Few things in life are more irresistible than a good brownie, am I right? I tested out these brownies while suffering a wicked sweet tooth and with few sweet ingredients on hand I had limited recipe options. I’ve now tried them as the regular recipe and with the paleo variation, and I think I like the regular version better, but my sister (who I consider a prime test subject) preferred the paleo version. You really can’t go wrong either way

The cayenne pepper is an awesome addition! You can add as much or as little as you want, depending on your tolerance for heat. It’s a great metabolism boost and can help with appetite control and weight loss – two things I’m not overly concerned about, but who doesn’t enjoy a good boost to the ol’ metab?

You might also be wondering why the peanut butter in this recipe has to be replaced with almond butter to make it paleo friendly. Aren’t nuts allowed in the paleo diet, you ask? Yes, they are….however, peanuts are actually legumes (the bean family). Many paleo dieters still allow peanuts in their diet, but this is something new I learned so I thought I would share it with you too!

Ingredients

1/2 cup dairy free chocolate chips (try Enjoy Life brand, they’re delish!)
1 cup chunky peanut butter (Replace with almond butter for paleo version)
1/2 cup organic honey
1/3 cup whole wheat pastry flour (Replace with 1/2 tsp baking soda for paleo version)
1 organic egg
Sprinkle of sea salt
Sprinkle of cayenne pepper
Coconut oil to grease your baking dish (coconut oil is a MUST, it keeps the brownies moist)

Baking Instructions:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
• Grease 8×6 baking dish or tin with coconut oil.
• Melt peanut butter slightly in the microwave.
• Mix all ingredients in a bowl until well blended.
• Pour mixture into baking dish and pop it in the oven for 25 minutes (check on brownies starting around 18 minutes – stick a toothpick in the middle and see if it comes out clean).
• Remove from oven, cool 5 minutes before slicing, but serve warm (you’ll thank me)!

Baking Variation: Don’t melt the peanut butter during preparation….this way the chocolate chips don’t melt into the batter. After cooking, these taste more like peanut butter bars with whole chocolate chips in them. Equally delish!