Chocolate Chunk Brownies

Iresistible chocolate goodness in every bite.

These incredibly adult brownies were a surprising hit at the opening two weeks. Slightly altered from Nora Cooks recipe, my rich, fudgy dessert for sophisticated chocoholics omits vanilla (for a pure chocolate brownie flavor) and butter (coconut oil or use Miyoko's Kitchen butter instead) and uses Food Empowerment Project approved chocolate/cocoa powder. Divine Cocoa is a favorite alongside Theo Chocolate brand. I also included chopped walnuts for extra texture-- amazing interlude with the decadent chocolate chunks.

Chocolate Chunk Brownies Ingredients and Preparation

4 tablespoon flaxmeal
1/2 cup + 2 tablespoon water
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar, packed
1 cup flour
1 cup cocoa powder
2/3 cup coconut oil, melted
1 teaspoon salt
1 half Theo Chocolate Baking Bar, chopped
1/2 cup chopped walnuts

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Whisk flaxmeal and water together. Set aside for five minutes.
Mix sugars, coconut oil, and vanilla.
Separately, sift flour, cocoa powder, and salt.
Combine wet and dry ingredients. Add flax egg, chopped chocolate, and walnuts.
Pour into a parchment paper lined baking pan. Bake for 25-30 minutes.
Cool before cutting.

Brownies And Other Chocolaty Things

Scrumptious stacked brownies with pecans baked inside and out.

On World Chocolate Day, last Saturday, I made a scrumptious batch of irresistible brownies despite having no vanilla. Admittedly, I was petrified that they would be terrible. After all, vanilla is used in almost every dessert recipe. To be out of vanilla is a baker's nightmare. Yet, the brownies came out well. Like super dense and yum yum. Without vanilla, you get a strong, pure chocolate tasting treat.

Today, on a special old Ohioan friend's birthday, instead of making a fresh new cake or cupcakes even, I ate the final remainder of these brownies straight from the baking pan. They taste wonderful slightly chilled, a lovely companion to cold almond milk.

In progress chocolate artworks, both large scale at 22" x 30," pencil and colored pencil. The left is "Fruit of the Cacao Pod Laborer," a drawing based on an image from the Grenada Chocolate Festival. The right is "Two Hot Chocolates: One For Here, One To Go," a drawing based on a fellow black male vegan that I met in Paris just after eating fair trade chocolate at their shop-- 1944 Gallery Vegan Coffee Shop. 

In addition to my brownie and art making, I have a sweet announcement: I'm writing a book. A book about what you ask? Chocolate. Yes, chocolate. My short synopsis: looking critically at the world of chocolate in a time during the Black Lives Matter movement, to shift eyes towards understanding food justice and compassion. Excitingly enough, I even have permission to include Food Empowerment Project's Chocolate List as the final segment. I couldn't be happier. Thus, I have spent time watching documentaries The Dark Side of Chocolate and its sequel Shady Chocolate whilst also analyzing how films such as Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory and Chocolat evoke a glaring absence about the truths of chocolate production, of the involvement of laboring brown and black bodies.

Eat Your Greens "Green Giant" style, but chocolate every now and then is a definite requirement.

Meanwhile, back to exceptional brownies that are moist, decadent, and mouthwateringly amazing, the secret is always a bit of vinegar and coconut oil. After chilling them in the fridge, you get this thin brownie skin on top that looks beautiful as it is delicious. Plus, I fell in love with how my hands handled the precious butter knife cut squares with the little bits of chocolate coating fingers. Oh and the smell-- one can never forget that wafting smell of baked brownies or the first warm piece of heaven with the bite of crunchy pecans.  

Brownies Ingredients and Preparation

Divine Cocoa, a Food Empowerment Project recommendation, made the brownies fudgy and rich.

1 cup flour
1 cup sugar
1/3 cup cocoa (used Divine Cocoa)
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon coconut oil
1 1 /2 cup almond milk
1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
1/2 cup crushed pecans (walnuts or almonds are good substitutes)


Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Sift flour, sugar, cocoa, baking soda, and salt together.
Mix in coconut oil and almond milk.
Add apple cider vinegar and pecans.

