Dark Chocolate Super Brownies

Sometimes I don't want to put in the extra time to allow good brownies to cool because I am impatient when it comes to my treats and cookies can be consumed in half the amount of wait time. However, these were worth the extra half hour. I've tried many variations with home made brownies and I had yet to find the perfect one. Personally, I like them warm and soft on the inside and crispy on the top and edges. This is a gluten free recipe with a few super food additions (of course) and some substitutions for the usual suspects like coconut oil instead of butter and coconut sugar instead of brown sugar. I used almond meal and oat flour for the batter and studded the top with pecans. These will provide all the enjoyment of a homemade chocolate indulgence with very little guilt, if any. Making healthier substitutions in your cooking and baking can really enhance the nutritional profile of everything you create and allow you the freedom in the kitchen to experiment with new things while not giving up the ones that you love.

INGREDIENTS
5 ounces dark chocolate
1|2 cup coconut oil
1 cup coconut sugar
1|2 cup almond meal
1|4 cup oat flour
1|4 cup flax and or chia meal
1|2 teaspoon sea salt
1|4 teaspoon baking soda
2 eggs
1 tablespoon vanilla
1|2 cup chopped nuts
cacao nibs for the top

DIRECTIONS
Preheat your oven to 350. Line an 8x8 baking pan with parchment paper. Melt the dark chocolate and the coconut oil in a small saucepan on low, stirring constantly until it is melted through. In a medium bowl, mix the sugar, almond meal, oat flour, sea salt and soda together. Make a well in the middle and add the eggs, vanilla and the melted chocolate mixture. Mix until it's smooth and glossy. Stir in the nuts if you want them throughout the brownie, or reserve them for the top if you just want them in the crust. Pour the batter into your parchment lined pan and smooth it out with a spatula. Stud the top with the chopped nuts and the cacao nibs. Bake for 32-35 minutes. The top will begin to crack like a flourless cake when it's done and a toothpick will come out relatively clean. When you remove them from the oven, pull on the sides of the parchment to lift the loaf out in one piece and set it on a cooling rack. This will speed up the wait time. Allow at least 30 minutes before you cut them.

ENJOY!