Nutella Brownies..LOW FAT, LOW CALORIE

There are lots of nutella brownie recipes out there...but I bet you'll have a hard time finding one w/ such wholesome ingredients!

NOTE:  these are for a little over 1 inch thick brownies.  If you want them thicker, double.  (but my recipe guarantees less calories while still getting that "chocolate fix"!)

INGREDIENTS:

• 1/2 cup white whole wheat flour
• 1/4 cups Cocoa Powder
• 1/4 cup ground flax (DID YOU KNOW? Flax is a powerhouse of disease-fighting compounds that researchers have found to prevent heart disease, protect against inflammatory disorders and certain cancers, and lower your cholesterol.)
• 1/2 teaspoons Baking Powder
• 1/8 teaspoons Cinnamon (optional.  leave out if you don't care for flavor of cinnamon w/ choc)
• 1/8 teaspoons Salt
• 2 tbsp. Unsalted Butter
• 2 tbsp of unsweetened applesauce
• 1/2 cup plain Greek yogurt or Fage (I used Fage and i think it gives a better consistency)
• 1/2 cup agave nectar
• 1/2 tsp of stevia powder (we just cut out about 480 calories with a NATURAL sweetner, not chemicals)
• 1 teaspoons Vanilla
• 2  Egg whites (did you know there are about 55 calories in 1 egg yolk? By using whites, we just cute out over 100 calories!)
• 1/4 cup Nutella
• 1/4 cup of almond butter, peanut butter or more nutella
• 2 small handfuls Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips or Carob Chips

DIRECTIONS:

Preheat oven to 350ºF.
In a meduim bowl (or kitchen aid mixing bowl), sift together the dry ingredients.

On low heat, melt the butter and applesauce in a medium size pot. Add vanilla and agave, stir to combine. Remove from heat and let cool. Pour into dry ingredients and mix until combined.  Add one egg white at a time and make sure that it is completely mixed before adding the next one.
Add the Fage and mix again until well incorporated. Microwave the Nutella/peanut butter for about 30 secconds or until it is a runny texture. Add the Nutella mixture and chocolate chips.  Stir.

Pour the batter into a greased 8x8 pan. Bake the brownies for about 30 minutes. (longer if you doubled it) **DO NOT INSERT KNIFE, JUST GENTLY SHAKE THE PAN AND IF IT DOESN'T "JIGGLE", IT'S READY!

Let cool, then eat!

WHY AGAVE NECTAR AND NOT SUGAR?

Agave is a low GI food (approximately 30) and contains inulin, a prebiotic fiber. Hence, due to its low GI and fiber content, agave does not spike your blood sugar level, which balances your energy levels. In addition, it satiates you when consumed (i.e., makes you feel satisfied) and, therefore, you eat less. Agave is also 1.4 times sweeter than both honey and sugar so you use less and save calories without sacrificing the sweetness in your foods. Furthermore, Agave has a number of health benefits that cannot be matched by any other sweetener. Agave contains calcium and inulin, which studies have shown is good for the bacteria in your lower intestine, which promotes a healthy gut. As little as 5 to 10 grams of inulin a day boosts the immune system, promotes regularity, improves calcium absorption and increases bone density. Agave contains 7.5 grams of insulin in three tablespoons.