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Olive Oil + Walnut Brownies from Cooking à la Heart
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February is American Heart Month and we can think of no better way to celebrate than with these Olive Oil + Walnut Brownies from our friend Amy Myrdal Miller. She co-authored a new cookbook called Cooking a la Heart which aims to promote heart health, support brain health, and reduce inflammation. The recipes are packed with nutritious California Grown ingredients — and are totally delicious too. You’ll love her Olive oil Brownie recipe shared below.
Heart disease is the leading cause of death in the US, with nearly half of all adults at risk… But lifestyle changes can lower this risk by as much as 82 percent! Filled with 500 flexible, flavorful recipes, as well as tips and tricks to promote cardiovascular wellness, Cooking à la Heart is a comprehensive cookbook that combines the Mediterranean, DASH, and MIND diets to help ward off the risk of heart disease, stroke, and diabetes, through delicious food. This go-to resource puts an emphasis on plant-based ingredients, healthy fats, and thoughtful use of dairy, poultry, and lean red meat.
Some of the recipe from Cooking à la Heart include:
- Spinach Scramble Pita Pockets
- Turkey-Vegetable Soup
- Cilantro-Lime Chicken & Corn Salad
- À la Heart Mexican Inspired Mac & Cheese
- Shrimp Tacos
- Blueberry Crisp
- Pumpkin Spice Ginger Bars
- Olive Oil Brownie Recipe
With Cooking à la Heart, eating healthier isn’t difficult or boring—it’s an investment that will keep you enjoying good food for many years to come.
From Amy:
Cooking à la Heart is about the joyful, mindful pursuit of great food, enjoyed with people you love in settings that relax and inspire you to do more good things for your health. I’m so grateful for all the farmers and ranchers throughout California who grow and produce foods for the rest of us. They provided a wealth of inspiration and ingredients for developing recipes that contribute great flavor. Cheers to these men and women, to great food, and to good health!
Other Healthy-ish Brownie Recipes to Try!
No Bake Raisin Brownies | This Mess is Ours
This recipe for ultra-fudgy, fruit-filled, no bake brownies by our friend This Mess is Ours is both decadent and good for you while also being easy to make. It’s one of those kitchen equations that boggles the mind and satisfies the most intense chocolate cravings! These delectable healthy brownies are going to change the way you think about dessert.
GET THE NO BAKE RAISIN BROWNIE RECIPE
Vegan Peppermint Brownies with California Prunes | Displaced Housewife
These one-bowl baking wonders from our friend Displaced Housewife are so flipping delicious no one will suspect that they are vegan. We use a combination of pureed prunes, flaxseeds and olive oil to create this delicious chocolatey magic.
GET THE VEGAN PEPPERMINT BROWNIE RECIPE
Brownie Fruit Dessert Pizza | Sarah Bakes Gluten Free
Did you say pizza for dessert? Yes please! A chocolaty gluten free vegan brownie crust is covered with a dairy free cream cheese frosting, then loaded with an assortment of beautiful fresh, California Grown fruit. You’ll love this recipe from our friend Sarah Bakes Gluten Free.
GET THE DESSERT BROWNIE PIZZA RECIPE
Miso Prune Blondies | Britney Breaks Bread
Miso Prune Blondies with Chocolate Drizzle is a recipe that you’ll never forget by our friend Britney Breaks Bread. It combines sweet California Prunes with salty miso paste and is such a flavorful treat. These blondies are so gooey and literally melt in your mouth. They have the consistency of a fudge but the texture of a blondie.
GET THE MISO PRUNE BLONDIE RECIPE
Witch’s Brew Brownies
These brownies are great to make when you have leftover Halloween candy. There’s less added sugar plus extra moisture and flavor from added prune puree.
GET THE CANDY BROWNIE RECIPE
Amy Myrdal Miller, MS, RDN, FAND, is an award-winning dietitian, farmer’s daughter, public speaker, author, and president of Farmer’s Daughter® Consulting, Inc., an agriculture, food, and culinary communications firm. Amy’s career highlights include working for Dole Food Company, the California Walnut Commission and California Walnut Board, and The Culinary Institute of America. A farmer’s daughter from North Dakota, today Amy and her husband Scott Miller live in Carmichael, California with “the interns” Violet Grey and Schroeder the Shredder.
Cooking à la Heart is available in bookstores now. Olive Oil Brownie recipe from Cooking à la Heart: 500 Easy and Delicious Recipes to Help Make Every Meal Heart Healthy Ⓒ Linda Hachfeld, MPH, RDN, and Amy Myrdal Miller, MS, RDN, FAND, 2023. Reprinted by permission of the publisher, The Experiment. Available everywhere books are sold. theexperimentpublishing.com
Á La Heart Olive Oil +Walnut Brownies
Ingredients
- Cooking spray
- ½ cup 170 g honey
- ½ cup 120 ml extra virgin olive oil
- ½ cup 100 g sugar
- 2 large eggs
- ¾ cup 90 g whole wheat pastry flour
- ¼ cup 20 g unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1 teaspoon instant espresso powder see Tip
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ cup 85 g chocolate chips or chunks (62 to 72% cacao)
- ½ cup 60 g chopped walnut
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C). Line the bottom and two sides of a 9-inch (23 cm) square baking pan with parchment paper.
- Combine the honey, oil, sugar, and eggs in a large bowl. Use a whisk or handheld mixer to mix until creamy and lightly golden in color. Add the flour, cocoa powder, espresso powder, vanilla, baking powder, and salt. Stir to incorporate.
- Stir in the chocolate chips and walnuts. Pour the batter into the baking pan and spread evenly. Bake for 30 minutes; the top will look dull (not shiny) and will have many holes. Transfer to a wire rack and cool for 10 to 15 minutes in the pan before cutting into 16 bars. Serve immediately or store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 1 week or in the freezer for up to 2 months.
Notes
Heart Healthy Ⓒ Linda Hachfeld, MPH, RDN, and Amy Myrdal Miller, MS, RDN, FAND, 2023.
Reprinted by permission of the publisher, The Experiment. Available everywhere books are sold.
theexperimentpublishing.com
Nutrition
Article and A la Heart Brownie images by Alison Needham.