Turtles-Inspired Protein Brownies
Affiliate Disclaimer: This article contains affiliate links to specific products I use and absolutely love, which means that I make a small commission off any items you may purchase, at no additional cost to you.
Okay, okay - I’m gonna get really honest with you here.
If I had to choose my top spot for THE best holiday chocolate, there is truly nothing better than the chocolate, caramel and pecan combination of a Turtles chocolate. It’s the perfect combination of sweet, savoury, chewy, silky, crunchy (and a touch salty!) to transport anyone into a beyond blissful state.
That’s where the inspiration for these Turtles-Inspired Protein Brownies come in.
Where Holiday Meets Healthy
These bad boys are the perfect recipe to whip up to get you into the holiday spirit - while giving you all the nutrients you need.
They’re chock full of Vitamin A and fibre (from the sweet potatoes) and protein (from Garden of Life’s plant-based protein powder in Chocolate) to support your body goals throughout the most wonderful time of the year! Plus, with the base being flourless, they are perfect for all my gluten-free gals, too!
Although I don’t like to use the term “guilt-free” (since there’s never any need to have food guilt in my books!) these brownies are literally the best of both worlds - super delicious and super good for you too.
Can I Enjoy Them Right Away?
Great question. They’re a little messy if you enjoy them right out of the oven because the caramel won’t have time to set and thicken up. I typically prefer enjoying these brownies after they have been chilled overnight. However, if you’re a little impatient or baking these on the fly, you can absolutely have these fresh out of the oven. It’ll have a more “brownie in a bowl” feel and will probably do well with a spoon and a dollop of ice cream or whipped cream on top. (But I ain’t complaining about that!!)
I hope you have fun whipping these up for your festive holiday parties! Your guests will absolutely looooove them and, who knows... they might even be better than the main course.
Grab the full recipe and details below!
INGREDIENTS:
Pecans
¾ cups raw pecans
Caramel
¼ cup peanut butter (or cashew/almond butter)
¼ cup maple syrup
2 tbsp Garden of Life coconut oil
Pinch of flaky sea salt
Brownies
2 cups cooked sweet potato, mashed
2 scoops chocolate protein powder (I used Garden of Life’s Sport in Chocolate)
¼ cup organic cacao powder
1 cup of nut butter of choice (I used this peanut butter!)
½ cup chocolate chips
DIRECTIONS:
Preheat your oven to 350F
In a large mixing bowl, mix the sweet potato, peanut butter, cocoa and protein powder until fully combined. (Mix without a whisk, otherwise, you’ll get everything stuck in between the wires!)
Add chocolate chips and fold just until fully combined.
In a 9x9 inch baking pan, lined with parchment paper, pour the batter until evenly distributed.
Pop in the oven for 25 minutes or until cooked through. (Use the toothpick method to check at the 25-minute mark. If the toothpick comes out clean with no batter, it’s ready! If not, bake for another 2-4 minutes or until the toothpick comes out clean.)
Once baking, melt the caramel, coconut oil, maple syrup and nut butter in a microwave-safe container or stovetop. Whisk thoroughly until combined. (It will get darker and rich in colour.)
Once the brownies are fully cooled, pour your caramel mixture evenly all over and then crumble the pecans over top. Allow to set in the fridge for at least 1 hour or overnight.
Once your brownies are fully set, remove them from the pan by lifting the parchment paper out of the tray and cutting into 16 even squares.
Enjoy!
NUTRITION INFORMATION:
Makes 16 servings
Calories per serving: 286
Fats: 18g
Carbohydrates: 25g
Protein: 10g
