Earthy Gluten-Free Beet Brownies
This last week has been an extremely busy week for me; from being sick to writing a midterm for another class, to working, and being away for the weekend. I knew that I wasn’t feeling up to trying to create an elaborate meal, so this week I decided to go back to baking and try out a recipe from the website Fit Mitten Kitchen. My family definitely has a love for chocolate and when it comes to brownies they are almost always gone in a few days! When I saw this recipe for beet brownies I jumped at the opportunity, as I knew they wouldn’t be too difficult and I would be able to find some time this week to make them.
This Gluten-Free Beet Brownie Recipe was so easy to follow. All of the ingredients were laid out quite nicely and the instructions were well detailed. It had all the preparation times listed at the top of the recipe as well as approximate how much the recipe would yield. I also enjoyed this resource as underneath the instructions there were notes provided with alternative options to even make the brownies dairy-free, and how to keep them fresh for longer. Although I do not see that being an issue in our house. Another interesting this I found with this resource was the creator of Fit Mitten Kitchen provided nutritional information at the bottom.
Often when you use to find online recipes nutritional information is not something that is provided to the readers and if you want to find out that information you have to calculate it yourself however that is not the case here. I enjoyed just being able to read the recipe as everything I needed to know was right there, and not watch a video to see what steps come next. It was easy to be able to go back and read each step whenever I needed to without finding the exact place in the video.
Now let’s get to the baking Process!
This week I attempted to document my learning process through the TikTok. You can read all about that through this blog post.
For this recipe you will need:
- 2 large beets, chopped (equal to 1/2 cup pureed)
- 4 oz quality dark chocolate* (I used a baking bar)
- 1/4 cup coconut oil
- 1/4 cup raw honey
- 2 large eggs
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/3 cup cacao powder (or unsweetened cocoa)
- 3 TBS coconut flour
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1/4 tsp pink salt (or sea salt)
- 1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips (dairy-free if needed)
Because we go through brownies so fast I decided it would be best to double the recipe so there would be more. To start out the recipe in I began by creating the melted chocolate mixture. Rather than trying to melt the chocolate directly in a pan, I placed a pot of water on the stove with a heat-safe bowl on top and let the water boil then I poured in the chocolate and the whipping cream I substituted for the coconut oil, and let that melt stirring it completely. Note, I used whipping cream rather than coconut oil as it was only used to make the chocolate not so thick, and I knew this would work the same as I have done this before in other brownie recipes I have made. While that was melting I took that opportunity to make my beet puree. I did this by blending beet we had frozen from our garden last summer. I had noticed that it wasn’t blending as nicely due to the fact that the beets weren’t fresh, so I added a little bit of boiling water to the blender and that seemed to help it puree better. When adding the beats to the batter later I just ensured to drain off as much water as possible from the cup of puree I needed. Once the chocolate was all melted and combined with the cream, I added in the honey, stirred it well, and removed it from the heat to cool. In a bowl, I then mixed the cocoa powder, baking soda, gluten-free flour, and salt and set it aside. In a small bowl I cracked my eggs just in case I got any shells I could easily pick them out, then I added the vanilla. Once I made sure the cholate mixture was cooled all the way I added the eggs and vanilla to the bowl and whisked until smooth. Then The beet puree was added and whisked again. As the last step, I poured the liquid ingredients into the dry ingredient and mixed until it was a smooth conscience before adding a cup of chocolate chips. I poured the brownie batter into a casserole dish and placed it in the oven for 20 minutes. When the timer went off I checked the brownies by pushing a toothpick into the center and pulling it out to see if it came out clean. At this time it did not for I left them in the oven for another 5 minutes and tried the toothpick method again. This time it came out clean other than a few crumbs, so I knew they were done. I then let them sit for 20 minutes before letting everyone taste test them for me.
This recipe has turned the best out of all my learning project attempts so far! I have no complaints as they turned out so delicious. I gave them to my sibling without telling them they were made from beets and they couldn’t even tell the slightest bit as it covered the earthy flavour so much. This is such a great recipe to try to make your baking a little bit healthier. I would definitely recommend this recipe for anyone trying to sneak more vegetables into their family’s diet, as you cannot tell the slightest bit. The only this that could have made them even better would be a small scoop of ice cream dolloped on top. I definitely do not see them lasting very long in this house, and will be adding this recipe to my collection to keep!
Check out my other blog post to see how I created a TikTok to document my learning!
Hey Tadyn!
I love that you choose to use Tik Tok as your tool to look at in-depth this week! Tik Tok is so prominent in our students lives now, so being able to have a understanding of it would defiantly be an asset. I also like how you gave such a through walkthrough of your learning project. I also loved how unique this recipe is! I recently saw a recipe for brownies made with mushrooms! Good luck in your next steps!
Hey Tadyn!
I saw “beet brownies” in your title and just had to click on it! I love how you didn’t mention that you put beets in the brownies before giving them to your sibling haha. The fact that they couldn’t tell shows how anyone can sneak fruits and vegetables into almost anything! I also love how you used tik tok. Everyone is familiar with it and it seems easier than using iMovie…I think I’ll have to try that out!
Hi Taylor,
Yes, it was very interesting to see their reactions when I told them there were beets in the brownies. If I would have thought about it soon I would have loved to catch their relations on videos to share along with this post! Maybe the next time I attempt a recipe with hidden ingredients I will think to do that sooner.
Hi Tadyn,
I was very curious when I saw a beet brownie recipe and your blog did not disappoint. I like that you are experimenting with easy dishes by throwing in an extra element to add some flare and healthiness to the dish. Have you tried out any other interesting combinations like this recipe? How did they go in comparison? While this recipe is definitely something I would not have thought of doing, it is definitely something I will consider in the future. Thanks for sharing!
Hi chayce, I haven’t tried anything quite like this before other than adding zucchini into muffins. When comparing those to these brownies I think the brownies are definitely better at hiding the vegetables in the recipe. I definitely plan to try out more ideas like this and will update everyone when I attempt them.
Hey Tadyn,
These look absolutely delicious! Please send some my way! I have tried zucchini brownies/chocolate cake before, but I have never had beet ones. It inspires me to make some this summer with our leftover beets from the garden.
Hi Kendra, adding zucchini to muffins or loaves happens often here as well. It is a great way to use up extras that you’ve got kicking around and that’s why when I saw this recipe I had to try it as I knew we had extra beets in the house.
Hi Tadyn,
Those earthy gluten-free beet brownies look AMAZING! I will most definitely have to try this recipe sometime. I have such a sweet tooth, but seem to always feel guilty after slamming down a row of Oreos. I really enjoy how organic this recipe is. I can eat this brownie guilt free – truly the best of both worlds!