Half-the-Sugar, Half-the-Fat Skinny Brownies

Posted January 10, 2018 5:00 am

These Half-the-Sugar, Half-the-Fat Skinny Brownies come in at just 51 calories each. You might be tempted to enjoy more than one. Courtesy of Don Mauer

½ cup unsweetened, organic applesauce

¼ cup (2 ounces) unsalted, organic butter, plus more for pan

¾ cup unsweetened cocoa powder (not Dutch-processed)

½ cup + 2 tablespoons granulated cane sugar (see note)

½ cup all-purpose, unbleached organic flour

15 packets organic stevia sugar substitute (equal to 10 tablespoons sugar)

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

¼ teaspoon fine sea salt

2 cold large eggs (organic preferred)

¾ cup (4 ounces) semisweet chocolate chips

2 ounces finely chopped pecans

Place a wire mesh strainer over a bowl sufficiently deep to keep the strainer's bottom from touching the bowl's bottom. Add applesauce to the strainer and set aside to drain.

Position an oven rack in the oven's center and begin heating to 325 degrees. Lightly butter an 18-by-13-inch rimmed baking sheet (sometimes called a half-sheet pan) and set aside.

Melt the ¼-cup butter in a small saucepan over low heat. While butter melts, sift the cocoa powder, sugar, stevia, flour and salt into a medium-large bowl. Set aside.

In a small bowl, whisk eggs and vanilla together until combined.

Measure-out ¼-cup of drained applesauce and whisk into the melted butter. Pour the butter mixture and the egg mixture over the flour/cocoa mixture, using a medium-size rubber spatula stir and fold until the batter is thick, shiny, and smooth.

Spoon the batter into the prepared sheet pan and, using a spatula, spread the batter into an even layer to the pan's edges and corners. Evenly distribute the chocolate chips and pecans over the surface; lightly pressing into the batter.

Bake about 15 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out with moist crumbs. Transfer the pan to a wire rack and cool brownies completely.

Cut into 48 2-by-2-inch squares and serve.

Nutrition values per serving: 51 calories (52 percent from fat), 2.9 g fat (1.3 g saturated fat), 6.3 g carbohydrates, 4.1 g sugars, 0.8 g fiber, 0.9 g protein, 12 mg cholesterol, 16 mg sodium.

Notes: *There's no such thing as GMO sugar cane, but about 95-percent of the sugar beets grown in this country are GMO (Monsanto's Round-Up Ready) sugar beets.

Cutting the added fat and sugar by half trimmed a total of 942 calories, over 50 fat grams and 125 sugar grams. Omitting the pecans would cut an additional 400 calories and 40 fat grams.

Don Mauer

Smooth the batter as thinly as possible for These Half-the-Sugar, Half-the-Fat Skinny Brownies. Courtesy of Don Mauer

Smooth the batter first then top with chocolate chips and nuts for Half-the-Sugar, Half-the-Fat Skinny Brownies. Courtesy of Don Mauer

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