Celebrate Valentine’s Day with À La Heart Olive Oil Brownies
Posted on February 3, 2023 by The Experiment

Valentine’s Day is the perfect opportunity to celebrate the relationships you share with all of your loved ones—significant others, family members, friends, and even pets! The popularity of the #ValentinesDay hashtag on TikTok (even since early January) proves that everyone has been more than eager to get in on the fun through V-Day-inspired décor, nail art, outfits, and—best of all—recipes.

No matter how you choose to spend your Valentine’s Day, we have a recipe you’ll love to incorporate into your festivities. Introducing . . . À La Heart Olive Oil Brownies. This recipe, which can be baked into the shape of hearts, is both tasty and nutritious. Since February is also American Heart Month, you can feel good knowing that this dessert of choice is also a nourishing, wholesome recipe for your health.

It’s included in Cooking À La Heart, the fourth edition of the award-winning cookbook featuring 500 delicious, health-promoting recipes for every meal. If you love this recipe, make sure to check out Linda Hachfeld and Amy Myrdal Miller’s flexible, flavorful collection, publishing February 7th!

Á LA HEART OLIVE OIL BROWNIES

If you love a brownie with a moist, fudgy middle, this recipe is for you! For a more intense chocolate flavor, choose chocolate chips or chunks with a higher cacao per­centage, which will provide more bitterness and intense chocolate flavor. If you prefer a sweeter brownie, use semi­sweet chocolate chips or chunks.

Makes 16 brownies

INGREDIENTS

  • Cooking spray
  • ½ cup (170 g) honey
  • ½ cup (120 ml) extra virgin olive oil
  • ½ cup (100 g) sugar
  • 2 large eggs
  • ¾ cup (90 g) whole wheat pastry flour
  • ¼ cup (20 g) unsweetened cocoa powder
  • 1 teaspoon instant espresso powder (see Tip)
  • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
  • ½ teaspoon baking powder
  • ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
  • ½ cup (85 g) chocolate chips or chunks (62 to 72% cacao)
  • ½ cup (60 g) chopped walnuts

INSTRUCTIONS

  1. Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C). Line the bottom and two sides of a 9-inch (23 cm) square baking pan with parchment paper.
  2. Combine the honey, oil, sugar, and eggs in a large bowl. Use a whisk or handheld mixer to mix until creamy and lightly golden in color. Add the flour, cocoa powder, espresso powder, vanilla, baking pow­der, and salt. Stir to incorporate.
  3. Stir in the chocolate chips and walnuts. Pour the batter into the baking pan and spread evenly.
  4. Bake for 30 minutes; the top will look dull (not shiny) and will have many holes. Transfer to a wire rack and cool for 10 to 15 minutes in the pan before cutting into 16 bars. Serve immediately or store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 1 week or in the freezer for up to 2 months.

NUTRITION

Serving Size 1 brownie; Calories 203; Protein 3 g; Carbs 23 g; Dietary Fiber 2 g; Added Sugars 17 g; Total Fat 12 g; Sat Fat 3 g; Omega-3s 410 mg; Sodium 20 mg; Potassium 73 mg

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