okay so i came up with this brownie recipe and ingredient combination by the request of my mini me (@jozlow) to make a bar with espresso in it!!
to be honest, you might not know there was straight coffee or espresso grounds in this, but it enhances the brownie flavor so much that you just can’t leave it out! [realistically, you can leave it out if you want, lol, but it really does make the flavor that much better].
even the walnuts come THRU in this brownie batter and batch… they make it SO indulgent and so good.
in this recipe, i use the SIMPLE MILLS chocolate muffin & cake mix, which i picked up at whole foods [they also have it at mariano’s]. it’s a paleo baking mix that you can use to make muffins or cake or cupcakes, or now with my recipe: BROWNIES!!! to be honest, one of the things i legit love about this is that a serving size is 2 brownies, & the nutrition facts are outrageously flattering. for 2 brownies… it’s… just over 100 calories… how is that possible?! the mix is made with clean ingredients, keeping it free of gluten, dairy, grains, soy, refined sugar. which means it really fits my blog and everything i make on here!! so i can have a brownie with lunch [or breakfast if you are feeling bold] without feeling weighed down by the density of those normally heavier baking ingredients!
okay! here’s how i make the brownies:
i started by melting the coconut oil, and letting it cool to room temperature, because i mix it with eggs, and the last thing i want is for it to be too hot that it starts to cook the eggs. NO. so let the coconut oil cool on the side before you start mixing!
to the cooled melted coconut oil, add eggs and vanilla, and mix until they are combined. next, you’ll add the coffee grounds or espresso grounds. a lot of recipes prefer using espresso or instant coffee powder, and that’s because normal coffee grounds could really change the texture of the brownie if they aren’t used appropriately, or are used in excess. my recipe & the way i tested it was completely successful and DELISH using plain old coffee grounds, (just 1.5 tbsp!). so combine the coffee grounds to the wet ingredients, and combine. next, add your coconut sugar. once combined, finish the mixture by adding the SIMPLE MILLS chocolate muffin & cake mix! lastly, you can add the walnuts to the batter here, or just sprinkle them all over the top once your batter is poured.
when everything has been mixed, pour the batter into a parchment-lined or greased 9×13 baking dish or pan. and bake on 350F for ~30-35 minutes.
INGREDIENTS »
› 1 box SIMPLE MILLS chocolate muffin & cake mix
› 7 tbsp coconut oil, melted + cooled
› 3 eggs
› 1 tbsp vanilla extract
› 1.5 tbsp espresso or coffee grounds
› 3/4 cup coconut sugar
› 1/2 cup walnut pieces
HOW TO MAKE »
- set oven to 350F.
- melt the coconut oil, & let it cool to room temperature.
- to cooled melted coconut oil, add eggs & vanilla. mix until combined.
- add coffee grounds or espresso grounds. stir to combine with wet ingredients.
- add coconut sugar. stir to incorporate.
- add the SIMPLE MILLS chocolate muffin & cake mix to wet ingredient mixture.
- add the walnuts to the batter [or sprinkle them all over the top once your batter is poured in baking pan]
- pour brownie batter into a parchment-lined or greased 9×13 baking dish or pan.
- bake on 350F for ~30-35 minutes.
BANANA BREAD. can it get any more classic? i’ve been wanting to create my own banana bread recipe for a while, & i finally did it! it’s free of all the following: gluten, grains, dairy, soy, nuts, refined sugar. when it came out of the oven, i just had to sample it before i even took these photos, & trust me when i say this — my BANANA BREAD has been LANDED. it’s fluffy, dense, moist, full of banana flavor, & completely heavenly. let’s get to it!
reese’s peanut butter cups used to be my absolute favorite candy. the PB middle was always the best part, & i’d eat all the chocolate off the outside first to save the best for last. this new nut butter cup recipe is my new reese’s!! with 2 mixtures to layer into the nut butter cup, the chocolate mixture + the nut butter mixture, you get the reese’s vibe immediately!! the sunbutter [of sunflower seeds] is the closest in texture & flavor to peanut butter, in my opinion, and it is a little salty, so it was my choice of substituting for these nut butter cups… time to build it up, butter cup
it almost feels like i don’t need to post how i make guac, because i feel like guac is kind of a thing that most people [probably?] know how to make! BUT… for those who don’t, HERE YA GO!!! my guac is fresh n tasty, like most guacs [lol]. simple & light, too!! and no additives, just natural ingredients! 
ohhhhh my goodness. the lemon blueberry combination. i almost have NO words for the heaven that it is… but i’ll try and give you an idea of how legit incredible this bread is. i first thought of this idea becuase i wanted to make something that has a more vibrant flavor than the typical breads — banana, zucchini, pumpkin. those are all delish in a warm + comforting way, and i wanted this new bread to be brighter & lighter. i seriously chose this flavor combination as my effort to WILL spring into action. enter: LEMON. 
since i’ve found this new yogurt that i am obsessed with [it’s dairy free – cashew milk based – no added sugars, & packed with probiotics. what more could you ask for when you just really miss parfaits but still want to eat real food with clean ingredients] … GRANOLA!!! except that one major thing with granola is that usually the base is oats which are a grain; which is not something involved in eating paleo. UNTIL now. my new coconut maple almond granola is GRAIN FREE + you might not even guess it! it’s crunchy, nutty, clustery, & slightly sweet. you see it, you like it, you want it? YOU GOT IT.
OKAY. it’s here!! this will be the first bread recipe that i’ve tested & successfully created for my blog! i’ve been wanting to make something like a banana bread, but without the bananas; which would make it just bread. but i didn’t want to make just bread! [shouts to @aeengels12 for the inspiration for a sweet potato based bread – this one’s for yaaa.] i wanted the flavor to be neutral in terms of not having fruit or cinnamon or any nut butter, & the reason for that was because i wanted to be able to put whatever toppings on it without clashing or overpowering any flavs!
rachel tiedmann 