The Chocolate Fix

By Pam Hadder

For those of us that LOVE chocolate, there is nothing quite like the aroma of pure cocoa goodness wafting through the house, married with fresh coffee brewing. 

Yes, every once in a while, this girl needs some chocolate-themed therapy! Of course, like all sensory moments, it's nicest when shared with a like-minded soul, but if you are flying solo, fear not - baking a decadent treat like this can blossom into a romantic, sensual moment without the commitment and emotional baggage - it's a sticky kiss that is guaranteed to make your heart sing, your lips smile and will leave your head reeling with dreamy thoughts ;)

Whenever you are craving some sweetness, this easy vegan  brownie recipe fills the order and I appreciate that it does not call for any hard-to-find ingredients.  I adapted this recipe from one found on the Vegan Recipes app for iPhone (yes, a fav resource!).

This brownie recipe was a big hit with visiting friends and family - which was a blessing  because the recipe makes a large cake pan (9 x 13) of  brownies!  So the next time I make them, I will likely make half the recipe and will also cut back on the fat by replacing half the oil with some apple sauce or prune purée (too much of a great thing, perhaps?).  Hope you will give this great recipe a whirl and let me know how it goes xox.

Pam's Easy Vegan Brownies

Ingredients:
2 cups all-purpose flour
1- 1/2 cups white sugar
3/4 cups cocoa powder
1 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. sea salt
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1 cup chopped walnuts (or pecans)
1 cup canola oil (use half and add 1/3 cup apple sauce or prune purée)
1 cup soy milk (plain, vanilla or chocolate)
1 Tbsp. vanilla extract
1 Tbsp. vegan margarine
2-3 bars Lindt chocolate (dairy free - silver wrapper)

Method:
Preheat oven to 325 degrees Fahrenheit.  Butter a 9 x 13 glass baking dish with 1 Tbsp. vegan margarine, and set aside.  (NOTE: if you are using a metal pan, you can increase the oven temp to 350.)

Combine the flour, sugar, cocoa, salt, cinnamon, nuts and baking powder in a medium-size bowl and set aside.  Mix the oil, soy milk and vanilla extract and stir into the dry ingredients to form a smooth batter. Bake for 35 - 45 minutes - brownies are done when an inserted toothpick comes out clean. Take care not to over-bake, as they should be moist inside - just not raw!

While the brownies are baking, unwrap the Lindt bars and break them into pieces.  As soon as the hot pan comes out of the oven, distribute the chocolate bar pieces over the top.  Once the chocolate pieces are softened (3-5 minutes), spread the chocolate with an icing or butter knife to form the frosting.  To speed the setting of the icing, loosely cover the pan with foil and place in the fridge for 15 minutes.