CARROT AND SPINACH BROWNIES from Deceptively Delicious

Eat Your Veggies in a BROWNIE
You saw it on Oprah, or you've overheard people talking about it: spinach in brownies? Hmmm. You mean, I can eat vegetables in chocolate! Words like "fiber", "low-fat", and "low-calorie", usually don't come to mind when you think of a brownie.

These are surprisingly chewy and moist.
They may lack the deep chocolatiness of Ooey Gooey Butter Cake (find that recipe on this blog), but they are low calorie, feel like a treat after dinner, and are loaded with veggies and fiber.

It's nice to have a light alternative sometimes.

From Deceptively Delicious by Jessica Seinfeld, as seen on Oprah

Nonstick Cooking Spray
3 ounces Semisweet or Bittersweet Chocolate
1/2 Cup Carrot Purée
1/2 Cup Spinach Purée
1/2 cup Firmly Packed Light or Dark Brown Sugar
1/4 Cup Unsweetened Cocoa Powder
2 Tbsp. Trans-Fat-Free Soft Tub Margarine Spread
2 tsp. Pure Vanilla Extract
2 Large Egg Whites
3/4 Cup Oat Flour or Plain Flour
1/2 tsp Baking Powder
1/2 tsp salt

Yield: 12 Bars

Carrot Purée
Put a small amount of water in a pan and bring to a boil. Add carrots and cook until soft, about 10 minutes. Purée in blender and add a little water if needed to help it along. I used some of the water I cooked it in to retain more of the vitamins.

Spinach Purée
If using frozen spinach, run under warm water while still in package. Then place the spinach in blender and purée very well. If only partially puréed the brownies will taste stringy. If using fresh spinach, pull off the stems and follow the same procedure for puréed carrots. It will take a lot of fresh spinach to get 1/2 a cup.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

1. Coat an 8 x 8 baking pan with cooking spray or line with baking paper

2. Melt the chocolate in a double boiler or over a very low flame, or in microwave stirring every 20 - 30 seconds

3. In a large bowl, combine the melted chocolate, vegetable purées, sugar, cocoa powder, margarine and vanilla and whisk until smooth and creamy, 1 to 2 minutes. We used an electric mixer because it is so thick. Whisk in egg whites. Stir in the flour, baking powder, and salt with a wooden spoon. Once you add the Baking Powder and Flour, do not beat any more, just stir so you don't overmix it.

4. Pour the batter into the pan and bake 35 to 40 minutes. Cool completely in the pan before cutting into 12 bars.