Raw brownies with chocolate avocado frosting

Raw brownies with chocolate avocado frosting
Makes 16 squares
Adapted from here and here 

With a sneaky addition of avocado, these delicious gluten free, dairy free, raw and vegan brownies will have everyone fooled! Sweetened naturally by dates and agave nectar, and full of nutritional raw foods like walnuts, cacao and avocado, I definitely don't feel guilty eating these for breakfast. This recipe makes more frosting than you need, so feel free to do as I do - spread half of it over the brownie base and enjoy the rest spooned into two small bowls as chocolate pudding for dessert.

Brownie base:
2 cups dates, pitted
2 cups walnuts
2/3 cup raw cacao (or good quality cocoa powder)

Frosting:
2 ripe avocados, pitted
1/3 cup raw cacao (or good quality cocoa powder)
1/3 cup raw agave nectar (or honey)
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
pinch salt

Line a 20cm square cake pan with baking paper (ensure there is paper hanging over the sides so you can lift it out when the brownies are set). Combine walnuts, dates and the 2/3 cup cacao in a food processor and process until the mixture resembles potting soil or clumps of dirt, then pat firmly into the bottom of the cake pan.

To make the frosting, scoop the flesh of the avocados into a food processor and blend until smooth and creamy. Add the cacao, agave, vanilla and salt and blend until smooth, scraping down the sides when necessary. Spread the frosting evenly over the brownie base, then place in the freezer for about an hour to set. Lift the brownies out of the pan and slice into squares.

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Next time I have a brownie craving, I'll be buying fresh Medjool dates and making these!

I did plan on taking some quality photos of these brownies the following day after they'd set, but... uh, we kind of forgot about it and ate them all. Oops! So a dodgy night-time instagram pic will have to do!

grateful

Last week I was the oh-so lucky winner of this fantastic giveaway from the lovely Jodi at Che & Fidel.

I am still in shock! 

It is an amazing prize package of beautiful baby products, with many of my favourite businesses featured. Every day yet another little package arrives on my doorstep - it is seriously like Christmas! The Tortellini cushion by Studio Skinky and the organic cotton change mat cover from econino arrived today - I loved both of these products when I was pregnant but I just couldn't justify the cost at the time (I unexpectedly stopped working at 15 weeks so we were on a tight budget after that). The cushion will definitely come in handy for those first few months of constant breastfeeding with our next baby (goodbye stinky, stained U pillow!) and I've already slipped on the change mat cover in Everly's room... it's beautiful. I am so excited to see what the postie brings next week! (I'm secretly uber-excited to be receiving one of Jess's amazing Hello Milky softies - how cute are they?!). 

I am so, so, very grateful to be on the receiving end of this amazing display of generosity! A huge thank you to all of the businesses involved and to Jodi for making it all possible! And it couldn't have come at a more perfect time as I've just had two close friends become first-time Mummas (one of those to twins!) and another friend due to birth her second child any day now. I'm sure I can spread the love a little ;)

It is sure nice to feel the positive change in our house after the dense fog of the past month (the reason for my blogging absence). After Everly's birthday celebrations, she went straight into a two week bout of terrible teething (hello molars!), followed by two weeks of her very first nasty cold. Poor little E wanted to breastfeed constantly, which unfortunately (due to some health issues of mine) really takes it toll on my body and energy levels. 

Thankfully the runny nose has now stopped and we are back to spending our days outside in the sunshine, discovering new places in the backyard. 

Photo: Everly's new favourite spot to explore, between our rickety shed and the old water tank.

[For those who are waiting, the raw brownie recipe will be up in a couple of days, I promise!]