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  • One of the very nicest things about life is the way we must regularly stop whatever it is we are doing and devote our attention to eating. Luciano Pavarotti and William Wright

    Happiness is life served up with a scoop of acceptance, a topping of tolerance and sprinkles of hope, although chocolate sprinkles also work. Robert Brault

    A nickel will get you on the subway, but garlic will get you a seat. Old New York Proverb

    This is every cook's opinion -no savory dish without an onion, but lest your kissing should be spoiledyour onions must be fully boiled.Jonathan Swift

    The breakfast slimes, angel food cake, doughnuts and coffee, white bread and gravy cannot build an enduring nation. Martin H. Fischer

    After dinner sit a while, and after supper walk a mile. English Saying

    Anyhow, the hole in the doughnut is at least digestible. H.L. Mencken

    Chemicals, n: Noxious substances from which modern foods are made. Author Unknown

    The more you eat, the less flavor; the less you eat, the more flavor. Chinese Proverb

    The spirit cannot endure the body when overfed, but, if underfed, the body cannot endure the spirit. St Frances de Sales

    Sugar is a type of bodily fuel, yes, but your body runs about as well on it as a car would. V.L. Allineare

    Eat little, sleep sound. Iranian Proverb

    Happiness is a bowl of cherries and a book of poetry under a shade tree. Astrid Alauda

    Plant a radish, get a radish, never any doubt. That's why I love vegetables, you know what they're about! Tom Jones and Harvey Schmidt

    Soup is liquid comfort. Author Unknown

    There is no sight on earth more appealing than the sight of a woman making dinner for someone she loves. Thomas Wolfe

    Chocolate is like medicine - but as with medicine, the key is the proper dose. Don't overdo it. Edward "Grandpa" Jones

    Stored away in some brain cell is the image of a long-departed aunt you haven't thought of in 30 years. Stored away in another cell is the image of a pink pony stitched on your first set of baby pajamas. All it takes to get that aunt mounted on the back of that pony is to eat a hunk of meatloaf immediately before going to bed. Robert Brault, www.robertbrault.com

    Nothing would be more tiresome than eating and drinking if God had not made them a pleasure as well as a necessity. Voltaire

    If organic farming is the natural way, shouldn't organic produce just be called "produce" and make the pesticide-laden stuff take the burden of an adjective? Ymber Delecto

    No man in the world has more courage than the man who can stop after eating one peanut. Channing Pollock

    After eating chocolate you feel godlike, as though you can conquer enemies, lead armies, entice lovers. Emily Luchetti

    Researchers have discovered that chocolate produced some of the same reactions in the brain as marijuana. The researchers also discovered other similarities between the two, but can't remember what they are. Author Unknown

    Vegetables are a must on a diet. I suggest carrot cake, zucchini bread, and pumpkin pie. Jim Davis

    Tell me what you eat, I'll tell you who you are. Anthelme Brillat-Savarin

    All I really need is love, but a little chocolate now and then doesn't hurt! Charles Schulz

    When baking, follow directions. When cooking, go by your own taste. Laiko Bahrs

    Hunger is the best sauce in the world. Cervantes

    We are living in a world today where lemonade is made from artificial flavors and furniture polish is made from real lemons. Alfred E. Newman

    In general, mankind, since the improvement in cookery, eats twice as much as nature requires. Benjamin Franklin

    Food is so primal, so essential a part of our lives, often the mere sharing of recipes with strangers turns them into good friends. Jasmine Heiler

    Dyspepsia is the remorse of a guilty stomach. A. Kerr

    Most of the food allergies die under garlic and onion. Martin H. Fischer

    As the days grow short, some faces grow long. But not mine. Every autumn, when the wind turns cold and darkness comes early, I am suddenly happy. It's time to start making soup again. Leslie Newman

    If we're not willing to settle for junk living, we certainly shouldn't settle for junk food. Sally Edwards

    The greatest delight the fields and woods minister is the suggestion of an occult relation between man and the vegetable. I am not alone and unacknowledged. They nod to me and I to them. Ralph Waldo Emerson

    It's bizarre that the produce manager is more important to my children's health than the pediatrician. Meryl Streep

    I prefer to regard a dessert as I would imagine the perfect woman: subtle, a little bittersweet, not blowsy and extrovert. Delicately made up, not highly rouged. Holding back, not exposing everything and, of course, with a flavor that lasts. Graham Kerr

    Shipping is a terrible thing to do to vegetables. They probably get jet-lagged, just like people. Elizabeth Berry

    I refuse to believe that trading recipes is silly. Tuna fish casserole is at least as real as corporate stock. Barbara Grizzuti Harrison

    As for butter versus margarine, I trust cows more than chemists. Joan Gussow

    He that eats till he is sick must fast till he is well. English Proverb

    It would be nice if the Food and Drug Administration stopped issuing warnings about toxic substances and just gave me the names of one or two things still safe to eat. Robert Fuoss

    Food is an important part of a balanced diet. Fran Lebowitz

    There is a lot more juice in grapefruit than meets the eye. Author Unknown

    My soul is dark with stormy riot, Directly traceable to diet.Samuel Hoffenstein

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July 1, 2010

Peppermint Brownies

I’ve always loved brownies, but I couldn’t eat them for a long time. They were too rich with unhealthy ingredients that set off my allergies and made me sick. Now I’ve found a healthier recipe that uses natural sweeteners and has perfect, peppermint taste.

