Low-Carb, No-Bake Brownies

[Aerosmith]

Or as we call them, "Frownies" (Fake Brownies). Grain-free, gluten-free, no added sugar, no preservatives, high protein (so a smaller portion is more filling, unlike real brownies), they're actually pretty darn good for you... but they're delicious and they really do taste like brownies. Even the texture is pretty darn close. And if you need a chocolate fix IMMEDIATELY, these take about two minutes to make.

One batch will make two medium-sized frownies.

1/2 cup dates
1/2 cup walnuts
2T unsweetened cocoa powder
1t coconut oil (you can leave it out if you don't have it around; the mixture just won't pack very well and will stay quite crumbly)

Nuke the dates for 15 seconds to soften. In a food processor, pulse the dates and nuts together a few times. Add the cocoa powder and coconut oil and chop until the mixture is pretty finely ground. You may need to scrape it off the sides of the bowl once or twice. Give it a taste; if it's a little bitter, add a couple dates; too sweet, more chocolate. Tip it out of the processor onto a couple plates (or just one if you're feeling piggy ), pack it into a cake with a spoon and DIG IN! If you eat it right out of the processor, it'll be warm just like an oven-baked brownie. If you chill it, it will stay packed more easily, making it a little less messy to eat. You can also form it into a log, wrap it in saran wrap, freeze it and have a candy bar!

Just so you know, it may leave a sort of chocolatey film on your plates from the coconut oil, but a bit of vinegar will take it right off.

[MJ]

Do you know the amount of carbs per serving? We are really working hard to control Bobs carbs on his diabetes and need to know.

[Aerosmith]

For diabetes, it's probably too high on carbs (about 20g per serving). Since it's all naturally-occurring fruit sugar, it's less of a concern for those who don't have problems metabolizing it, but I would be careful with diabetes. Jason has a recipe for grain-free chocolate chip cookies that is a little weird at first taste, but they grow on you quickly and are much lower in sugar. When he gets home I'll get it from him and post it.

[MJ]

Thanks. He gets 16 - 16g servings of carbs a day. 4 servings per meal and 2 snacks of 2 servings per day. So, would like to keep a snack at 16g so he can have something else with it. We also have to watch the fat because of the heart so that makes it interesting.

[snaffle]

Thanks for 'bringing this recipe to the top' Betty

I had not seen it before. I am thinking I should try this!

[Yip]

MJ, although coconut oil looks *hydrogenated* it is not. It's very healthy and THE most delicious oil out there. I keep it around all the time, not just for baking, but for other cooking. Scrambled or fried eggs tast *gourmet* and wonderful, and veggies are so much more delicate in flavor with coconut oil. I watch fats so I get enough but not too much, and often I add a tsp of coconut oil to my oatmeal. The flavor is great. If you buy it, be sure to buy extra virgin because it has more coconut flavor. Erika will know the best ones from Whole Foods.