Dense Chocolate Brownies made with quinoa, sugar-free and in the crock pot!
If you've never tried quinoa in a baked treat you'll be in for a delicious surprise if you venture to make these brownies. The quinoa replaces any flour needed to provide a nice, soft, dense "brownie".
Using your crock pot in the winter season is typical for many busy people. You prepare ahead and come home after a long day to the house filled with home cooked aromas like someone has been slaving at the stove all day. So nice right?!
Using a crock pot in the warmer months is just as smart and equally as helpful. While I am an avid crock pot aficionado, I had never made a brownie or any cake like dessert in the crock before. I always stuck with the practical like, Overnight Cinnamon Crumble French Toast, Crock Pot Sugar Free Fudge, and Crock Pot Chicken Enchilada Soup. You can check out my Crock Pot tab on my Recipe Index for more wonderful recipes.
This brownie recipe has been on my mind and on my list FOREVER! My original recipe which was super popular was Cocoa Baked Quinoa Bars. I adapted slightly for the recipe here and the results are pretty fantastic!
Summer also brings us to vacations. In fact this week I'm in the Poconos of Pennsylvania with my entire family: Parents, 3 brothers, 2 sister in laws and between us and them 9 children! Last year we were in a house on a Lake in New Hampshire. To my surprise it wasn't as scary as I thought it would be, no offense to my family but living all under one roof with so many different personalities can be challenging. The house was beautiful but the living space was a little on the tight side.
Luckily my mom and I found a house in the Poconos with 7 bedrooms so everyone has there own space and it's quite comfortable. The comforts of a home kitchen make for an enjoyable week ahead.
We often make many meals together, every family takes a turn. Today hubby and I are on breakfast and lunch duty. I'm making Egg burritos for everyone then some Cilantro Mayo Free Chicken salad which everyone loved last year. This year I brought along my brown rice fresh skin roll wrappers to place the chicken salad in with some cucumber and carrot sticks and lettuce. New idea, not sure my Italian daddy will enjoy, but that's what I'm making. 🙂
I'm optimistic this week will be an enjoyable family reunion vacation. As long as I can do most of the cooking to keep it pretty healthy, I will be happy and even willing to do it again next summer! 🙂
Brenda's Notes:
- I use Lily's Brand of sugar-free chocolate chips made with stevia found at Whole Foods.
- Here's my stevia conversion chart if you need to exchange liquids for powders. etc.
- To make 3 cups cooked quinoa, use 1 ½ cups dry rinsed quinoa with 3 cups water. Cover and bring to a boil and boil for 12-15 minutes until all water is absorbed.
- Another dessert Quinoa recipe you might like: Mini Chocolate Brownie Bites!
Crock Pot Sugar-Free Chocolate Quinoa Brownies
Ingredients
- 3 cups cooked quinoa
- 2 eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla liquid stevia
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 ¼ cups sugar free chocolate chips
- ⅓ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ⅓ cup flaxseed ground
- ½ cup unsweetened applesauce
- 1 teaspoon pure stevia extract
Sugar-Free Frosting
- ¼ cup heavy cream
- ¼ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1 teaspoon chocolate liquid stevia
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- Combine all ingredients into a food processor and process until complete incorporated.
- Line an 8 quart sized crock pot with parchment paper.
- Spread batter into crock pot.
- Cover and cook on low 4 hours or high 2 hours.
- Lift onto a wire rack to cool before slicing.
- Make frosting by whisking ingredients together and microwave for 20 seconds.
- Taste and add more sweetener if needed.
- Stir well again then top over brownies.
Notes
Nutrition
The Sugar-Free Mom Cookbook has been Released!! Hitting shelves in days and Amazon is selling it at a discount right now!
Mary-Ann
Brenda,
This recipe looks amazing. I have all the ingredients and I was planning to make it today. Then I realized that I have a 3.5 quart (casserole type) crock pot. I don’t know how to use this recipe for this size and type crock pot. Can you help? Perhaps the recipe won’t work for this style crock pot? I look forward to you responding. Thank you.
Mary Craig
OMg where have you been all my life,i have such a horrible problem with sugar,no,not diabetic ,other issues like addiction,mood swings,depression,one sweet sugarery treat can send me on a sugar bender,then i end up with zits,depression,feelings of self=loathing.if i can have a sugar free treat without going over board and eating the whole thing,I'm in! I can't wait to go shopping all i need is the sugar-free choc chips,i have everything else.