sweet potato honey brownies

I made you brownies! Healthy, guilt free brownies. Brownies with VEGETABLES. I've done it before, but this time it's even healthier. 🙂 These brownies not only contain sweet potatoes, they also boast whole wheat flour (no white flour in sight), honey instead of white sugar, oil instead of butter, and egg whites only. I found this recipe on a clean eating website, so you can be sure that it's good for you! And it's CHOCOLATE. Happy, happy day!

I am so excited to share this recipe with you, it's a healthy turn from my usual stuff (not that I usually post a Paula Deen-style butterfest, but still), because it's a more honest reflection of what I actually eat. I am actually super health-conscious, which I know is funny because I run a dessert blog. Hello?! Chocolate, butter, sugar? Yes? Well, my family  usually eats what I make. I usually eat like, one cookie, or one slice of cake, or whatever. And then I'm done! So it makes me happy when I find healthy recipes that actually work for my whole family. And it makes me even happier when they actually taste good so I can post em! 

I work as a nanny, as you may know, but I have to say that nanny is kind of a limited term... I do whatever needs to be done! Which includes making food. Whicchh I actually love doing. 🙂 Now that my kiddos are all out of school, I have to make a lot more food, because there are more mouths to feed all day long! I would love to make fun, kid-friendly treats every single day, but we are only a week into that and I have already decided that is not gonna float my boat. These poor kids (and me, and their mom) are gonna end up fat and gross by the end of summer if I keep this up! I have been hunting for good-for-you treats that all of us can enjoy guilt-free, and I decided to test this out at my house first to see how it turned out. I think it's a keeper!

This recipe is a great way to sneak some veggies into your diet, and to cut out some of that refined crap that surrounds us all the time. Give em a try and see how you like the dark side. 😉

Sweet Potato Honey Brownies
Adapted from He and She Eat Clean
Yields: one 8x8 pan of brownies

1 cup whole wheat pastry flour
½ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
½ cup unsweetened dark cocoa powder
1 tablespoon baking powder
¼ teaspoon salt
1 cup baked sweet potato (about 2 medium sweet potatoes, pricked and microwaved 10 min)
½ cup honey
¼ cup vegetable oil
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
6 egg whites
*Note: I did not add chocolate chips, but I think they would taste great in here!*
ALSO, I did find these to be a bit wheaty-tasting, so if you aren't into that, I suggest swapping  half the ww flour for white. It won't kill ya! 🙂

Preheat oven to 350F.
In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa powders, baking powder, and salt. 
In a food processor or blender, combine the sweet potato flesh, honey, vegetable oil, and vanilla extract. Blend til combined and smooth! (If using a blender, it might be a bit tricky cause the mixture is thick. Just do your best.) Pour the liquid ingredients into the dry ingredients, mixing lightly. In a separate bowl, beat the whites vigorously until fluffy. Pour the whites into the batter and fold gently to combine. Line an 8x8 baking pan with parchment paper, and pour the batter in. Bake for 20-25 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean or with just a few crumbs. Let cool for a few minutes before cutting. If desired, top with some powdered sugar. Enjoy!