Applesauce Brownies

I went into this dessert wanting something a little healthier.  

I am trying to lose the last of my pregnancy weight, but I don't want to go on a diet.

I find that diets just make me crave what I can't have, so changing my diet, rather than dieting, is a better idea.  That way when I crave chocolate, or ice cream, I can still have some.  I just have a smaller portion, less often, and it all works out!  Since most of what I eat is good for me anyway, I don't think I am making too big of a compromise with this theory.  

So I had seen on Pinterest, all sorts of posts about bananas and applesauce replacing ingredients for baking.  So I looked up healthy brownies, and found this recipe for Applesauce Brownies.  It happened to be a diabetic recipe site, so lower sugar, and a happy Ashley :) 

I followed the recipe pretty precisely, but I like my brownies thicker, so I used an 8x8 pan instead.

I tried to be more vigilant with my pictures this time.

Cocoa

Vegetable oil and applesauce

Dry ingredients

 Mix, mix, mix!

All done!  :) (Joshua said that the batter was not tasty in his opinion)

I put it into a floured 8x8 pan, and baked it.

I must say, they came out delicious!

I have just a couple things I would like you to keep in mind when making these brownies.

These are not boxed brownies, so will not be as sweet, or as moist.  

This recipe produced cake like brownies, rather than fudge like ones. 

If you cut into them while they are still warm, they will crumble.  If you wait until they are cool, they cut easily and keep their shape much better. :) enjoy!

Recipe

Ingredients:

1/3 cup vegetable oil

1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce

1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

1/2 cup sugar

1 cup all-purpose flour

1 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp baking soda

2 large eggs

1 tsp vanilla extract

Directions:

Preheat oven to 375

Combine oil, applesauce, and cocoa in a mixing bowl.  Slowly add sugar until blended.  Add in the eggs and vanilla.

In a separate bowl, combine flour, baking powder, and soda.  Add mixture to batter slowly until fully incorporated.  No need to use a mixer, just a rubber spatula, or a wooden spoon work fine.  

Pour into floured (or greased if you want) 8x8 pan.

Bake about 30 minutes (depending on how your oven heats, check at 20/25).  Toothpick should insert and come out a little stained but clean.  

The next time I make these, I think I will add a half cup of chocolate chips to them, or maybe some walnuts on top.  Enjoy!