Pour batter into pan. Top with extra pecans. Bake for 20-25 minutes.

Finished brownies. I may have forked them a bit too much-- for testing purposes.

Brownies and Living Single reruns are the perfect treat. 

More brownies for the morning, the afternoon, the night....

A Recipe for Surprise Parties & Killer Peanut Butter Walnut Brownies

Good foods like Slice Pizza (they make vegan pie), unforgettable fresh homemade salsa, Whole Foods mild guacamole, tortilla chips, and this strawberry topped peanut butter chocolate brownie (by me) were great party fare. In the background is a pretty scrumptious looking vegan gluten-free Sweet Freedom Bakery cupcake gift. Yum!

This is more than a step by step process of preparing something in the kitchen.
This is a walk outside, a train journey, eleven floors up the elevator.
On a casual, seemingly innocent Tuesday evening, we the Visitor Services Staff of PAFA threw a little appreciation party for Matt-- our kind, sweet, cool as a cucumber supervisor. He works super hard and often can't spend time with us outside of museum life due to hectic schedules and whatnot.
It was high time to bring the party to him, to celebrate him, let him know we just appreciate.....
The idea escaped the mouth of one appreciative devotee and spread like a delightful communal virus. I say delightful because no sneezing, coughing, hiccuping or anything hazardous transpired between us. Nope. Just conspired a plot to celebrate a super amazing person.
Everyone was stoked-- wide-eyed and joyous over throwing a surprise shindig.

Just a few treasured words to describe Matt-- calm, peaceful, fabulous, stylish, eclectic, and creative are some other words I should have added. He's a terrific artist and phenomenal writer. I've spent many a time at PAFA's Arcadia Library reading his thesis.....

We had major trickery help from museum education department-- one of his besties and PAFA class of 2014 gal pal. She lured him up to the eleventh floor. We bombarded him with loud cheers and rambunctious clapping. It was such a sight, a wonder, to see him so happy and astonished at the same time. Of course, we had the same rowdy glee when the pizza arrived.

Most of the gang in present with Matt holding the Scrabble board of adjectives.

A huge thanks to another of my co-workers (fellow vegan alert) for co-conceiving this killer peanut butter brownie recipe. I knew that brownies would be involved, especially aince Matt liked the previous batch. There is no cocoa butter (used remainder for homemade lotion) and coconut oil was a big giant no-no.
I used Whole Foods Organic Peanut Butter-- the only ingredient is peanuts. Stored at room temperature, the peanut butter had a nice oily consistency mirroring melted oils or butters. It's not the same as subbing with applesauce, pumpkin, or a ripened avocado, but since the peanut butter flavor was desired that mattered not.
Overall, the surprise party was amazing. The pizza, these brownies, that salsa, my co-worker/friends....
We definitely celebrated in style.

Killer Peanut Butter Walnut Brownies Ingredients and Preparation

1 cup all purpose flour
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup almond milk (or any dairy free alternative)
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
1/2 cup walnuts, crushed
1/2 cup unsweetened peanut butter
1 package Driscoll's Strawberries, sliced (optional, but it gives the brownies lovelier presentation by covering fork marks of impatience)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and grease a 8' x 8" baking pan.
Mix dry ingredients together.
Add in dairy free alternative milk and vanilla to dry ingredients. Stir evenly.
Pour in that bit of apple cider vinegar. Combine.
Lastly, swirl up the peanut butter and walnuts in the brownie batter.
Lay and smooth batter over in the baking pan. 
Let bake for 25-33 minutes.
Cool for an hour before placing strawberries or any other fresh fruit.

Dessert at the party.....

Here's what remained when I brought the pan back home.

One piece with an ice cold cherry smoothie served in a mug. Superb dessert-- a satisfying end to a wonderful surprise party day.