I start out making a mix. This saves tons of time in the long run, because you only have to measure the dry ingredients once. The mix batch is big, so you’ll need 2 huge bowls like this or a big soup pot.

Peppermint Brownie Mix

Makes 11 batches, 8×8 pan size. Each batch makes 9-12 brownies.

  • 9 cups white whole wheat flour
  • 2 TB baking powder (non-aluminum)
  • 2 TB salt (sea salt’s the best)
  • 12 ½ cups sugar (I use evaporated cane juice crystals)
  • 12 ounces unsweetened cocoa powder
  • 2 ½ cups semi-sweet chocolate chips (these make all the difference!)
  • 5 tsp vanilla powder (or use 1 tsp extract when baking)

Directions

  1. Sift first 4 ingredients into large bowl. Mix well.
  2. Add vanilla & chocolate chips. Mix well.
  3. Measure 2 cups into quart freezer bags (for 8×8 pan recipe, or 4 cups for 9×13 pan size recipe). Makes 11 bags.
  4. Label each bag (8×8 size) with the following: Add 2 eggs, ¼ cup melted butter & 4 drops peppermint essential oil or flavoring (may need more than 2 drops). Add extract if you didn’t use vanilla powder. Mix with beaters. Batter will be SUPER thick. Just spread it like frosting in your greased glass or stone pan (never aluminum) and it will rise up.
  5. Bake at 350 ° for 30-35 minutes. Test with a knife. For slightly fudgy brownies, take pan out 5-10 min early.

I put a couple batches in a gallon size bag to have on hand for social events when I need more brownies. Label your bags!

So tonight we made a double batch. We dumped a big bag in a bowl and added double the wet ingredients with the oil.

Using peppermint essential oil gives the flavor so much zip! Beat ingredients with a blender.

The dough will be very thick. Spread it like frosting in a glass or stone pan. Pampered Chef stones are my favorite!

Be forwarned that while these are baking, your home will smell so good everyone’s mouth will be watering!

This brownie recipe is great because the sides don’t rise higher as in many other recipes.

Slice brownies before they are completely cool, as the crust will harden and make them harder to cut.

We are planning to take these to the closing social for Raquel’s summer art class.

When you use unrefined ingredients, the taste you get is so substantial and real. I love this taste so much more than cheap food varieties.

These brownies are always a big hit!

7 Comments

  1. Janet Erickson says:

    These look FANTASTIC! Must try. Thank You!

  2. Kelly says:

    These look so yummy! Thanks for posting!

  3. Em says:

    Hooray! I am so trying these stat. Thanks for sharing it!

  4. April Jones says:

    Jenni,
    These look great. Have you tried to add black beans to your brownies? You really can’t taste them.

    The last ‘healthy brownie’ I made was by no means a real brownie. I was sad. I too hate making the box brownies with all the unhealthy ingredients.

    I look forward to trying your recipe. I guess I’ll just close my eyes to the fact there is more sugar than flour. These proportions are correct, right?

    Also, I usually mix my batter ingredients in my blender then pour out. It’s quick and the kids can help and clean up is simple. However, sounds like this batter may be too thick. I’ll have fun experimenting with that. :)

    Thanks for the recipe!

    • Jenni says:

      I experimented with beans in baking a few years ago, but I ran into digestion issues so I gave up. It just didn’t agree with me.

      You may want to try trimming the amount of sugar in these. My quest with this recipe was to find something very close to the unhealthy versions we find everywhere, that would be liked by everyone-a real brownie.

      This batter is definitely too thick for the blender. Thanks for reading and good luck!

      • April says:

        You mentioned in your post to not use aluminum when baking…do you know if your rice cooker pot is aluminum?

        Do you think there is a difference between cooking at a high temp in Al vs a low cook like in a rice cooker.

        • Jenni says:

          I honestly don’t know how the cooking temperature affects absorption levels. I believe my rice cooker pot is aluminum, however it has a coating on it. I’ve changed out all my other cook and bake ware for stones or stainless steel, but the only other replacement I could think of for this would be a crock pot that has a warm setting. I have one, and I will try it. Thanks!

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  • About Jenni

    I am a do-it-yourself, happily married, mother of six rambunctious kids. I finished my master herbalist degree last summer and am now learning aromatherapy! I am passionate about empowering people, especially women, mothers and fathers, to be teachers, chefs, and doctors in their own homes.
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