Beauty Brownies

Beauty Brownies

Makes 16 brownies

Collagen is the fibrous protein found in organs, muscles, skin, hair, nails and digestive tract. Aging and environment both contribute to depletion of collagen. Around age 40, collagen begins to deplete faster than your body can reproduce it. And pollution, sun exposure, nutritional deficiencies, poor lifestyle habits, and genetics also play a role. Also found in whole foods including spinach, kale, tomatoes, beets and fish, collagen helps maintain a healthy gut-brain barrier, supports heart health, strengthens hair and nails, aids in bone formation, and assists detoxifying liver function.

Ingredients:

1 cup pecans

1 cup walnuts

1/3 cup raw cacao powder (I used this brand)

¼ cup (about 2 scoops) collagen peptides*

½ cup pure maple syrup

1 tsp baking powder

2 flax eggs** (or sub two eggs from organic, pasture-raised chickens)

2 TB refined coconut oil***

1 TB vanilla extract

¼ tsp sea salt

1 tsp cinnamon, optional

1/2 tsp chili powder, optional

Flaked salt for topping, optional

Directions:

1) Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

2) Place nuts in a food processor or a high-speed blender with a wide base and process until you get a fine texture but before it starts to get mushy.

3) Add dry ingredients and pulse again to combine. Then add your wet ingredients and combine.

4) Pour into an 8X8 glass baking dish lined with parchment paper (or simply greased with more coconut oil) and smooth out with a wooden spatula.

5) Bake for 25 minutes. Test with a wooden stick when done (nothing will stick to it if it’s done). Cool on a rack completely before slicing and top with flaked salt if desired.

* Here is the grass-fed, pasture-raised collagen

For pescatarian version, replace with equal parts of this Marine Collagen

for vegan version, use 3 TB of this protein (Sacha Inchi) powder

...or just skip all that and add another 1/4 cup of raw cacao.

**To make flax eggs, combine 2 TB ground flax meal with 6 TB water and allow to sit for about 10 min until it forms a gel.

***unrefined coconut oil has been refined to lose most of the coconut flavor so a good choice if you don’t want that flavor in your recipe.