Almond Topped Brownies

Soft, moist brownies topped with a light almond crunch.

One of my favorite past times is baking sweet treats for others, especially those I love and respect.
Brownies are yummy, scrumptious, and addicting-- chocoholics beware.
I had to create a special batch of brownies. This incredible vegan brownie recipe comes from Gimme Some Oven with slight alteration. First of all, fair trade organic cocoa butter on eBay-- primarily a beauty ingredient-- is incorporated in place of olive oil. Cocoa butter brings most alluring scent and creamier texture to chocolate desserts-- almost authenticating decadent experience.
Raw crushed almonds on top counteract sweet chocolate bite. That satisfying nutty crunch providing balance and texture to dessert.
My next step is concocting a cocoa butter frosting for next brownie batch. That'll perhaps be even more splendid.

Almond Topped Brownies Ingredients and Preparation

1/4 cup pumpkin puree (apple sauce or avocado would sub fine)
1/4 cup cocoa butter, melted (olive oil or coconut oil)
1 cup all purpose flour
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup water
1 cup raw almonds

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and grease an 8" x 8" inch baking dish. 
Mix pumpkin puree and melted cocoa butter together. Warning: it will smell divine.
Sift flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt together.
Combine pumpkin puree and melted cocoa butter with dry mixture. Add water.
Pour into prepared baking dish.
Crush almonds into a blender or food processor. Put over top of brownie batter.
Bake for 25-30 minutes.

Hot and fresh from the oven, ready to be carved. Let sit 20 minutes.

Dense, irresistible, pretty brownies. 

To give out chocolate is hard, but remember sharing is caring.

Vegan Pumpkin Cheesecake Swirl Brownies

Fall in love with the yummiest brownies of the season!

There's nothing like really getting into the spirit. Weather is getting colder. Still have yet to find a solid vegan coat.  My laptop is almost garbage.  Libra's magical spell on the world has temporarily ended, but I still retain the special essence spinning within. I do have a Spirituality painting crit tomorrow and an afternoon hair appointment. Really excited about the latter. I'm videotaping the entire event and making it into a documentary series of some sort.
So yes, school is going phenomenally well. Just finished our first round of group crits last week. The faculty are pushing, pushing, pushing. I definitely enjoyed their words and tried not to be hurt by the criticism.  Much needed.
I did, however, feel like we (the students) could use an autumn inspired treat to knock down the stress. So before our afternoon individual critic talks, I baked pumpkin cheesecake brownies and cut up slices for those wanting- even fellow staff members! I gave slices to my fellow classmates and strangers on the elevator. Some people thought they were peanut butter brownies. Some thought the presentation itself was a beautiful work of art. Others thought they were a "special" kind of brownie. You know how art students are...
Fun times.

Vegan Pumpkin Cheesecake Swirl Brownies Ingredients and Preparation

Brownies

1 3/4 cup flour
1/2 cup cocoa
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 cup sugar
1 banana, ripened
2 cup almond milk
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar

Pumpkin Cheesecake Swirl

8 oz. vegan cream cheese (used Trader Joe's brand), room temperature
3/4 cup pumpkin puree
1/3 cup sugar
2 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
1 teaspoon vanilla

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Sift dry ingredients together.

Mash banana & mix with almond milk & vanilla. Combine wet with dry & pour into pan. Set aside.

Mix pumpkin swirl ingredients together.

Layer the pumpkin cream cheese on top, using your spatula to make swirl pattern. Bake for 25- 30 minutes.

Well... I had to remember to take a picture of the finished product at some point, lol. 

