Beet Brownies

Co+op Basics offers everyday low prices on many popular grocery and household staple items. From milk to pasta to cereal, you’ll find both value-priced brands as well as low prices on some old favorites.

Beet Brownies
Recipe by Trouble Mandeson, Member-Owner

Beets are very versatile. Not only are they good steamed, boiled, baked, roasted or eaten raw in salads, coleslaw or sauerkraut, but they have a wonderful natural sweetness which lends itself to baked dishes, too. Beet brownies are one of those recipes parents use to make sure their kids are getting vegetables… without them knowing!

Ingredients:
– 1 large beet, roasted in foil in a 400 degree oven for an hour, or steamed until tender, peeled
– 1/2 C. buttermilk (no buttermilk? Make your own! Add 1/2 tsp. apple cider vinegar to 1/4 c. of milk; allow to rest 10 min. until foamy (Co-op Basic Ingredient: Field Day apple cider vinegar $5.49)
– 8 Tbsp. unsalted butter
– 1 1/4 cup sugar (Field Day Organic cane sugar: $5.99)
– 3/4 cup unsweetened Dutch cocoa powder (Field Day Organic cocoa powder: $5.99)
– 1/2 tsp. kosher salt
– 2 eggs
– 2 tsp. vanilla (Field Day Organic vanilla extract: $9.99)
– 3/4 cup flour (Field Day Organic all purpose flour: $6.99, or use gluten-free)
– 1 tsp. baking powder (Field Day Organic baking powder: $2.29)
– 1/2 cup chocolate chips (Field Day semisweet chocolate chips: $4.99)

Preparation:
1) Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Grease an 8x8x2 metal pan or line with parchment paper.
2) Blend beets with just enough buttermilk to form a smooth puree.
3) Melt butter in a small saucepan, stirring frequently until it bubbles and brown specks form. It will smell like a nutty caramel. Remove from heat.
4) Add sugar, cocoa powder and salt to melted butter. Allow mixture to cool.
5) Beat eggs in a separate bowl and add to cooled butter mixture, stirring constantly.
6) Add vanilla and 1 cup of beet puree; stir well.
7) Add flour and baking powder and stir; add chocolate chips.
8) Pour into baking pan and bake for 25-35 minutes until toothpick comes out clean and top no longer looks wet.