Looking for a healthy way to satisfy your chocolate craving? These Clean Eating No Bake Brownies will do the trick!
Heads up! This recipe was first published in April 2013. I’m republishing in February 2018 with updated photos and a photo tutorial showing how to make these Clean Eating No Bake Brownies. Enjoy!
We hear the phrase “clean eating” a lot these days. It’s totally trendy and I’m not one to hop on the bandwagon when it comes to food trends. The truth is, I started on my journey of “eating clean” long before I knew that phrase existed.
I use this perhaps overused phrase today because I think it’s relevant for this recipe. Mostly because I’ve discovered something in the last year that I hadn’t noticed before when it comes to chocolate.
When I discovered Luke was soy protein intolerant, I found that one little ingredient was lurking in just about everything it seemed. Soy lecithin. I had no idea what it even was until I started seeing it pop up on every ingredient label I read. I’ll get to what it is in a minute.
Since I don’t eat a ton of processed food anyway, avoiding it isn’t terribly difficult. There’s one thing that it’s difficult to find without it, though. Chocolate. Even the healthiest of chocolate bars use soy lecithin.
At first I wanted to avoid soy lecithin simply because Luke was intolerant. After I read a little more about what it is, I realized it is an ingredient I should avoid even if there isn’t an intolerant baby to think about.
Soy lecithin is a byproduct of soybean oil. Harsh chemical solvents are used to extract it, and furthermore most soybean oil is is derived from genetically modified soybean plants. (source)
So this is why I call these brownie bites “clean eating.” I found a way to get my chocolate fix without the worry of shady ingredients.
These healthy brownie bites are made without any flour, oil, butter, or refined sugar. They have a rich taste and fudge-y texture that I adore.
I’ve learned a lot about the psychology involved in healthy eating, and I know that how a food looks plays a large role in if my husband is going to like something I’ve made. 
This is the only reason I sprinkled these with powdered sugar. Use a light hand or you’ll end up with snow-covered brownies, like this one. Or, just go for it. 
The tiny sprinkling makes them look just like “real” brownies, and having that authentic look means everything to my biased hubby. He quickly ate three of these Clean Eating No Bake Brownies without asking if they were a healthy treat, so I think it worked.
Definitely feel free to leave the powdered sugar off if you wish; they are perfectly delicious without it.
Update: Since I originally published this post, I started using Swerve Confectioners Sweetener, which is an all-natural (not an artificial sweetener) sugar replacement. It works great here to keep these without any added sugar!
Here’s a quick photo tutorial to show you how these are made!
How to Make Clean Eating No Bake Brownies
Gather your ingredients! You only need a few. 
- walnuts
- dates
- almond butter (or peanut butter)
- cocoa powder
Step 1: Pulse walnuts in a food processor to a fine crumb.
Remove the walnuts from the food processor and set aside.
Step 2: Process the dates in a food processor until you get a paste.
Step 3: Pulse the walnuts, date paste, cocoa powder, and almond butter until they are well combined.
They will have a slightly crumbly appearance, but will hold together when you press the dough with your fingers.
Step 4: Form the dough into a rectangle on parchment paper.
Step 5: Cut the dough into 12-14 brownies.
While I don’t see myself ever giving up a good piece of dark chocolate, even if it does have soy lecithin, these Clean Eating No Bake Brownies will definitely help me eat less of it. A bonus is that they are a good source of omega-3 fatty acids thanks to the walnuts.
Oh, and did I mention these Clean Eating No Bake Brownies are healthy enough to eat for breakfast? Ask me how I know…
PrintClean Eating No Bake Brownies
These Clean Eating No Bake Brownies are made with just four simple, wholesome ingredients and they will totally crush your chocolate cravings!
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 0 minutes
- Total Time: 15 minutes
- Yield: 12 brownies
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup walnuts
- 3/4 cup pitted dates, packed
- 1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder or raw cacao powder
- 2 tablespoons almond butter (peanut butter or other nut butter will work)
- powdered sugar or Swerve Confectioners, for sprinkling (optional)
Instructions
- Have a piece of parchment paper or wax paper ready. In a food processor, pulse the walnuts until they are broken down into a powder. Put them in a bowl and set aside. Put the dates in the food processor and process until they reach a paste consistency. Add the processed walnuts back to the food processor with the dates along with the cocoa powder and almond butter. Process until everything is well incorporated. The mixture will look a little crumbly, but when you press it between your fingers, it will stick together. Remove the blade from the food processor and use your hands to form the mixture into a ball.
- Put the “dough” on your parchment paper and form it into a rectangle about 8-9 inches by 2-3 inches (see photo above). Cut into 12-14 squares. (A pizza cutter works well)
- Sprinkle with powdered sugar if you are using it. These can be stored at room temperature or in the refrigerator. Enjoy!
Nutrition
- Calories: 83
- Sugar: 7.5 grams
- Fat: 4.8 grams
- Carbohydrates: 10.6 grams
- Protein: 1.8 grams
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How about some more healthy chocolate recipes? YES?!
Homemade Mounds Bar
Healthy 4-Ingredient Chocolate Peanut Butter Cups
Chocolate Covered Cherry Shake
Hot Fudge Pudding Cake
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source https://happyhealthymama.com/clean-eating-raw-brownie-bites.html
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