Yes, kale brownies…
I promise I’m not crazy.
Well maybe just a little bit.
When I first started blogging, I loved to see what google searches were leading people to the site. A few of my favorites:
- Chocolate covered bumblebees
- Chocolate covered grasshoppers
- How to turn your boyfriend into a pig
- Ugliest banana ever
- Sarah Palin is a pumpkin
- Eat cheese or die
- Toes taste like tator tots
(Really I have no idea about the last one… it’s quite perplexing disturbing. And my apologies to whomever found the blog while searching for “eat cheese or die.” Most likely my site was a big disappointment.)
And then there were the two people who found my blog by typing “kale brownies” into the search bar. Although I didn’t actually have such a recipe posted at the time, the idea intrigued me. I’ve done cauliflower cake, spinach ice cream, zucchini coconut cream pie, chickpea blondies, zucchini muffins (maybe that last one isn’t so out-of-the-ordinary)… In other words, I’m open-minded about trying odd-sounding foods. Maybe it’s because I grew up in Japan, where they often put beans in desserts and where green tea ice cream is a staple. Or maybe it’s just because I’m overly curious.
In any case, this is one of the rare recipes on my site that I probably wouldn’t serve to someone who isn’t open-minded or into healthy eating. It’s not that the kale brownies aren’t rich and delicious (they are!), but you can see flecks of green in them, which is an instant giveaway to their healthfulness. Still, if you consider yourself an adventurous person, do give these brownies a try. They might just surprise you!
Kale Brownies
Adapted from Zucchini Brownies
- loosely-packed 3 cups kale or spinach leaves (80g)
- 1/2 cup applesauce (120g)
- 2 1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract
- 1 1/2 cups water (360g)
- 3 tbsp ground flax (18g)
- 3/4 cup vegetable or melted coconut oil (115g)
- 1 cup coconut flour (135g) (Coconut-free recipes are linked at the very bottom of this post.)
- 3/4 cup cacao or cocoa powder (65g)
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 3/4 cup xylitol or sugar of choice (150g)
- 1/16 tsp pure stevia, or 2 extra tbsp sugar of choice
- 1/2 cup mini chocolate chips, optional
Preheat oven to 350F. Line a 9×13 pan with parchment paper, or grease well. Blend together the first 6 ingredients (if using coconut oil, make sure applesauce and water are not cold).
In a large mixing bowl, stir together all remaining ingredients. Pour wet into dry and stir until just evenly combined, pour into the prepared pan, then use a full sheet of parchment or wax paper to press down firmly until the batter evenly covers the pan. Bake 19-20 minutes. Pat down hard with a pancake spatula or another sheet of parchment paper. Let brownies sit 15 minutes before cutting into squares. (As a general rule, cutting brownies with a plastic knife prevents crumbling.) They taste 10 times better the next day, so make them in advance if possible. Makes 20-24 squares. (Frosting recipe is below the next photos.)
Frost the coconut flour brownies with either my Healthy Chocolate Frosting or with the following:
- 1/2 cup cacao or cocoa powder (40g)
- 2 tbsp pure maple syrup or agave (30g)
- 1/2 cup virgin coconut oil, melted (75g)
- chocolate chips for the tops, optional
Mix the frosting ingredients to form a sauce. Spread over the kale brownies, top with chocolate chips if desired, then refrigerate or freeze 10-20 minutes; the sauce magically transforms into chocolate frosting! Due to the melty nature of the coconut oil, the frosted brownies are best stored in the refrigerator or freezer (they thaw well). The healthy brownies are high in fiber and Vitamins A, C, and K, cholesterol-free, gluten-free, vegan, low in sugar or sugar-free, and they also offer Omega 3s! (If you prefer coconut-free brownies, try my Black Bean Brownies or Pumpkin Brownies.)
Link of the Day: Baked Oatmeal
Hi Katie!
I made these this morning but I used mustard greens from my garden instead. I have Way too many and I’m trying to find all sorts of things to do with them. They turned our great and you can’t even tell they are In there! YUM ( I couldn’t wait a day to taste test )
Thanks for the idea!
Michelle
Wow, I am going to love this one- It is right on the mark for me! Thank you Katie!
Dear Katie,
I’m Tera another Big Chocolate fan! I love your site and how you strive to make healthy desserts. I ‘m making your Kale Brownies, I have a question, can I use Maple Syrup in place of sugar? Thanks
Katie – a question about the wet ingredients + kale – you say “blend,” but do you mean just stir them together, or put them into a blender/food processor? I was thinking of trying the latter, because I’d like to try to make these for my toddler daughter (to sneak more greens into her diet). I was just curious as to whether you meant that in the first place, or had any thoughts on it.
No, she means to blend with a blender.
Can you sub a different flour for the coconut flour? These sound so amazing, but I’m allergic to coconut 🙁
my daughter is allergic to coconut. can i use BOB gluten free flour instead? how much? thanks
Try her black bean brownies or cookie dough brownies instead!
I have made the bean brownies and she loved it but I really want to try the kale brownies
A huge & sincere thank you to a truly talented, generous and beautiful person!
– From a family of big ChocolateCoveredKatie fans in Brussels, Belgium 😀
Do you think these would come out well without using the flax? We are totally grain free!
Flax is not actually a grain. So you’re good to use it! Or sub ground chia seeds, perhaps.
It is a psuedo grain (grown the same and shares many of the same properties) and can cause many of the same upsets as grain does (as well as chia). For our family it does cause the same reactions so we have to avoid it. We are doing AIP but I am trying to find some different snack ideas for family parties! (Since we have a lot!! ) and trying to keep things rotational!!
These are really tasty, but mine came out super soggy! Like, the texture of a sponge cake soaked in water :-/ how can I make them less moist?
Hi Cathy,
Just refrigerate overnight and they will firm up completely! If you get a chance, please do report back about if this fixed the issue as it should 🙂
We make Ultimate Fudge Pie for a diabetic friend on a regular basis. The protein is good for her diet and she loves chocolate so it has been a good way to get her chocolate fix without upsetting her blood sugar.
She loves pumpkin. What suggestions do you have for a pumpkin pie that also uses silken tofu?
Thanks
Katie doesn’t have such a recipe, but she does have healthy pumpkin pie, crustless pumpkin pie, and chocolate pumpkin pie recipes on the site! 🙂
I made fudge frosting to put on some cupcakes and it was delicious.
And I made a one minute chocolate cake it was amazing.
I made fudge frosting and it was amazing.
And I made one minute chocolate cake it was delicious.
These are OUTRAGEOUSLY good. For the vegan shortening, I subbed the same amount of coconut cream (the top thick portion of a refrigerated can of coconut milk), worked like a charm. I’ll try this for some time. I know that sweets could make us fat so that’s why I take forskolin supplement because it has an active chemical that initiates a chain reaction that cause fat cell to release their energy and melt away.
haha those google searches just made my day
Hoping to make these tomorrow, but I don’t have applesauce on hand! Can I either take it out completely, or replace it with something else? Thanks!
I had some spinach to use up this week and I remembered this brownie recipe from a couple of years ago. Once again, like all of your recipes, Katie, these treats do not disappoint. I LOVE the fact that my kids are actually getting extra greens in their dessert. 🙂