Sourdough Brownies

Enjoy one of your favorite treats without all of the guilt! These brownies use a healthy sourdough culture–plus beets and dark chocolate, both of which boost the antioxidant profile of the brownies. What are antioxidants? They are substances present in fruits and vegetables that protect our bodies’ cells from damage, helping to prevent cancer and other diseases.

Ingredients

2 sticks of butter or vegan butter
1 ½ cups honey
4 eggs
3 cups cups whole wheat flour
2 cups cocoa powder
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. baking powder
1tsp. baking soda
2 cups cooked, pureed beets
1 ½ cups sourdough starter
½ cup of almond milk (or your milk of choice)
1 tsp. vanilla extract

Variations

Add 1 cup chopped dark chocolate to the batter and sprinkle chopped dark chocolate on top of the loaf
Add 1 cup chopped nuts (walnuts, pecans and almonds work great)
Add 1 cup shredded coconut

What to do:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease 2 loaf pans.

Using an electric mixer, cream the butter and honey until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes. At medium speed, add the eggs one at time until blended.

In a separate bowl, combine the flour, cocoa powder, salt, baking powder, and baking soda

In another bowl, combine the pureed beets, sourdough starter, almond milk, and vanilla extract.

Add the flour mixture and the wet mixture alternately to the egg batter. If you are using any of the variations, add them in now. You can also separate the batter into two bowls to make each loaf different. Divide the batter evenly among the loaf pans and bake for 1 hour or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.