 1 cup of datespits removed
2 to 6cupsgrated zucchini -- don't salt it or drain it or anythingjust grate it. A food processor is perfect for speedy grating.
1/2cupvegetable oilsuch as canola
1teaspoonvanilla extract
Instructions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
If you are using flax eggs, mix those up first, and let them sit for a couple of minutes.
Oil the bottom and the bottom inch of the sides of a 9x13 inch baking pan -- a "lasagna pan".
If you are using dates as the sweetener, put them into a food processor together with the eggs or flax eggs. Blend for several minutes, until it looks like a creamy and smooth mixture with some bits of date-skin in it. Then add the oil and blend just until mixed.
Now put all of the ingredients, including the dates (if you are using them) and eggs or flax eggs, into a large mixing bowl. Stir until everything is mixed thoroughly. Check for pockets of unmixed flour, and stir those in too.
The wetness of the mixture should be someplace between a dough and a batter. If it seems too stiff, stir in some water, a couple of tablespoons at a time, until it has the wetness of a dough.
Put the mixture in the greased pan. Smooth it out with a spatula, so that the surface is flat and the mixture evenly covers the whole bottom of the pan.
Bake for 35 minutes.
Let cool, or serve hot -- just beware that when it comes out of the oven it is really molten hot, so I suggest letting it cool for at least a few minutes to stay safe.
Cut into squares or bars.
Tastes great either warm or at refrigerator temperature.