Before I begin, this level of detail is not for everyone. If you are one of those lucky people who can eat in moderation, maintain a healthy weight & don’t have uncontrollable sugar cravings – this is not for you. Please go ahead and enjoy a regular brownie from time to time!
However, for those of us who enjoy (or need) the nitty gritty advice to optimise our health and reach our goals, this is for you!
This post is also here to help you appreciate that meals are not just about their calorie content… yes calories matter but the composition of those calories also matter.
One choice will leave you feeling hungry in an hour and craving more sugar while the other choice will leave you feeling fuller for longer and minimise cravings.
As you can see, the regular brownies contain a high amount of sugar and fat. This combination (high sugar / fat and low protein) acts like a trigger in your brain, spiking the reward centre and making you feel amazing while eating it – just not so great afterwards.
In an attempt to combat the sugar, your brain triggers a large insulin spike, making you feel sick shortly afterwards. Once the spike drops you are left with a subsequent low in energy which in turn signals the “give me more” craving response.
Alternatively our “lower carb, higher protein brownie” still tastes amazing but because it’s very low in sugar and higher in protein, this choice is much more balanced nutritionally and will therefore only trigger a minimal blood sugar / insulin spike.
The higher protein content also helps to slow digestion making you feel less hungry in the short term.
Blissful Better For You Brownies
Ingredients
100gm Oatmeal Flour (blend rolled oats to make fine flour or use wholemeal white flour)
30gm Arrowroot
20gm Flaxseed Meal
100gm Stevia
100gm Chocolate Protein Powder (I use Macro Mike or Pana On)
30gm Cacao Powder
1tsp Salt
1 Tspn Baking Soda
600ml Unsweetened Almond Milk
60g Mashed Ripe Banana
2 tsp Vanilla Extract
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Method
Preheat oven to 180 degrees and line a large baking tray with parchment paper.
In a small mixing bowl, combine all wet ingredients and set aside.
In a large mixing bowl, combine all the dry ingredients until well combined.
Add the wet ingredients to the dry mixture and blend until you achieve a batter consistency.
Pour batter into the pan an bake for 35-40 minutes or until firm in the middle.
Let the brownies cool completely before cutting.
Cut into 12 equal portions.
Serve and Enjoy!
For a little extra yum, serve it with a little almond yoghurt mixed with @macro Mike cookie dough protein and some fresh berries.