30 Before 30 And Vegan Cherry Chocolate Peanut Butter Coconut Brownie Bombs!

There is a combination of thrill, fear, and sadness to the milestone of becoming 30. The fact remains that I'm getting older and beginning a new chapter after surviving through some tough situations. Like a bad knee that could've waited twenty years. Moving to Philadelphia alone has opened up exciting doors and opportunities, especially to a starving, hungry vegan artist like myself. When October 7th gets here- in 30 day no less, I figured it was a good time to create some sort of Bucket List before it gets here. I hope that 30 symbolizes more than just a number, just an end to the terrific twenties of Paris trips, Wizard World conventions, graduating art school, gaining Bitch Flicks and Dayton City Paper writing positions, and graduating from 14 year vegetarianism to vegan. I'm thinker bigger- trips to Africa, other European cities, Aussie, and maybe a few vegan conventions under my belt. Whatever the thirties bring, I'm willing and able to have more adventures! Now wondering why my Vegan Mofo theme wasn't 30 Before 30! Grrrrrr!!!!

30 Before 30: The List

The big 3-0 is coming....

1.) Take a picture of 30 Philadelphia murals that inspire me and my work.
2.) Learn how to count to 100 in French.
3.) Go to New York City.
4.) Go to Dun Well Doughnuts in New York City.
5.) Eat at a fancy restaurant sans a date and hope no one stares with pity.
6.) Swoon at the free Trey Songz concert at Electric Factory.
7.) Attend a free author reading at the Free Library of Philadelphia.
8.) Also look at their Beatrix Potter collection.
9.) Pose with the Liberty Bell.
10.) Find a food cart that has a vegan item.
11.) Dance the night away.
12.) Sing some bad karaoke.
13.) Find a bloody bag of those awesome Earth Balance Aged Vegan White Cheddar Puffs!
14.) Perform my secret poetry live! (eeek!)
15.) Plein air in Fairmount Park.
16.) Bake a lot of pumpkin bread! (chyeah!)
17.) Profess love.
18.) Finish reading
19.) Take the bus to a random, unforeseen place.
20.) Ride the train on a Thursday.
21.) Treat a classmate to a free vegan lunch.
22.) Treat someone to a homecooked vegan meal.
23.) Enter three writings into a contest.
24.) Finish writing "Route?"
25.) Post a recipe of snickerdoodles.
26.) Post a recipe of chocolate chip cookies.
27.) Promote AfroVeganChick more.
28.) Gain 300 Facebook likes. (wishful thinking)
29.) Get employed here. (I have an interview on Tuesday! *prays heavily*)
30.) And as for the last...... host a birthday giveaway of goodies for not only the chosen Vegan Swap Package recipient but for one lucky AfroVeganChick blog follower! Woot! Woot!

Well, now that the list is finished, let's move onto sweeter fare.
Remember those brownies for those summer ice cream sandwiches? The ones with the minty chocolate chip ice cream center?
Imagine them again- reinvented, warm and fresh from the oven topped with Peanut Butter Company's Dark Chocolate Dreams Peanut Butter because there is no such thing as a frosting as ready made as that, especially at room temperature. I'm getting to the very obsessive, super duper addictive stage of Dark Chocolate Dreams and I doubt that there's a way out. In fact, I'm pretty darn sure that it is going into my October Vegan Swap Package (that is if my person isn't allergic to pb) and that means it'll be part of my birthday goodie bag that I cannot wait to make! I'm just very, very grateful to all of my supportive friends and fans coming to the page and spreading love and feel that little contests are a way of giving back.
In the brownie sense, after baking, they don't get sliced or frozen. Instead, they are slightly cooled, layered with Dark Chocolate Dreams, a smidgen of shredded coconut, and plump, juicy cherries. It's an amazing, decadently glorious dessert that prettily looks like Black Forest, but tastes like a chocoholic's greatest fantasy in two voracious bites.
That's why they're called the "you dropped the bomb on me baby" brownies!  Yippee a The Gap Band reference!

