Once upon a time, there was a girl. This girl was maybe not the most deft hand in the kitchen. She messed up box mixes and was a bit skeeved by raw meat. Still, something inside the girl kept telling her that cooking was something that she
could do, that she would be good at, if only she kept trying.
Then the girl's mother started doing a "
Biggest Loser" challenge at work. The girl wanted to help her mother in some way. Then she remembered something one of her home ec teachers had mentioned many years ago: zucchini brownies.
Most of the girl's classmates had been disgusted by the idea, but the girl had been intrigued, especially when the teacher had mentioned that you didn't
taste the zucchini, and it just cooked down to make the brownies moist and cakey. Years later, the girl remembered that off-hand remark made by her teacher, and did some research. Over time, the girl perfected the recipe, and it was constantly requested by dieting family members, as the recipe was fat-free, and could easily be made low (or even no) sugar. Despite being diet friendly, the brownies were just as moist and cakey as that long ago teacher had promised, and gooey if undercooked just slightly.
These brownies were the first recipe that the girl ever felt comfortable calling her own, and she was very proud of them. Not only did they taste good, but they were vegan and diet friendly as well. Years later, the girl became a food blogger and had plenty of other recipes under her belt. But these brownies would forever retain a special place in her heart, for they were her first proof that yes, she did have skill in the kitchen. If it weren't for these brownies, the girl would have never started a baking blog, and we wouldn't be here today.
Zucchini Brownies {Printable Version}
Yield: 12 brownies
Ingredients
2 cups flour
1 cup cocoa powder
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. salt
2 cups peeled, grated zucchini (about 2 small or 1 very large)
1 cup unsweetened applesauce
1½ cup granulated sugar (or ¾ cup sugar and ¾ granulated sugar substitute)
½ cup mini semisweet chocolate chips
1 tbsp. vanilla extract
Directions
Preheat the oven to 350°F. In a large bowl, sift together flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt. Add
all remaining ingredients and mix with a wooden spoon or rubber spatula until all ingredients are fully
incorporated (batter may be very thick). Pour into an 8x8 inch or 9x9 inch baking dish and bake 30-35
minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out mostly clean. Let cool on a wire rack before
cutting.
Tip: If you don’t plan on eating these brownies within a day or so, refrigerate the leftovers. Because of the zucchini, they go bad quickly at room temperature.
Recipe by Kim
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