happy valentine's day! if you've been reading this blog for a while then you probably know, i'm not that into this holiday. sorry to be a bummer. consider me one of those people who always thought it was a hallmark holiday. but(!) i am finding it easier to get into the spirit now that amesy's old enough to find googly-eyed hearts, or mickey mouse valentine cards funny and interesting. we're not doing any valentine projects (yet, i'm sure they'll come in time), but there is definitely a bit mote of a fuss over all the silly heart-shaped treats and decorations everywhere. dare i say that i'm excited for next year when we'll be able to make cards, or decorations together!? we'll see what happens ;) but until then, BROWNIES!

these brownies come from anya kassoff (from the ever inspiring blog, Golubka Kitchen) and her daughter masha davydova (she takes all the stunning photographs!), and their cookbook: Simply Vibrant. this is their second cookbook that focusses on plant-based, vegetarian meals spanning the day. the contents are broken into very clever categories: morning meals like porridges and pancakes. then there are: wraps and rolls; noodles, pasta, and pizza; and fritters and veggie burgers. the last couple of chapters include sweets, and basics and sauces. anya, like she does on her blog, makes her recipes so inviting not only with the beautiful photos that grace the pages, but the different flavors and textures she incorporates into each dish.

these brownies for instance are made lusciously fudgy by using sweet potato - something i would never think of incorporating into a brownie batter. there's also a good amount of chocolate, but anya instructs you to chop it in the food processor which basically makes the chocolate into a meal, it's then stirred in with the rest of the batter to form these delicious treats. and i especially love a dessert i don't have to worry about giving amesy nibbles of. they're sweetened with dates (and aforementioned chocolate), and i assume some sweetness comes from the sweet potato as well ;) these are the perfect treat to induge in on this day, or any day, really! whatever you're partaking in, i hope it is serving you well!

big XOXO's!

sweet potato chocolate brownies | v & gf

my notes: i used 85% cacao bittersweet chocolate. next time i would use between 60%-70& cacao chocolate, as most of the sweetness in these brownies comes from the chocolate.

recipe from Simply Vibrant by Anya Kassoff

print the recipe!

| makes 12 large or 24 small brownies |

1 cup (200 g) chopped dark chocolate or chocolate chips
1 1/2 cups raw hazelnuts
1/2 cup (50 grams) almond flour
3 tablespoon unsweetened cocoa powder, plus more for dusting the brownies
pinch of sea salt
9 to 10 (140 g) large, soft medjool dates, pitted
1 medium sweet potato, baked, peeled, and roughly chopped
1/4 cup almond butter

method

preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C). Line an 8-inch square baking dish with parchment paper, extending the paper up the sides. place the chocolate in the freezer.
spread the hazelnuts on a baking tray and toast them in the oven for 10 minutes. remove them from the oven and let them cool, then rub them with a clean kitchen towel to remove the skins. reserve a few whole nuts for garnishing the brownies, and place the rest of the nuts in a food processor; grind into a meal. make sure you don't overprocess. transfer to a large mixing bowl and set aside.
place the chilled chocolate in the food processor and grind into the smallest pieces possible. transfer to the bowl with the ground hazelnuts and add the almond flour, cocoa powder, and salt. stir to mix evenly.
combine the dates, sweet potato chunks, and almond butter in the food processor and puree until smooth. spoon this mixture into the bowl with the ground hazelnuts and chocolate; stir to combine thoroughly.
spoon the batter into the prepared baking dish and even out the top with a spoon. transfer the dish to the oven and bake for 25 to 30 minutes, until the top of the brownie is firm to the touch.
remove the pan from the oven and let it cool to room temperature, then transfer the brownie to a cutting board, using the parchment paper to lift it out of the pan. dust the brownie with cocoa powder chop the reserved whole hazelnuts and sprinkle them on top, if desired. slice the brownies into bars.