Vegan Cherry Chocolate Peanut Butter Coconut Brownie Bombs Ingredients and Preparation

1 1/2 cup flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup cocoa
1/3 cup coconut oil, melted (or applesauce)
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 1/2 cup unsweetened almond milk
1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

1/4- 1/2 cup Peanut Butter & Company's Dark Chocolate Dreams Peanut Butter
1/2 cup unsweetened coconut flakes
12 dark sweet cherries, pitted

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and prepare a 12 count muffin tin.
Sift dry ingredients together.
Mix melted coconut oil, vanilla, and almond milk separately.
Blend wet with dry.
Add apple cider vinegar and cinnamon.
Pour into muffin tins.
Bake for 25-30 minutes- or until fork is clean.
Cool.
Layer each with a generous amount of Dark Chocolate Dreams Peanut Butter.
Top with shredded coconut and an opened pitted cherry.

Brownies are topped with simple treats.

Heaven for a cherry & chocolate lover.

Hard enough to eat one, but could a chocoholic's heart really stop at the magical number of three?

Vegan Mint Chocolate Chip Ice Cream Sandwiches

These yummy ice cream sandwiches are both minty fresh & divinely chocolaty!

Summer is just flying!
It's not as hot as it usually is around these parts. We've had rain and more rain and cloudiness. The sun has been hiding out in fear.
The week has certainly been busy getting writing duties in order as well as packing and looking at flights or bus schedules. School is 21 days away and I'm beyond frazzled. However, great vegan news afoot- joined All About Vegan Food's Vegan Package Swap (where vegans can send their fave vegan stuff via care mail during around first of the month) and entered AfroVeganChick for next month's Vegan Mofo! Check link for details on how to share your vegan recipes for the great month of autumn leafing September! Deadline is August 28th!
Now onto tasty minty ice cream sandwiches!
A sweet peppermint treat that is certainly far more refreshing than a certain patty from York, cold chocolaty mint flavored banana ice cream oozes between two sandwiched brownies for an irresistibly tempting dessert that must be eaten with a spoon. Unless you're one of those who love licking chocolate coated palms and such....


Vegan Mint Chocolate Chip Ice Cream Sandwiches Ingredients and Preparation

Mint Chocolate Chip Ice Cream

2 frozen bananas
1/3 cup Enjoy Life Food's Mini Chips
2 mint leaves
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/4 teaspoon peppermint extract

Either blend these ingredients together and freeze or prepare just as sandwich halves are ready to be used.

Brownies (for sandwiches)

1 1/2 cup flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup cocoa
1/3 cup coconut oil (or applesauce)
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 1/2 cup unsweetened almond milk
pinch of cinnamon
1/2 cup unsweetened shredded coconut (optional)
1/4 cup Enjoy Life Food's Mini Chips (optional)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Sift dry ingredients together.

Add liquids.

Pour into muffin tin & bake for 23-25 minutes.

Let cool.

Slice in half and place on wax paper. Preferably on a plate. Freeze for 2-3 hours- until they are desired chill and softness.

Sit out ice cream until it softens & layer on chilled brownie halves.

Someone made a little oopsy (can you spot it?), but these turned out great taste wise!

Virtual Vegan Potluck: Ultimate Vegan Chocolate Chip Walnut Brownies With Avocado Cream Cheese Frosting

It's that wonderful time of the year again!

Hello all!
So excited to be included for the 3rd annual Virtual Vegan Potluck hosted by Vegan Bloggers Unite! Welcome friends and newcomers to AfroVeganChick whose in the heart of celebrating second year of veganism- a New Year's Resolution of 2012! This is my second time coming to the massive party ( a whopping 170 participants this time!) and I've brought a sweet dessert recipe combining love in a sensual threesome- aphrodisiac chocolate, decadent walnuts, and the lovely ambrosia of avocado flesh.
Embodied with ground walnuts, sweetened by medjool dates (they add a richness to chocolate) and chocolate chips, and covered in an enticing avocado cream cheese frosting, these chewy, crunchy brownies are exceptionally unique and full of diverse flavor.

Ultimate Vegan Chocolate Walnut Brownies With Avocado Cream Cheese Frosting Ingredients and Preparation

Not your average brownie!

