mushroom brownies (no, not the magical kind)

Who doesn't love brownies?

And who doesn't need more excuses to eat brownies?

I had a hankering last night and decided to modify a recipe that I found online at one of my "go to" recipe sites, Minimalist Baker.

The recipe takes all of the amazing delicious aspect of brownies, ensures they are VEGAN (no dairy people!!), GLUTEN FREE, and packed full of MEDICINAL MUSHROOMS (they are good for you!!!).

Most of you who know me know that I LOVE mushrooms. Medicinal mushrooms are such a lovely gift from Mother Nature. They grow abundantly and freely in nature, and they are packed of immune boosting, superfood qualities. And, get this: mushrooms and chocolate actually work better together! Eating mushrooms with chocolate helps us absorb the nutrients in the mushrooms.

In this recipe I use a 5 Mushroom Chocolate Blend:

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As well as some Chaga that is foraged in our Hants County backyard!! :

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Aren't we lucky?? Our own Nova Scotia woods is a nursery for this amazing Chaga mushroom. And not only does it grow locally, but it's foraged, harvested, and packed by one of our local residents who is making this mushroom totally accessible and available to us! 
Chaga grows on tall trees (usually very inconspicuously) and in it's raw form, is very very hard. It needs some major grinding and pulverising to get it soft and fine enough to consume.

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So, without further ado:

Ingredients

• 2 Tbsp flaxseed meal + 5 Tbsp water
• 1/2 cup melted or coconut oil
• 1/4 cup coconut sugar (or organic cane sugar)
• 1/4 cup maple syrup
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 3/4 tsp baking powder
• 1/4 tsp sea salt
• 1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1/4 cup 5 Mushroom Chocolate Blend (I use Harmonic Arts) * if you don't have this just use 1/4 cup of extra cocoa powder
• 4 Chaga Pucks, broken up in to a powder (if you don't have these, just eliminate)
• 3/4 cup gluten free flour blend
• 1/4 cup almond meal or walnut meal (use your high powered blender and pulse the raw nuts in to a relatively fine meal if you can't find this at your grocery store)
• optional: 1/3 cup vegan chocolate chips (or regular chocolate chips if you're not vegan)

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F and line a 8X8 pan with parchment paper.
2. Prepare flax eggs in a small mixing bowl. Set aside.
3. In a large mixing bowl add melted coconut oil, coconut sugar, maple syrup and vanilla extract. Whisk thoroughly.
4. Add flax eggs and whisk once more until combined. Then add baking powder, sea salt, and cocoa powder, mushroom blend, Chaga pucks, and whisk.
5. Add gluten free flour blend and almond or walnut meal and fold with a spatula until just mixed. Then add desired add-ins (optional), such as vegan chocolate chips or nuts.
6. Add the batter to the prepared baking dish and spread into an even layer with a rubber spatula. Add a few additional toppings if desired, such as chocolate chips and nuts (optional).
7. Bake for 17-22 minutes, or until the edges appear dry and slightly fluffy.
8. Remove from oven and let cool in the pan for at least 10 minutes: the longer they cool, the less tender and squishy they will be. Then gently lift out of pan and use a sharp knife to cut into desired number of squares. (I usually can't wait more than 10 minutes so I spoon the soft brownies in to a bowl and eat them with a spoon.... still totally yummy).
   
   ** This recipe was adapted from minimalistbaker.com and the top photo credit goes to them as well.