This is an easy way to eat home cooked protein packed treats after every gym session. I add 4 different toppings to my brownies. This is so I don’t get bored and for the great properties that each one has - cacao nibs and pecans give a great texture, fennel seeds are good for digestion, chilli is a great energiser and peanut butter is just incredibly yummy! I use cup measurements for this recipe so it’s even easier to make a batch. These brownies can be frozen after you have added the toppings. Remove a brownie from the freezer in the evening, allow it to defrost in the fridge and it will be ready to eat in the morning.

Prep time - 30 minutes

Cook time - 15-25 minutes

Difficulty - Easy

Serves / makes - 16 brownies

Ingredients

1 cup unflavoured protein powder

1 cup raw cacao powder or cocoa powder

1 cup buckwheat flour

½-1T ground cinnamon (optional)

2 cups of pitted dates

2 cups of plant milk

Toppings - 

1T peanut butter 

1t coconut oil, melted

A few coconut chips

1T raw cacao powder 

1T water

1t coconut oil, melted

Cacao nibs + pecans / Fennel seeds + lemon zest / chilli flakes 

Equipment 

Large bowl

Jug

Hand blender

Rectangular brownie pan or baking tray, roughly 30cm x 24cm

Saucepan 

Glass jug or bowl for melting oil

Small bowls

Method

1. Heat your oven to 160c/325f/GM3.

2. Put the protein powder, cacao powder, buckwheat flour and cinnamon into a large bowl. Mix well.

3. Put the pitted dates into a jug with the plant milk. Blend the dates and milk with a hand blender, pour this into the bowl and mix in. 

4. Line a brownie pan or baking tray with baking paper. Pour in the brownie batter. Bake for 15-25 minutes until the brownies are firm on top but still slightly squidgy underneath.

5. Allow the brownies to cool then chill in the fridge before cutting. Cut the brownies into 16 pieces. 

6. Toppings - Mix the peanut butter and coconut oil together in a small bowl. Pour it onto 4 brownies then add coconut chips. Mix the cacao powder, water and coconut oil together in a small bowl. Pour it onto the remaining 12 brownies. Add cacao nibs and pecans to four brownies, fennel seeds and lemon to 4 brownies and chilli flakes to the remaining 4 brownies. 

7. Put the brownies into Tupperware boxes in a single layer and put into the freezer.