Brownies

3/4 cup flour
1 cup walnut meal (walnuts ground into a fine powder or almond meal can be used)
1/2 cup cocoa
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 cup chopped medjool dates, pitted
1/2 cup sugar (optional)*
1/3 cup coconut oil, melted
1 cup almond milk
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
2 tablespoon flax seed
1/4 cup unsweetened coconut
1/2 cup nuts (used walnut and pecan mixture)
1/3 chocolate chips (I used Enjoy Life Food's Mini Chocolate Chips)

* Now when I sampled the batter, it wasn't sweet enough. But after being baked, the dates overwhelmingly melted into sweetness overload. Add only if you prefer that sort of thing.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and prepare a 9" baking pan with coconut oil.

Mix dry and wet ingredients (just coconut oil, almond milk, and vanilla) separately (dates with dry). Blend together. Add apple cider vinegar, flax seeds, nuts, coconut, and chocolate chips last.

Smooth batter into baking pan and bake for 25-30 minutes. 

Let cool before frosting.

Avocado Cream Cheese Frosting

1 ripened avocado
1/2 cup Tofutti cream cheese
1/4 cup lite coconut milk
2 tablespoon agave nectar
1 teaspoon vanilla

Whisk all ingredients together, cover, & refrigerate.

Spread layered frosting atop cooled brownies & cut into slices.

Pecans or walnuts make for a splendid topping!

Thanks for stopping by. Please follow me on Google+, Facebook, Pinterest, and Twitter!
Now let's swing into VVP- right before AfroVeganChick in the desserts is Sugar Coated Vegan's Raw Chocolate "Cheesecake" and straight behind is Vegan 404 (Filet Not Found)'s Sesame Chocolate Truffles!

Vegan Frozen Black Bean Chocolate Walnut Brownies With Strawberry Banana Icecream

A no bake chocolate black bean walnut brownie with a fruity ice cream center.

Day by day, I've been slowly attempting to merge into the raw world and found a rather charming blog that featured all sorts of desserts that made my mouth water, especially this recipe:
Raw Fudge Brownies

This Rawsome Vegan Life Blog ran by the clean, beautiful Emily von Euw is a useful aide in the raw learning process, inspiring my recipe with her tastefully photographed raw fudge brownies. Though she uses ingredients not on hand like mesquite powder, chia, flax, and hemp seeds, I improvised by raiding pantry, fridge, and the recesses of imagination.

Frozen Black Bean Chocolate Walnut Brownies

1 cup rolled oats
1 cup dates (soaked in 1/4 cup water)
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/3 cup unsweetened almond milk
1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce
1/2 cup agave nectar
1/2 cup rinsed and drained black beans
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
pinch of ginger
1/2 cup unsweetened shredded coconut
1/3 cup cocoa
1/2 cup crushed walnuts
pinch of salt

Strawberry Banana Ice Cream

1 ripened frozen banana
3-4 strawberries
2 tablespoons unsweetened almond milk
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/3 cup unsweetened coconut (optional)

First, blend oats, dates (with the water), vanilla, almond milk, applesauce, agave nectar, and black beans in a blender, making sure that all is smooth and even in consistency, but it is completely fine that the black beans are not entirely smashed.

Mix ingredients well.

Fold in crushed walnuts.

Spread batter into a plastic wrap or parchment paper lined pan. Freeze overnight.

Cut into shapes.

The perfect frozen sandwich.

The ice cream is even simpler.
Just mix all the ingredients in the blender (or food processor), quickly spread it across an eager chocolate brownie before it melts, and top with another brownie friend.
Side note: highly recommend eating this with a spoon or fork, otherwise it'll mess you up.
Yummmmmmmmmmm!!!!
I have got to learn how to share. Haha!
With that chocolaty goodness, crunchy walnut bite, and black beans imitating a sweet chocolate chip texture, it's quite a delicious component to the strawberry banana ice cream! Though a bit on the moist side, I will either add a 1/2 cup more of oats or lessen one wet ingredient of the brownie recipe.
Other than that, it was heaven.
Hot days be damned.
There is salvation now.