A new kind of brownie: lentil-based!

Protein-rich, no added sugar, and gluten-free, this nourishing treat is a true game-changer.
Some call it a brownie, others a healthy chocolate breakfast, snack or dessert—
either way, it is satisfying, and packed with goodness.

The cauliflower is optional, but I highly recommend it—
it boosts the nutrition and improves the texture without affecting the flavor.

Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 50 to 55 min
Servings: 16
Course: Snack, dessert, breakfast
In the fridge: 5 days
In the freezer: 3 to 6 months
Equipment: blender, coffee grinder, mixing bowl

Best Ever Brownie

Author: Anne Charbonneau

Ingredients

Mixing bowl:

200 g (1 cup) dry red or black lentils (or a mix of these two)
70 g (½ cup) chocolate or carob chips
120 g (¾ cup) chopped dates, pitted (optional) *

Blender:

360 g (2 ⅔ cups) whole pitted dates
360 ml (1 ½ cups) orange juice or apricot juice blend (or the like) *
300 ml (1 ¼ cups) plant-based milk
30 g (3 ½ Tbsp) chia seeds
40 g (4 Tbsp) coconut oil
2 tsp pure vanilla extract
a pinch of salt
30 g (⅓ cup) cocoa or carob powder
90 g (1 cup) raw cauliflower florets (optional)

Decorate with:

additional chocolate or carob chips

Instructions

Preheat oven to 370°F (190°C).
Grease two 8 × 8 in. (20 × 20 cm) baking dishes, or one 9 × 13 in. (22 × 33 cm) baking dish, with a small amount of coconut oil.
Grind lentils in a coffee grinder (100 g / ½ cup at a time) or in a powerful blender. Any grind size works.
Pour lentils in a large mixing bowl. Add the chocolate or carob chips and if desired, the chopped dates. Mix well and put aside.
In a blender, add “blender” ingredients. Blend well and pour into the mixing bowl.
Mix well and spread batter into the baking dish.
Decorate with chocolate or carob chips, gently pressing them into the top of the batter.
Bake for 50 to 55 minutes. For moist bars, do not bake any longer than needed.
Let cool down in the baking dish.
Cut into 16 servings and refrigerate or freeze. Serve cold or at room temperature.

Notes

The lentils can be ground in a powerful blender (such as Vitamix) instead of a coffee grinder.

To cut down on fruit sugar, skip the optional chopped dates (step 4) and use plant-based milk instead of juice.

SWEET TOOTH?

Use oat milk or rice milk as plant-based milk.

If you’re ok with adding these different type of sweetener: substitute up to 180 ml (3/4 cup) of the plant-based milk with maple syrup (step 5).

Or, add up to: 110 g (2/3 cup) of coconut, date and/or maple sugar, or up to 100 g (1/2 cup) of monk fruit sweetener, or 3.5 g (2 tsp) of stevia leaf powder to the blender (at step 5).

OIL FREE: replace the coconut oil with maple syrup or apple sauce.

Tips

Best quality ingredients = best quality desserts.

I use organic ingredients as much as possible because it tastes better and in most cases is healthier.

Bake 2 days ahead for optimal flavor (although I never wait 2 days to start eating them…)!

Just a note that I use glass baking dishes. See FAQ on the website for more information.

NUTRITION

NUTRITION: BEST EVER BROWNIE, with chocolate

BEST EVER BROWNIE, with carob

Nutrition information is an estimate based on the recipe as written, without the optional chopped dates in step 4, and without the optional cauliflower in step 5. Per serving. 1 recipe = 16 servings. (For smaller servings, divide in two.)

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