One Bowl Gluten-Free, Vegan Brownies

So how do you make fudgy brownies without flour, butter and eggs? Let me count the ways! These dense and decadent treats are gluten-free, dairy-free, grain-free, egg-free, and vegan. They're also super chocolatey and melt-in-your-mouth heaven. I'm fairly confident they meet the requirements of whatever diet plan you're following, including one that states "Eat things that are delicious".

We have no dietary restrictions in my house - but I like to play around with ingredients anyway. Plus, if I can make something fabulous for someone who can't have gluten, all the better. And who says flour has to reign supreme in all baked goods? There are so many other flour choices on market shelves these days; it's not at ALL like when I was a kid. There was flour and more flour. All white. And all bleached.

That said, I like to dabble with things. In this case, I played with garbanzo bean flour and used it to replace ALL the regular flour in these brownies. Garbanzo beans (AKA, chickpeas) are creamy beans, and the flour made from them is sweet and rich (making it an excellent choice for brownies).

You can also use coconut flour - which is ground from dried, defatted coconut meat. Coconut flour is high in fiber and low in carbohydrates, so it's also a great choice for baked goods when you want a lower-carb version.

What replaces eggs? Flaxseed meal! To make flax eggs, you simply combine flaxseed meal and water and let the concoction sit for 5 minutes to thicken up. Flax eggs are a great substitute for whole eggs when you're looking for a vegan, paleo and whole30 alternative. In this recipe, I rehydrated the flaxseed meal with milk and oil instead of water. If you're also going dairy-free, use non-dairy milk, as directed below.

What replaces milk? Non-dairy milk of course! Of course, you can use regular milk, but almond milk and soy milk work too.

What replaces butter? I used avocado oil, but you can choose any vegetable oil of choice, including coconut. And, you need just 1/3 cup, compared to most brownie recipes that call for 1 or more sticks of butter.

So grab that ONE bowl and ONE whisk and have fun dabbling!

One Bowl Gluten-Free, Vegan Brownies 

2/3 cup milk of choice (for vegan brownies, use non-dairy milk)
1/3 cup oil of choice, such as coconut oil or avocado oil
3 tablespoons flaxseed meal
3/4 cup packed light brown sugar
2/3 cup garbanzo bean flour (also called chickpea flour or besan) or coconut flour
2/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Pinch of salt

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Spray an 8-inch square baking pan with cooking spray. Line the pan with parchment paper or foil, allowing to paper/foil to hang up and over the sides (either 2 sides or 4 sides - this makes getting the brownies out of the pan a BREEZE). Spray the paper/foil with cooking spray.
In a large bowl, whisk together the milk, oil and flaxseed meal. Let the mixture stand for 5 minutes to allow the flaxseed meal to absorb the liquid (this is what gives the flaxseed meal egg-like qualities).
Whisk in the remaining ingredients. The batter will be thick, so switch to a spatula if needed. Spoon the batter into the prepared pan and smooth the surface.
Bake for 20 minutes, until a wooden pick comes out clean or with little moist bits clinging to it.
Cool the brownies, in the pan, on a wire rack. Cool completely before removing the brownies from the pan (use the paper/foil to lift out the entire square).
Cut into 16 squares and serve.
Store leftovers in an airtight container - either at room temperature or in the refrigerator.

Makes 16 brownies