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Flourless chocolate cake brownie with blueberry, almond frozen dessert

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If you’ve had Ethiopian injera, chances are good you’ve had teff in its flour form. Full of flavor and nutrition, the consistency of whole grain teff is very much like polenta. Along with the flax in this recipe, it takes on a lovely cake brownie texture that provides a rich mouth feel. Topped here with a blueberry and almond sorbet, and garnished with smokey, toasted slivered almonds.

Ingredients

For the brownie
1/2 cup teff
2 cups water
1/4t coarse sea salt
1/3 cup cocoa
1/3 cup agave nectar
1T milled flax seed
Sea salt to taste

For the blueberries
2 cup blueberries
2T slivered almonds
1T lemon juice
2T agave nectar
1T milled flax seed

Directions

Make the brownie, then the blueberries.
Add the teff to a small sauce pan with a lid and toast for 2 minutes on medium heat.
Add the water, bring to a light boil, cover, reduce heat to low and simmer for 20 minutes or until most of the water has been asorbed and the teff is pulling away from the sides.
Add the cocoa and agave.
Stirring frequently, cooking another 3 minutes uncovered on low.
Remove from heat and add the flax seed.
Stir to combine. You should have something similar in consistency to brownie batter.
Pour the batter into a 3″x9″ baking dish.
Let stand to cool uncovered for 15 minutes.
Cover with plastic wrap and chill for another 15 minutes in the refrigerator to setup.
Puree all of the blueberry ingredients except the flax seed.
Add the flax seed, stir to combine and return to the freezer for 15 minutes to setup.
Remove the brownie from the fridge, carefully turn out and cut in half width-wise.
Spoon out the blueberries over the top.

 

 

Chocolate oat fudge brownie with date caramel, cashew cream frosting

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A simple treat with no added sugar, salt or oil, no baking, and just 6 ingredients.

Ingredients

2/3 cup packed soft, dried dates, pitted and chopped
1/2 cup and 1T unsweetened plant milk (I use soy)
2T cashew butter
3T cocoa powder (I used a fairly trade, Dutch process brand)
1 1/4 cup quick rolled oats, separated
1 cup water

Optional: A pinch salt or a tiny pinch red chili with the oats, or a little white miso with the cashew mixture will bring out the other flavours. You can use other nut butters, but cashew is naturally sweet. Add a little mashed banana to the oats for additional sweetener if you like. Quadruple the recipe for a 9″ x 13″ dish.

Method

Let the dates soak in the 1/2 cup plant milk for about 10 minutes while you make the oats. Warm the plant milk if you’re using a less powerful immersion blender.

In a small sauce pan with a lid, toast 1 cup oats on medium heat for 2 – 3 minutes until they are lightly toasted. Add the water, cover and simmer for 5 – 8 minutes (follow the instructions for your oats) until the water has been absorbed.

Remove from heat. Add the cocoa powder. Stir to combine. Add the remaining 1/4 cup oats. Puree until mostly smooth. Set aside to cool.

Add the cashew butter to the dates and plant milk. Puree smooth. Let rest 2 – 3 minutes. Puree again. Add about 2/3 mixture to the oats and stir to combine.

Press the oat mixture into a 3″ x 9″ glass baking dish. Add the remaining 1T plant milk to the cashew mixture and stir to combine.

Frost the pressed oats with remaining cashew mixture (it will be creamy but will thicken as it cools). Chill uncovered for 1 hour. Cover loosely. Chill over night to setup. Cut and serve when ready.