Healthier Zucchini Brownies

A great way to get more veggies into my little boy - and a tasty (nearly guilt-free) treat for me! This is a combination of other brownie recipes I've read, with an eye to make it healthier: less oil and refined sugars, plus whole wheat flour! By pureeing the zucchini and using prunes to get a dark, rich color, no one will ever know there's veggies in the brownies! Who knew that gigantic zucchini would turn into dessert?

• Preparation Time: 20 mins
• Cooking Time: 30 mins
• Total Time: 50 mins
• Calories: 228 Calories

Ingredients

• 1 cup brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• ½ cup chopped walnuts (Optional)
• 1 ½ cups whole wheat flour
• ½ cup all-purpose flour
• 1 ½ teaspoons baking soda
• ½ cup white chocolate chips
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 cup prunes
• cooking spray
• 2 medium zucchini, chopped
• 1 tablespoon Demerara sugar
• ½ cup natural cocoa
• ¼ cup vegetable oil, scant

Recipe Instructions

Step 1

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Coat a 9x13-inch baking dish with cooking spray.

Step 2

Puree zucchini in a high-powered blender or food processor. Measure out 2 cups of zucchini puree, then add prunes until level hits 3 cups. Return to the blender and process. Add brown sugar, cocoa, oil, salt, and vanilla extract; blend until totally smooth.

Step 3

Whisk whole wheat flour, all-purpose flour, and baking soda together in a bowl. Stir in nuts. Pour chocolate mixture into flour mixture and stir together as gently as possible; batter will be very thick.

Step 4

Spread batter into the prepared baking pan and smooth as much as you'd like; this batter will not smooth out much as it bakes. Sprinkle Demerara sugar and chocolate chips on top.

Step 5

Bake in the preheated oven until brownies just spring back when touched in the middle or a toothpick comes out clean, about 30 minutes. Allow to cool before devouring.