Grain-Free Goji Berry Brownies ♥

These are ridiculously delicious Grain-Free Goji Berry Brownie's. In celebration of three of my favorite girlfriends coming over earlier this week, I made them a beautiful meal with these as dessert. They are so good, you will not regret making them! Vegan, Grain-Free and I provided a low-sugar option at the bottom of the page. (recipe modified from: beautyandthefoodie.com)

Ingredients:

For the brownies:
½ cup coconut flour, sifted

¾ cup coconut sugar 

½ cup coconut oil

½ cup brewed organic coffee or decaf coffee, or can use ½ cup water in place of this (if you can’t have coffee)

2 tablespoons of raw unsweetened cacao powder 

3 tablespoons of chia seed meal mixed w/ 3 tablespoons of  pure water (http://www.veganbaking.net/recipes/egg-replacers/chia-seed-binder)

6 tbsp unsweetened coconut milk or almond milk + 1 ¼ tsp apple cider vinegar, mixed together in a separate bowl (this makes dairy free buttermilk and it will look curdled).

1 teaspoon of organic vanilla extract or powder

½ teaspoon of pink salt

1 teaspoon of cinnamon

1 teaspoon of baking soda

½ cup of dried goji berries

For the frosting:
¼ cup coconut oil
1 tbsp cocoa powder or cacao powder
½ cup powdered coconut sugar (make this by pulsing coconut sugar in blender or processor until powdered)
1 ½ tbsp coconut milk or almond milk (unsweetened)
½ tsp organic vanilla extract or powder

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 400 F and grease or oil an 8×8 pan well.

In a large metal or ceramic mixing bowl, combine: ½ cup sifted coconut flour and ¾ cup coconut sugar. Mix together thoroughly. Set aside.
In a medium size sauce pan, combine: ½ coconut oil, ½ brewed coffee or water, and 2 tbsp cocoa powder. Stir and heat to boiling on stove top.
Pour boiling cocoa- coffee mixture over coconut flour sweetener mixture in bowl. Stir together.
Add to mixture: chia meal, the pre mixed 6 tbsp coconut milk or almond milk + 1 ¼ tsp apple cider vinegar mixture, baking soda and vanilla extract. Mix together well using a large spoon or electric mixer.
Stir in 1/2 cup of Goji Berries.
Pour batter into well-greased pan.
Bake at 400 F for 30 minutes or until toothpick comes out of center clean.
While brownies are baking, prepare the frosting:
In a small sauce pan combine: ¼ cup of coconut oil, 1 tbsp cocoa powder, and 1 ½ tbsp. coconut milk or almond milk. Stir and heat to a boil, and turn heat to low.
Mix into the saucepan the powdered coconut sugar and vanilla. Stir until smooth. Leave saucepan on lowest heat.
Pour warm frosting over the top of brownies as soon as you take them out of the oven. Try to cover entire surface with liquid frosting, can use a spoon to spread.
Cool brownies and frosting completely before cutting or serving, as the frosting needs to set and thicken. You can put them in the fridge once cooled off enough, to speed up the process (I cooled on the counter for 15 minutes and then put in the fridge for about 45 minutes, but it could be ready sooner).
Cut and serve once frosting is set. *Cover and store unsed portions in the fridge*

Low-Sugar Option:

Brownies:

substitute 3/4 of coconut sugar with 3/4 cup of unsweetened apple sauce w/ 3-4 drop of stevia
eliminate 1/2 cup of coffee or water

Frosting:

substitute 1/2 cup of powdered coconut sugar with 1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce w/ 5-6 drops of stevia
eliminate 1 ½ tbsp coconut milk or almond milk (unsweetened)

with love,

Christina ♥