When I offered my friend one of these decadent chocolatey delights, she asked “what’s in them?!” While there is nothing that rhymes with ‘do ya wanna?’, there are some surprising ingredients that packs a medicinal punch and may improve your chances of conceiving. These brownies are gluten-free, dairy-free and use natural sweeteners that increases your odds of conceiving according to some basic principles of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) theory. In fact, it’s best to eat these Baby-Makin’ brownies warm since our digestive system works best with cooked foods that are slightly sweet! Other health benefits associated with specific ingredients include:
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Adzuki Beans – an easy-to-digest legume option packed-full of antioxidants that improve egg and sperm quality (black beans can also be used)
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Nuts (e.g. pecans) – a source of minerals, like zinc and selenium, vitamin E and omega-3 fatty acids that pack a fertility punch
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Flaxseeds – an excellent source of fibre in addition to its hormone balancing benefits that helps keep you regular and in the mood for some baby-makin’!
Plus, these are super easy to make and uses a minimal number of dishes – my kind of baking! Even my picky-eater sister thought these Baby-Makin’ brownies were great – even for a mother who already has 3 kids!
- 1 3/4 cups adzuki beans (or 1 15 oz. can)
- 2 tbsp ground flaxseed
- 5 tbsp warm water
- 3 tbsp coconut oil
- 3/4 cups unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1/4 tsp sea salt
- 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
- 1/4 cup honey
- 1/4 cup maple syrup
- 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp cinnamon
- 1/3 cup raw pecans
- 1/4 cup unsweetened shredded coconut
- 1/3 cup finely minced date pieces
- 1/4 cup dark chocolate chips (dairy-free options available)
- Preheat oven to 325oF and lightly grease a 24-slot mini-muffin tin.
- Rinse and thoroughly drain your adzuki beans (whether pre-cooked according to package instructions or from a can).
- Combine ground flaxseed with water in the bowl of the food processor and let sit for 3 minutes.
- Add remaining ingredients and puree for about 3 minutes, or until smooth. You may want to scrape down the sides of the bowl to ensure all the ingredients mix well. The batter should be quite thick, but not dry.
- Evenly divide the batter into the muffin tin and smooth the tops as needed.
- Optional: Sprinkle with desired toppings.
- Bake for 12-15 minutes until the tops are dry and the edges pull away from the sides.
- Remove from the oven and let cool for 10-15 minutes before removing from tin. You can use a butter knife to loosen any stuck edges, carefully remove the brownie bites from the muffin pan, and place them on a wire rack to cool completely.
- Brownie bites keep in an airtight container refrigerated for 4-5 days. They freeze well too (if there are any left), so you can enjoy them when you feel the need! They taste even more truffle-like when frozen!
Nut allergy? That’s okay - just omit the sprinkling of pecans on top
Want to frost cupcakes or brownies? Try out my Chocolate Avocado Whip for a simple, healthy and delicious alternative.