As per Nicole's suggestion, here is a recipe of vegan brownies that uses coconut oil. I adapted it from http://www.veganbaking.net/recipes/brownies-and-bars/brownies/ultimate-brownies

To make the recipe more healthy, instead of all-purpose flour I used whole wheat flour and instead of vegan butter I used coconut oil. Also, half of the sugar I used was organic coconut palm sugar. I omitted the espresso powder.

The previous time I made these I used coconut butter and there was a slight difference in flavor and texture: coconut oil gives a less strong coconut flavor to the brownies, but makes the consistency softer, which is not necessarily a bad thing. It is a good idea to let the brownies cool completely as it says in the recipe, which will make the consistency firmer. I was too eager and tried them straight from the oven and found the brownies very soft.

I have experimented with making baked goods more healthy and it is often very difficult to do that and maintain the same delicious flavor. With this recipe I was able to use whole wheat flour and coconut sugar without diminishing the deliciousness of the brownies. I acknowledge that it is nice to have something sweet sometimes and I think that this recipe is one that will be as close to a healthy treat as you can get! These brownies contain flax seed with omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids, whole wheat flour with fiber and B-vitamins, coconut oil with medium chain fatty acids and antioxidants, and cocoa powder with antioxidants and fiber. There is no cholesterol or animal fats. They do contain white sugar, but by using coconut sugar, I was able to decrease it by half. So good!

Thanks, Nicole for the suggestion!

If you have recipes that use coconut oil, please share with us!

Love,

Anna-Kaisa