Don's Rocky Road Brownies

¾ cup unsweetened, unflavored applesauce

Butter-flavored vegetable oil

1 cup all-purpose flour

cup natural cocoa powder

½ teaspoon table salt

½ teaspoon baking powder

1 large egg

2 large egg whites

1½ cups granulated sugar

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

8 standard marshmallows

cup roughly chopped pecans

cup mini-morsel semisweet chocolate chips

Place a wire mesh strainer over a bowl deep enough to keep the strainer's bottom from touching the bowl's bottom. Add applesauce to the strainer and set aside (you should have ½ cup drained applesauce).

Place the oven rack in the center and heat the oven to 350 degrees. Lightly spray the bottom and sides of a nonstick 11-by-7-by-1½-inch baking pan with butter-flavored vegetable oil. Set aside.

In a medium bowl whisk flour, cocoa, salt, and baking powder together. Set aside.

In a large mixing bowl, whisk egg and egg whites together until bubbly. Add sugar, ½ cup drained applesauce and vanilla; stir until sugar dissolves. Add flour mixture; stirring until dry ingredients are just moistened.

Quarter marshmallows with an oiled knife (you can use the butter-flavored spray). Pour batter into prepared pan and distribute marshmallow pieces over the batter, pressing them in gently. Evenly distribute pecans and chocolate chips over batter and marshmallows. Bake 25-30 minutes, until marshmallows are golden brown. Cool on rack, cut into 2-inch squares and serve.

Serves 15.

Nutrition values per serving: 172 calories (16.4 percent from fat), 3.1 g fat (1.1 g saturated fat), 36.8 g carbohydrate, 0.7 g fiber, 2.8 g protein, 14 mg cholesterol, 104 mg sodium.