A dear patient of mine gifted me a HUGE zucchini this year and I thought I would try something new. I’ve seen brownies made with zucchini and I never thought much of it. However, working with grain free flours always requires something that imparts moisture. Zucchini are certainly good for that so I gave it a try and you would never guess there was a vegetable in these deeply satisfying treats!

Zucchini has a lot of water in it but it also has some good nutrients. The zucchini or courgette is a summer squash and is a hybrid of the cucumber. Along with certain other squashes, it belongs to the species Cucurbita pepo. Zucchini can be dark or light green. A relative, the golden zucchini, is a deep yellow or orange color.

Zucchini is known as a vegetable, which means it is usually cooked and presented as a savory side dish. However, the zucchini is actually an immature fruit, being the swollen ovary of the zucchini flower.

Zucchini is a good source of  Vitamin A, thiamin, niacin, phosphorus and copper, and a very good source of dietary fiber, Vitamin C, Vitamin K, riboflavin, Vitamin B6, folate, magnesium, potassium and manganese.  The omega 3 to 6 ratio is almost 2 to 1, which is excellent.

Whether you consider it to be a fruit or a vegetable, these zucchini brownies are healthy and grain free!

Grain Free Zucchini Walnut Brownie

Ingredients

• 2 cups zucchini (organic if you can) (from 3 -4 medium zucchini)
• 1.5 cup almond flour (where to buy almond flour)
• 1/2 cup cocoa powder (where to buy)
• 1/2 cup coconut flour (where to buy coconut flour)
• 2 Tbsp cocoa butter (or butter, coconut oil or ghee) (where to buy cocoa butter)
• 6 eggs
• 1/4 cup raw honey (where to buy)
• 1/4 tsp stevia (where to buy)
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 1/2 tsp sea salt (where to buy salt and spices)
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1 cup chopped walnut pieces (from activated walnuts)

Equipment

• Food processor (where to buy a food processor)
• 9 x 13 baking pan lined with parchment paper (where to buy parchment paper)
• Mini cupcake papers (where to buy)
• Pizza wheel (where to buy a pizza wheel)

 Instructions

1. In the food processor chop the walnuts and set them aside
2. In a separate small pot gently melt the cocoa butter on #2 heat taking care not to burn
3. Peel and seed the 2 cups of zucchini and run the processor until pureed
4. Now add the eggs, honey, stevia, melted cocoa butter and vanilla and mix
5. Add the almond flour, cocoa powder, salt, baking soda and coconut flour and and mix well
6. Taste the batter to be sure it is sweet enough for you – if not add more honey or other sweetener that you use
7. Add half of the chopped walnuts and just pulse the blade to mix (or mix in a separate bowl)
8. Pour batter into the 9 x 13 pan that has been lined with parchment paper and greased with coconut oil
9. Sprinkle the rest of the chopped walnuts on top
10. Pull the edges away from the side so that it does not stick
11. Bake for 30 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean
12. Let cool completely
13. Using the pizza wheel cut small squares and place them in the cupcake papers to serve

Tip: Let the brownies cool completely before attempting to cut them – you will get a better edge

Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Yield: 30 small squares

 Shared at: Hearth & Soul Hop, Real Food Wednesday, Allergy Free Wednesday, Fight Back Friday