Let’s get one thing straight. When we say we’re here to help you bake a better-for-you brownie, we’re not saying there’s anything wrong with the classic rich, indulgent chocolate-y original. Oh no there’s not! Our includes our columnist Anneka Manning’s (decadent but easy to make!) and her (a chocolate brownie with cheesecake swirl), and Adriano Zumbo’s (surprisingly simple!) along with a myriad of other variations.
But if you’d like to add some benefits to your brownies, or you need to avoid certain ingredients, such as gluten, here are some recipes and tips that are just the ticket, from leading cook Donna hay, popular SBS presenter Dr Michael Mosley, nutritionist Chrissy Freer and others.
Anneka Manning's classic walnut brownies Source: Murdoch Books
Make it better with beans
You might be thinking this is a bad idea. You might be thinking it will taste weird. But food writer and nutritionist Chrissy Freer has written a whole book, , about cooking beans, pulses and legumes in fresh, healthy recipes for every meal, from vegetarian salads to indulgent desserts, and she knows how to make a brownie that’s tastes just as good but ups the ante by using adzuki beans in the batter, which add richness and body as well as a good dose of dietary fibre and protein. Another plus: as explains, adding beans means you don’t need to use as much oil or butter, and the brownies are naturally gluten-free.
If you lean more to blondies than brownies, try Caroline Griffiths recipe, which uses cannellini (lima) beans to create a tender brownie made with spices including star anise and cinnamon.
Double choc bean brownies Source: Murdoch Books
Embrace the benefits of cocoa, but with less sugar
"Cocoa is full of flavonoids and good things,” says Dr Michael Mosley. "It's when you pump it full of sugar and reduce the cocoa content that it's more ambiguous, so I'm afraid the lovely milk chocolate stuff is unlikely to be terribly good for you." In his book The Clever Guts Diet, Dr Mosley explains that cocoa is broken down in your colon to produce nitric oxide, which is good for your cardiovascular system, while also being a great source of flavonoids and polyphenols, which aid your gut bacteria. Give it a go in this recipe from the book for , where the sweetness comes from a handful of dates, not processed sugar. They’re also gluten-free and egg-free.
Yes, there's eggplant in this dark chocolate brownie. Definitely don't knock it 'til you try it. Source: Simon & Schuster
Sneak in some selenium
“The pear and Brazil nuts give these brownies a lovely subtle flavour,” says GP Dr Clare Bailey and nutritionist Dr Sarah Schenker of this from The 8-Week Blood Sugar Diet Recipe Book(the companion cookbook to Dr Michal Mosley’s Blood Sugar Diet book.) “What’s more, Brazil nuts are an excellent source of minerals, particularly selenium (important for thyroid function and the immune system). Cut the brownies small and freeze any leftover.”
Pear and brazil nut chocolate brownies Source: Joe Sarah
Try Donna Hay’s choc-banana brownie
These gluten-free brownies are super fudgy due to the use of dates and banana in the batter, which also add natural sweetness, along with a little maple syrup. Hay makes them along with other great kid-friendly recipes in her TV series Donna Hay: Basics to Brilliance Kids (starts Monday 7 January on SBS Food Channel 33 – check the for details) and calls these gluten-free, dairy-free and refined sugar-free squares “almost good for you choc-banana brownies”. Get the recipe .
Of course, if you want Hay's fully-laden molten choc chunk brownie (think of the richest, fudgiest brownies you've ever eaten, and now think of them one decadence level up — with an oozing molten chocolate centre!), you can get that recipe !
Donna Hay's choc-banana brownies Source: Donna Hay: Basics to Brilliance Kids
Need it to be gluten-free?
A lot of the recipes listed above are gluten-free, but if you’d like some more options, we’ve got more! In Anneka Manning’s , the brownies get a touch of earthy sweetness from the grated beetroot.
Or try her – “Wickedly rich, this gluten-free brownie can match it with the best of them,” she says. “Fudgy, thick and studded with tart raspberries.”
Gluten-free beetroot, hazelnut and orange brownies Source: Alan Benson
Or for another twist, Caroline Griffiths uses coconut flour in her gluten-free .
Or for those looking for a raw version, here are two
Whether you just want to avoid turning on the oven on a hot day, or you’re eating a more raw-food-based diet, here are two recipes to add to your list. Guy Turland of Bondi Harvest has created a fantastic (and pretty enough for gifting!) vegan , while Teresa Cutter has a super-simple seven-ingredient where everything goes into a food processor, then into the fridge for a couple of hours to set.
Raw choc hemp seed brownies Source: Bondi Harvest
