monk brownies (low fodmap)

 

 

With Valentine's Day around the corner, it seemed like the perfect time to post a chocolatey dessert, which you can make for yourself or package and give to your sweetheart(s). The inspiration for this decadent treat came to me back in December when my friend Alanna Taylor-Tobin of the The Bojon Gourmet posted her incredible Chestnut Cranberry Blondies recipe. At the time of her post - on my birthday! - I was on an extremely restricted diet and had to hold off making a batch. But when New Year's Day came along, I decided to cheat a bit and made a veganized version of her blondies. They were so worth the wait, as I was blown away by the light texture and the way the ingredients complimented each other so effortlessly. 

Fast forward a few weeks later when I am struck by a chocolate blondie craving, only this time I was now into the low FODMAP diet part of my treatment plan to reverse my Hashimoto's. Sadly on this diet many of my usual go-to ingredients are not allowed, including coconut palm sugar. So I went to work figuring out what other sweeteners I could substitute and came across monk fruit. My naturopath felt it would be ok to try the monk fruit on my low FODMAP diet, so I went to work figuring out which brand to use and the correct amount for this brownie recipe. I read many reviews of different types of monk fruit and ultimately chose to go with Lakanto's Monk Fruit Sweetener. The texture of my baked goods is now slightly different than if I were using coconut or cane sugars, but it's pretty darn close. During this recipe testing process, I also realized that just using the monk fruit by itself was not going to give me the desired texture and sweetness in my baked goods, which is why I added the maple syrup to the recipe - it also happens to be low FODMAP. Overall, I think it is a wonderful compromise, and I have had only positive reviews of my brownies/blondies since incorporating the monk fruit sweetener. 

I just want to add that I am not jumping on the monk fruit sweetener bandwagon, but it's been nice to have another option that works with my dietary restrictions. And I have not experienced any ill side effects from using it like some reviewers reported - I have a feeling many of those are dependent on the brand and frequency of use of the sweetener.

Wishing you all a Happy Valentine's Day filled with your own kind of indulgence!

 

brownie ingredients

1/2 cup milk of choice or water - coconut milk is my favorite (use 1/3 cup water if omitting the cacao to make blondies)

1 tablespoon ground chia seeds (try using ground flaxseeds if making blondies)

3 tablespoons 100% pure maple syrup (use 2 tablespoons of maple syrup for blondies)

8 tablespoons coconut oil or butter, melted and warm (if omitting the cacao to make blondies, decrease oil amount to 6 tablespoons)

1/4 cup golden monk fruit sweetener (if using coconut palm or cane sugar, use 1/2 cup)

1/2 cup chestnut flour

1/2 cup sweet white rice flour

1/4 cup raw cacao (omit if making blondies)

2 tablespoons arrowroot starch

2 teaspoons cinnamon

1 teaspoon raw vanilla powder or 2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1/2 teaspoon cardamom powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

 

blondie ingredients

1/3 cup water 

1 tablespoon ground flaxseeds 

2 tablespoons 100% pure maple syrup

6 tablespoons coconut oil or butter, melted and warm 

1/4 cup golden monk fruit sweetener (if using coconut palm or cane sugar, use 1/2 cup)

1/2 cup chestnut flour

1/2 cup sweet white rice flour

2 tablespoons arrowroot starch

2 teaspoons cinnamon

1 teaspoon raw vanilla powder or 2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1/2 teaspoon cardamom powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

 

optional additions for brownies and blondies

1/2 cup toasted pecans or walnuts 

1/2 cup fruit of choice - cranberries and tart cherries are my favorites!

1/4 cup (around 1.5 ounces, 45 grams) dark chocolate (70% to 85% cacao mass) coarsely chopped 

 

Position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 350°F. Line an 8x8-inch square pan with parchment paper on the bottom and all sides.

If using nuts, spread them on a small baking sheet and toast in the oven until golden and fragrant, 10 – 12 minutes. Remove and let cool, then break or chop into coarse pieces.

Add the milk/water and chia/flaxseeds to a small bowl, stir to combine and set aside. Place a strainer over a large bowl and sift in the raw cacao (if using), sweet rice and chestnut flours along with the arrowroot starch, cinnamon, cardamom, baking soda and salt, then stir to combine. Add the sugar, maple syrup, melted coconut oil/butter and vanilla to the chia seed/flaxseed mixture and whisk. Pour the liquid mixture into the dry and stir to combine, then stir vigorously for a few seconds - this will help the brownies/blondies hold together better when baked. Stir in the nuts, chocolate and cranberries. Scrape the dough into the prepared pan and spread evenly - it will be a fairly thin layer. 

Bake the brownies/blondies until puffed and slightly cracked, 25 to 30 minutes. Remove to a wire rack and let cool to room temperature - or chill until firm, 1 hour, for cleaner cuts. Use the parchment handles to remove the brownies/blondies from the pan and onto a wire rack. Once the chocolate has set, cut into 16 squares.

The brownies/blondies are best the day they are made, but will keep for several days in an airtight container at cool room temperature or (better yet) refrigerated.

Serve with a warm cup of something - a matcha latte is my drink of choice - and enjoy as you savor each and every bite.

 

 

"I just think about how saying that you love someone can make your heart feel like some sort of brownie sundae, warm, gooey, sweet and good."

~ Carrie Jones

 

Comments

[Wanda Carlisle]

I understood that Erythritol was not an approved product for anyone with FODMAP issues. Lakanto golden sweetener is mostly Erythritol (listed as first ingredient).