Paleo Blender Brownies

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You know how the Paleo diet is kind of nice because the "naughty" foods are usually a lot of work? They're so much work, that you tend to stick to the good stuff, because that's actually easiest. 

Well this recipe ruins that. Literally, this recipe goes from ingredient list to oven in about 3 minutes. THREE MINUTES. And just in time for the holiday weekend!

Our blender has always been one of my favorite appliances. Now that it's key in making these brownies, it might just be my favorite appliance. I topped these brownies with coconut cream and raspberries for a Forth of July themed treat, but let your imagine run wild! Why not plop a scoop of Paleo Cherry Garcia Ice Cream? If you're into having nuts in your brownies, I think you're crazy... But pecans are a passable addition that others in this household would call "necessary".

Here's one more secret about these brownies: they're even better the next day. They come out of the oven slightly puffy but as they cool they settle, becoming dense, fudgy, and chewy, just like a brownie should be. 

P.S. Looking for a real treat? I used these brownies in a contest submission -- Dairy-Free Mint Brownie Ice Cream. Get the recipe at Food 52!

Paleo Blender Brownies

Paleo, Gluten-Free, Grain-Free, Nut-Free   |       |    Print Friendly and PDF

Top these fudge brownies with coconut cream and raspberries for a festive treat!

Yields: 12   |    Total Time:


Ingredients:

  • 1 green plantain (7-8 ounces)
  • 3 eggs
  • 1/3 cup coconut oil
  • 1/8 - 1/4 cup honey (depending on preference)
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla
  • 1/4 cup cocoa powder
  • 1 tablespoon coconut flour
  • 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
  • 1/2 cup chocolate chips

Directions:

  1. Preheat the oven to 375°F. Grease a 9x9 baking pan.
  2. In a small sauce pan or microwave safe bowl, heat the coconut oil, honey, and chocolate chips until mostly melted. Stir frequently to prevent burning.
  3. Peel and chop plantain. In a blender, combine: plantain, eggs, coconut oil, honey, chocolate chips, vanilla, cocoa powder, coconut flour, sea salt. Blender until smooth, scraping the sides as needed.
  4. Pour batter into baking dish. Bake for 25 minutes, until brownies are begin to rise, but batter does not jiggle when you shake the pan. Remove from oven and allow to cool 10-15 minutes.

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Caitlin S

Seared & Curried Eggplant (Paleo & Vegan)

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I wasn't going to post this recipe today. I was going to post a recipe for a gorgeous chia pudding with berries and bananas. Very red, white and blue, you know. Thing is, I just couldn't get myself excited about it. It was great, it was fine, but it felt so ho-hum sitting next to this recipe. Now this recipe--this has flavor. This gets me excited. 

Eggplant? Exciting? Yea, you heard me. If you had asked me a few years ago if eggplant was exciting, I would have laughed. The first thing that would have come to mind is that slimy Eggplant Parmesan with soggy breading that we all know and hate (some Eggplant Parmesan is delicious, but the bad versions are quite bad). 

I don't know when I first tried Baingan Bharta (Eggplany Curry), but it's the dish that redefined eggplant for me. 

I've had this dish in all sort of ways: some people puree the eggplant after cooking it, some people leave it chunkier. Some people serve it with more of a sauce, and some keep it simple.  I have enjoyed them all but none as much as when they're like this: the eggplant is seared, almost crispy on the outside and not at all soggy. The spices are blended with only a bit of tomato, so as not to overwhelm the dish, and it's loaded with heat. 

Recently I was listening to a radio show on NPR about Picky Eaters, and how kid's learn their eating habits. You know when you arrive at your destination and you just want to going around the block a few more times to finish listening to your show? It was one of those. I've always attributed my willingness to eat just about anything to my dad: when I was a kid, he had my try new things every week (this also probably played a role in turning me into such a foodie!). This show, however, explained why kids have different tastes than their parents: their tastebuds are still young and sensitive. I guess my tastebuds finally "matured" enough to like eggplant. ;) 

The moral of the entire interview? Try everything ten times. At least ten times. Try cooking it different ways, and try serving it with different things. One of them, you're sure to like! 

