The Very Best Grain-Free, Gluten-Free Paleo Brownies

If you know me, you should know that I am crazy about chocolate. In fact, I eat one of these brownies (or 2-3 of them) per day. They are HEATHER APPROVED. Not only that, but everyone we’ve shared them with asks for the recipe… which is why I’m putting it here. I can now just share a link instead of typing it out over and over.

Have allergies? No problem. They are also dairy-free. You are only out of luck if you are allergic to eggs or nuts.

We’ve been making these since I was diagnosed with cancer – because I needed to cut ALL corners possible to eliminate sugar. Grains are starchy and turn to sugar, so most of them are off-limits to me. I try to avoid even gluten free flours now. All this to say, that if a person who is fighting against a cancer relapse can eat these brownies, it’s pretty safe to say that they are good for you!

I have them with a little 6oz glass of unsweetened hemp or coconut milk, usually. They satisfy my sweet tooth, even though there is very little sugar in them. They make me feel normal, even if my diet is really weird to most people. I mean, I can say “I’m eating a brownie” for a change, instead of “I’m eating salted seaweed” and enjoy the fact that people’s faces don’t crinkle up into a raisin.

The main ingredient in these is ALMOND BUTTER. This is especially great for vegans who need more protein in their diets. I’m not really vegan, but I eat much less protein than I used to on a more alkaline diet. Just a few tips, though: I’ve tried them with peanut butter and didn’t like them near as much. I’ve also tried using sesame seed butter. Yuck. We’ve even substituted the maple syrup for honey and ended up throwing them out, they were so bad. Trust me, this recipe is really perfect – we’ve only been able to improve on it by adding more organic ingredients than the original called for, and more nuts, because we love nuts in our brownies. When we are really wanting a chocolate boost, we also add in sugar-free chocolate chips like Lily’s (that are sweetened with stevia).

I just got back from an eco-wellness conference I was taking photos at in Louisiana where I met the California Almond board. Well, at least their PR team. They had no idea that I was part of the reason they have a salary – since I eat almonds every. single. day. without fail.

I really do love almonds. I also love that they help me to enjoy brownies every day. Almonds love me back.

Did you know that almonds have 6 grams of protein, 4 grams of fiber, 9 grams of MONOunsaturated fats (best kind), 7.3 mg of vitamin E, 200 mg potassium, 75 mg calcium, 77 mg riboflavin, 77 mg magnesium, 1 mg niacin, 135 mg phosphorous, and 1 mg of iron? Almond butter is amazing stuff. Another reason why we need to love on our bees – there would be no almonds without bees.

Thank you to Paleo Grubs for the perfect ‘Best Paleo Brownie Recipe‘. I don’t know how I would be alive without you these days. Seriously, I love you, man.

Don’t just sit there staring at them, make some for yourself!