Chocolate Walnut Brownies

I love this recipe because I think it's a perfect example of making recipes healthier while still ensuring it tastes delicious. These brownies contain chickpeas and no added sugar. They are naturally sweetened by adding dates, and you would never know there are chickpeas in them!

If you are wondering whether a brownie recipe that contains dates and chickpeas tastes like dates and chickpeas, the answer is no—it tastes like brownies! This simple whole-food recipe is delicious and mimics the flavor and consistency of the real thing without using any processed sugar or flour. For the best chocolate flavor, use Dutch-process cocoa powder.

Ingredients for chocolate walnut brownies

• Nonstick cooking spray
• 6 ounces pitted Medjool dates
• ¼ cup unsweetened almond milk
• ¼ cup coconut oil, melted
• 1 large egg
• 1 (15-ounce) can chickpeas, rinsed and drained
• 1⁄3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1 teaspoon of baking powder
• 1 cup walnut pieces

Directions for chocolate walnut brownies

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly coat a 9-inch square baking dish with nonstick cooking spray.
2. In a food processor or blender, combine the dates, almond milk, coconut oil, vanilla, egg, chickpeas, cocoa powder, and baking powder. Process until smooth, then fold in the walnuts. Pour the batter into the pan.
3. Bake until a knife inserted in the center comes out clean, 25 to 30 minutes. Let cool for at least 20 minutes before serving.

Tip: Medjool dates are a soft variety of dates that are sun-dried on the tree and then steamed to re-plump after picking. Regarded as one of the best-tasting date varieties, they have become more popular in the American kitchen in the last decade. These sweet fruits are widely available at grocery stores, health food stores, and online.

SERVES 12 (1 brownie each)