Brownies

Brownies were one of the first desserts I made from scratch. Of course, back when I first started making them, I used white flour, a year's supply of sugar, and smothered in icing.  A brownie used to be a milk chocolate cake-like thing.  Today, it is an actual brownie I taste.



Ingredients

Amount	Item	Total Calories	Per Serving Calories
8 tbsp (112g)	Margarine	400	44
2	Eggs	140	16
1/2 cup (60g)	White Whole Wheat Flour	200	22
6 tbsp (30g)	Cocoa (prefer Special Dark)	60	7
1/4 cup (60g)	Unsweetened Apple Sauce	25	3
4 tbsp (6g)	Calorie Free Sucralose	0	0
4 tbsp (56g)	Sugar	180	20
dash	Salt (optional)	0	0
to taste	Vanilla Extract (optional)	0	0
***	Total for 9 servings	1,005	112

1. Pre-heat oven to 375.
2. Prepare a muffin pan.  I use a standard muffin pan that holds 12, but I only fill 9 of them.  I use paper liners sprayed briefly with a non-stick spray.  I never have any issues with this recipe sticking.
3. Mix everything together.  It is doable by hand, but easier with a stand mixer.
4. Pour into the 9 muffin cups.  This is sticky, so benefits from a spatula.  I don't try to exact and just estimate that each cup is filled about the same.
5. Bake as done as you like your brownies.  I like mine baked to the point where a toothpick comes out clean.  Start checking for done after 15 minutes.
6. No need for icing or powdered sugar.  Enjoy as a brownie.
7. The left overs freeze well.  About 30 seconds in the microwave to dethaw one or two.

Comments on variations

• You could trade the butter for margarine.  This would add about 44 calories to each brownie.  I didn't feel it was worth it.  But I usually eat two, at one it isn't that many calories.  In addition, you could experiment with with less cream butter and replace the difference with more applesauce.  I may try that.
• If you are early in your journey, you may need to increase the sweetener.  When I was obese, I used at least twice as much sugar, but I've been training myself to enjoy food and not sugar.  Add more if you need and try to work down over time.
• You could make in 4 Ramekins for about 250 per Ramekin.  This isn't too bad, and I usually eat two anyways.