Sweet Treat | Sweet Potato Brownies

Ah the sweet potato. Roasted with sprigs of thyme,  mashed with coconut oil and turmeric, pureed in a steaming-hot bowl of porridge, blended into soup. . . the honeyed taste, satisfyingly starchy texture and immune boosting antioxidants, vitamins and minerals makes them pretty hard to beat. Not least when combined with intensely rich raw cacao and baked into these (gluten, dairy and refined-sugar free) dense, gooey and chocolatey brownie bites. 

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Ingredients | makes enough for 16 brownies

1 large sweet potato, pre-baked

1 egg, lightly whisked

8 tbsp raw coconut oil, melted

8 tbsp raw cacao

4 tbsp flour (I use rice or buckwheat)

4 tbsp honey or agave

2 tbsp almond or coconut milk

1 tsp cinnamon

1 tsp vanilla essence

1/2 tsp baking soda

Optional

cacao nibs

chopped nuts 

Method

Firstly, to cook the sweet potato I find steaming most effective.  Simply peel, chop into chunks and steam until soft. 

Pre-heat the oven to 200°c and line a square 8 x 8 baking tin with parchment paper, greasing with coconut oil. 

In a large bowl combine all the wet ingredients - sweet potato, egg, almond milk, coconut oil, honey and vanilla essence. Mix well.

In a separate bowl combine the dry ingredients - raw cacao, flour, cinnamon and baking soda. 

Add the dry ingredients to the sweet potato mixture and blend thoroughly.

Pour the brownie mixture into the baking tin and place in the oven for 25 - 30 minutes.

Allow to cool before cutting into bite size chunks. 

Sweet Treat | Raw Cacao Mousse

This is one of my go-to sweet treats for (healthily) satisfying sugar cravings. Smooth, creamy and super-chocolatey, you'd be hard pressed to tell the difference between this and a sugar-laden alternative.

And the best part?
It can be whipped up in 5 minutes flat and served straight away.

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Ingredients | makes enough for 2 small portions

1 ripe avocado

2 dates (pitted)

2 heaped tbs raw cacao powder

2 tbs honey/ agave

2 tbs raw coconut oil

innamon powder (to taste)

Optional

a handful of nuts

desiccated coconut

fresh berries

Method

In a small saucepan, over a low-medium heat, warm the dates and 1tbs of coconut oil (add the 1tsp of cinnamon here) until soft. 

Blend the rest of the ingredients - avocado, raw cacao, honey and the remaining coconut oil - in a food processor, adding the date mixture once  softened, until smooth. 

To the blended mixture stir in chopped nuts, sprinkle with desiccated coconut and garnish with fresh berries.