Healthy and Delicious: Sweet Potato Brownies and Muffins Recipes

This article explores the delightful world of sweet potato-based treats, offering recipes for both brownies and muffins. These recipes focus on using wholesome ingredients, making them a healthier alternative to traditional desserts. Whether you're looking for a grain-free, refined sugar-free brownie or a moist and fluffy muffin, these recipes provide options for various dietary needs and preferences.

Sweet Potato Brownies: A Guilt-Free Indulgence

These sweet potato brownies are a delicious and healthy treat, perfect for satisfying your sweet cravings without the guilt. They are grain-free, refined sugar-free, and dairy-free, making them suitable for various dietary restrictions.

Key Ingredients and Their Benefits

• Sweet Potatoes: The star of these brownies! Sweet potato puree adds moisture and bulk, replacing the need for excessive oil or butter and flour. They are also remarkably satiating.
• Almond Butter: This serves as a healthy fat source, contributing to the richness and gooey texture of the brownies, especially in dairy-free versions. Other nut butters like cashew butter or peanut butter can also be used.
• Eggs: A couple of large, room-temperature eggs help to fluff up the brownies and ensure they hold together well when sliced.
• Vanilla Extract: Adding warmth and subtle nuance to the brownies, a little vanilla extract provides a beautiful flavor.
• Cocoa Powder: The rich, dark chocolate flavor comes from cocoa powder. Raw cacao powder offers a creamier, less bitter alternative to regular cocoa powder.
• Baking Soda: A small amount of baking soda acts as the leavening agent, preventing the brownies from becoming too cake-like.
• Cinnamon (Optional): For those who enjoy the combination of cinnamon and chocolate, a dash of ground cinnamon can enhance the flavor.
• Sea Salt: Salt enhances the other ingredients and brings powerful flavor to the brownies.
• Chocolate Chips: Adding chocolatey goodness and fudgy texture, chocolate chips provide amazing pockets of joy. Dark chocolate chips are often preferred for a richer flavor and lower sugar content.

Recipe: Flourless Sweet Potato Brownies

This recipe provides a step-by-step guide to creating delicious and healthy sweet potato brownies.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup mashed sweet potato (from about 1 medium-large sweet potato)
• ½ cup unsweetened almond butter (or other nut butter)
• 2 large eggs, room temperature
• 1/3 cup pure maple syrup or honey
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• ½ teaspoon baking soda
• ⅛ teaspoon sea salt
• ½ cup dark chocolate chips

Instructions:

1. Cook the Sweet Potato: Cook the sweet potato using your preferred method. Chopping it into large chunks and boiling it in water for 15 to 20 minutes, until very tender, is a common approach. Allow the potato to cool. You can cook the potato and refrigerate it up to 5 days in advance.
2. Preheat and Prepare: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Line a 9-inch square baking pan with parchment paper.
3. Combine Wet Ingredients: In a large mixing bowl, combine the mashed sweet potato, almond butter, eggs, maple syrup or honey, and vanilla extract. Stir well until everything is well-combined (wet ingredients).
4. Add Dry Ingredients: Stir in the cocoa powder, baking soda, sea salt, and ground cinnamon (if using) until a thick, creamy batter forms.
5. Incorporate Chocolate Chips: Add in the chocolate chips and stir until they are well-incorporated into the batter. Save some chocolate chips to sprinkle on top.
6. Bake: Pour the brownie batter into the prepared baking pan and spread it into an even layer. If desired, sprinkle with extra chocolate chips.Bake on the center rack of the preheated oven for 23 to 28 minutes, or until the brownies reach desired level of doneness. For fudgy, gooey brownies, bake for 23 minutes. Brownies are best when baked to an internal temperature of 180 degrees Fahrenheit. Insert a digital thermometer into the center of the brownies and wait until the numbers stop moving to get an accurate read on their temperature.
7. Cool and Serve: Allow the brownies to cool completely (at least one hour) before slicing and serving. You can slice the brownies before they have finished cooling if you’d like, but the slices won’t hold together quite as well.

Recipe: Peanut Butter Sweet Potato Brownies

This recipe combines the goodness of sweet potatoes with the deliciousness of peanut butter, creating a fudgy and satisfying treat.