Seared & Curried Eggplant (Paleo & Vegan)

Seared & Curried Eggplant

Published May 7, 2015 by
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Serves: 4-6   |    Active Time: 30 minutes


Ingredients:

  • 2 teaspoons coconut oil
  • 1/2 onion, diced
  • 2 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1-inch nob ginger, minced
  • 2 eggplants, diced into bite-sized pieces
  • 2 roma tomatoes, diced
  • 1 jalapeño, minced
  • 1 teaspoon ground cumin
  • 1 teaspoon whole black mustard seed
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
  • 1 teaspoon ground coriander
  • 1/4 teaspoon whole fennel seeds
  • 2 teaspoons curry powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon turmeric
  • 1/8 teaspoon cardamom
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 cup cilantro, minced
  • Optional, for serving: spicy chili peppers, if you like your curry really hot

    • Directions:

    1. Heat the coconut oil over medium heat in a skillet. Once hot, add the onion, garlic, ginger, and jalapeño. Sauté.
    2. When the onions are translucent, add the tomatoes to the pan, giving everything a stir.
    3. Add the diced eggplant to the skillet, stirring into the onion mixture. Sprinkle salt over top, and stir in (this helps draw out the natural juices). Increase the heat a small amount, to medium-high. Stir occasionally, giving the eggplant time to sear on each side.
    4. When the eggplant is softened through an browning in some places, add the spices and minced cilantro.
    5. The eggplant is done when it’s completely softened through and browned on some of the sides. Remove from heat and serve hot over rice or as a side dish with One-Pan Beef Korma or Slow Cooker Kashmiri Curry Leg of Lamb.

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    Caitlin S

    Za'atar Roasted Vegetables

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    I've been day dreaming of Morocco for years now. Landscapes awash with sand, doorways painted bright turquoise, and dirty street markets flicker through my mind as I doze off. I want to see Morocco. I want to taste the flavors of North African cuisine on my tongue and I want to know what it smells like. While I don't always admit it, I'm a lot like my Dad: he taught me to wander, to see the world. He taught me to embrace "from scratch" recipes, and he showed me world cuisine (Thanks, Dad!). 

    As you may have gathered in my recent tropical vacation post, when I can't hop a plane, I travel with my tastebuds. While I've been dreaming of Morocco for years (seriously, it's been on the top of my travel wish list for 6 or 7 years), I have yet to make the trip. 

    In my day dreams I can be more creative than I might be if I knew what traditional Moroccan food actually entailed. It's liberating really--my minds is free to pair traditional spice blends with less traditional produce items. Case in point: Broccoli is actually a Mediterranean vegetable, but it works well (really well) with Za'atar, a toasted, nutty, herbaceous spice blend used in North Africa and Middle Eastern cooking. 

    You can used ground spices, as directed in the recipe below, or whole spices. If you opt for whole spices, toast the cumin seeds and coriander seeds in a skillet first, and then grind in a mortar and pestle. Finally, add herbs and sesame seeds.

    Za'atar Roasted Vegetables

    You can buy Za'atar at some grocery stores, but it is actually pretty simple to make. To me, traveling is all about awakening your senses: what you see, what you feel, what you taste, and what you smell. Make your own Za'atar at home. Toasting the spices fills your kitchen with the sweet scent of toasted sesame seeds, sumac, and thyme. It smells like a Moroccan kitchen and, as my Dad might point out: homemade just tastes better.

    Za'atar Roasted Vegetables

    Published April 5, 2015 by
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    Serves: 4   |    Total Time: 40 minutes


    Ingredients:

      Veggies:
    • 1/2 red onion
    • 1 large sweet potato
    • 1 medium eggplant
    • 1/2 head cauliflower
    • Generous amount of olive oil
    • Note: you may also test out other veggies! Try broccoli, summer squash, winter squash, etc.

      • For the spice blend (Za’atar-inspired):
    • 1 teaspoon ground cumin
    • 1 teaspoon ground coriander
    • 1 teaspoon dried thyme
    • 1 teaspoon ground sumac
    • 1/2 teaspoon dried dill
    • 2 tablespoons sesame seeds
    • 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
    • 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
    • 1/4 teaspoon salt
    • Note: classic Za’atar does not include garlic, salt and pepper, but all three really help this recipe taste delicious!

      • For serving:
    • 1/4 cup minced parsley

    Directions:

    1. Preheat oven to 450°F. Dice the veggies into equal-sized pieces. Spread out on sheet pan, and drizzle with olive oil, tossing the veggies to coat.
    2. Combine the spices in a small bowl, stirring to incorporate. Then, sprinkle over the vegetables generously.
    3. Place vegetables in oven and bake for 35-40 minutes, until all of the vegetables are cooked through, and the eggplant and cauliflower is beginning to brown.
    4. Garnish with parsley and serve hot.

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    Caitlin S