These Collagen Avocado Cacao Brownies are:

Dense
Fudgy
Rich
Gooey in the middle
Melt in your mouth
....and just so good for you! 

I don't have much of a sweet tooth and am one of those people that always skips desserts when offered. I also normally prefer things that fall along the spectrum of flavors like cinnamon in taste (vanilla, nutmeg, pumpkin, almond etc) versus chocolate BUT when the craving hits; I prefer it to be a rich dark chocolate flavor. That is exactly what these mint avocado cacao brownies are and slightly refreshing too from the mint! 

These brownies are more on the fudgy and gooey side versus cake like, which I like but that is primarily because I used almond flour (which would make more of a dense brownie) but if you sub whole wheat flour you might end up with a cake like brownie (haven't tested!). Think of these brownies as the center ones in the pan! 

I also used two special ingredients for these brownies to give you some added nutritional benefits for you; one avocado and two; Vital Proteins Marine Collagen. The avocado takes the place of oils or butters and provides healthy fats, fibers, and antioxidants! Second, because I can't go a day without adding collagen into my diet, I thought that I would sneak some into these brownies. The two positive things; is that you can't taste either; the collagen nor the avocado! 

I love using Vital Proteins Marine Collagen and even their beauty waters as part of my everyday routine, which you can read about that here: "A Day in the Life, Typical Routine." It has tremendously helped with improving my leaky gut symptoms, reduced stomach bloating, improved my digestion, which allows me to have more of a variety of foods to eat in my diet, improve the look of my skin, and makes my hair grow like crazy! I try to add either the beauty waters or the marine collagen into my lemon waters every single morning or the marine collagen into my coffees! I also love adding it into my homemade energy bites or breakfast smoothies. It is so versatile, that you can really add it just about anywhere, such as this butternut squash 'mac and cheese' pasta, quinoa lentil bites, or even these cauliflower bites!

The recipe is pretty simple too. All you need to do is mix together the wet ingredients, combine the dry ingredients, then add them together! After they have finished baking within 15 or so minutes they are completely done! It only takes less than 30 minutes from start to finish and you can really add in just about anything you want- I stuck with chocolate chips, but you can add in chopped nuts, seeds, chopped dates, or whatever you like! I think you will love these mint avocado brownies and don't let the avocado part fool you! It just allows the brownies to taste so rich, 'buttery,' and melt in your mouth! 

Dessert
Prep time: 10 minutes
Bake time: 15-20 minutes
total time: less than 30 minutes

What you need: 

1/2 avocado (medium to large, ripe; not brown)
1 cup almond milk (I used unsweetened, can sub coconut milk or soy) 
1/4 cup coconut sugar
2 tsp. peppermint extract **
1.5 cups almond flour**
1/2 cup cacao powder
2 scoops Vital Proteins Marine Collagen
1 tsp. baking soda
Pinch of sea salt
1/2 cup of your favorite dairy free chocolate chips

What you need to do: 

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and line an 8x8 pan with parchment paper; set aside. 

2. In your blender or food processor; mix together the avocado, peppermint extract, coconut sugar, and the almond milk. Blend/Mix until completely smooth. 

3. In a large mixing bowl, add: almond flour, cacao powder, Vital Proteins Marine Collagen, sea salt, baking soda, and the chocolate chips. Mix by hand until incorporated. 

4. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients. Mix until combined by hand. 

5. Pour the batter into the prepared baking dish and bake at 350 degrees for about 15-20 minutes. I checked after 15, then left the brownies in for about 3 minutes. 

Allow the brownies to completely cool before cutting. Store in an air tight container in your fridge for up to a week or longer in the freezer. 

NOTES:

1. By keeping the brownies in the freezer they will not become hard, they will become more fudge like in texture! 

2. Adding in the Vital Proteins Marine Collagen is completely optional, but it adds many nutritional benefits and value to the brownies! You can also use their beef collagen as well. 

3. Before you place the brownies in the oven, since they do not contain eggs, you can taste test the batter to see if you need to add more peppermint extract. It does go along way, but adjust to your preference. 

4. I haven't tried using any other flour, but if you are using almond flour, know that the brownie will be more dense than if you were using whole wheat (more cake like in texture) and probably even coconut flour- which would need more liquid. 

5. Optional add ins: nuts, cacao nibs, seeds, etc! 

6. I took my brownies out of the oven after about 17 minutes & they were pretty gooey, which I prefer. Allow them to completely cool before cutting and storing away.