Ingredients:

• 3 medium sweet potatoes
• 1 cup creamy peanut butter (or crunchy, depending on preference)
• 2 large eggs
• ⅔ cup honey
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• ⅔ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• ½ cup vanilla protein powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• ½ teaspoon fine Kosher salt
• 1 cup dark chocolate chips

Instructions:

1. Prepare Sweet Potatoes: Wash and rub the sweet potatoes clean with a paper towel and pierce them with a fork. Cook in the microwave for about 10-12 minutes, or boil them in a pot on your stovetop until soft.
2. Cool and Mash: Allow the sweet potatoes to cool, then peel the skin and discard. Mash them in a large bowl. You do not need more than 2 cups of mashed sweet potatoes.
3. Combine Wet Ingredients: Add the peanut butter, eggs, honey, and vanilla extract to the mashed sweet potatoes, and mix to combine.
4. Add Dry Ingredients: Add the cocoa powder, protein powder, baking soda, and salt. Mix until mostly smooth, then fold in the chocolate chips.
5. Bake: Transfer the batter to the prepared pan and sprinkle with the remaining chocolate chips. Bake for around 25 minutes, or until a bit soft in the center.
6. Cool and Serve: Let the brownies rest and cool off completely before you cut them.

Tips for Perfect Sweet Potato Brownies

• Sweet Potato Preparation: Ensure the sweet potato is fully cooked and mashed smoothly for the best texture.
• Cooling Time: Allowing the brownies to cool completely before slicing is crucial for a cleaner cut and a fudgier texture.
• Storage: Store leftover brownies in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. They also freeze very well.

Sweet Potato Muffins: A Healthy On-the-Go Breakfast or Treat

Sweet potato muffins are a moist, fluffy, and delicious option for a healthy treat or a convenient breakfast. They can be easily customized with different flours and add-ins to suit individual preferences.

Read also: Healthy food access with Highmark Wholecare explained.

Recipe: Chocolate Chip Sweet Potato Muffins

This recipe combines the goodness of sweet potatoes with the classic appeal of chocolate chips, creating a delightful muffin that kids and adults will love.

Ingredients:

• 1 medium sweet potato, mashed
• 2 large eggs
• ½ cup unsweetened applesauce
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/3 cup maple syrup or honey
• 1/3 cup almond milk
• 2 tablespoons coconut oil
• 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour (or oat flour or whole wheat flour)
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• ¼ teaspoon nutmeg
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• ½ cup dark chocolate chips

Instructions:

1. Preheat and Prepare: Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C) and line a muffin pan with paper cups sprayed with Pam spray.
2. Combine Wet Ingredients: In a medium bowl, add the mashed sweet potato, eggs, applesauce, vanilla extract, maple syrup or honey, almond milk, and coconut oil. Whisk until fully incorporated.
3. Combine Dry Ingredients: In a separate bowl, add the flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, baking powder, and baking soda. Mix to combine.
4. Combine Wet and Dry: Add the dry ingredients to the wet sweet potato ingredients. Using a spatula, mix well until they are incorporated.
5. Add Chocolate Chips: Fold in the chocolate chips and mix again.
6. Fill Muffin Cups: Using a scooper, equally add the batter into the prepared muffin tin pan. Top with additional chocolate chips if needed.
7. Bake: Bake for 18-20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
8. Cool and Serve: Let the muffins cool for 5-10 minutes before handling.

Tips for Perfect Sweet Potato Muffins

• Sweet Potato Preparation: For this recipe, you do not need to peel the sweet potato before boiling it. Wash it pretty well before baking. Once it’s cooked through, remove it from water and allow it to cool before peeling the skin off.
• Flour Options: You may use any flour of your choice. They can be made with oat flour and whole wheat flour.
• Storage: The sweet potato muffins can sit on your kitchen counter covered for 24 hours. Then I recommend you store them in a container in the fridge for up to one week. Reheat them in the microwave when ready to serve again.

Sweet Potato Preparation

• Boiling: If you decide to boil the sweet potato, a large sweet potato will need anywhere between 40-45 minutes. A medium-sized sweet potato usually needs 30-40 minutes to cook through.
• Checking for Doneness: Use a fork or a knife to check if the potato is done. You should easily be able to pierce the mid of the sweet potato with a knife or fork and remove it back out with ease. It should feel soft and not hard.

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tags: #healthy #fitness #meals #sweet #potato #brownies