Veggie Brownies.

If you're like me, you're thinking, "YUCK!" I'm not going to lie, I thought that when I first read the recipe, when I bought the needed ingredients, and throughout the entire process of making these brownies.

I am anything but a spinach girl.

Apparently chocolate can cover anything up because I will eat these brownies (although I would rather eat a real brownie).

Emma Kate LOVES them. Nothing like watching your toddler ignorantly eat something good for her with a big smile on her face.

Back to the recipe, this is Jessica Seinfeld's Deceptively Delicious Brownies from her book, Deceptively Delicious. Allow these brownies to cool completely before eating to avoid tasting the veggies.

Ingredients:

Nonstick cooking spray

3 ounces semisweet or bittersweet chocolate

1/2 cup carrot puree

1/2 cup spinach puree

1/2 cup firmly packed light or dark brown sugar

1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

2 tablespoons trans-fat free soft tub margarine spread

2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

2 large egg whites

3/4 cup oat flour, or all-purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

Directions:

I used a jar of baby food instead of pureeing my own carrots. This is the way I would go, unless you feel like spending 30 minutes cooking carrots.

To puree the spinach:

First, wash it! I don't care what those bags say, there have been plenty of tests done to bagged salad and the stuff is dirty.

Steam over an inch or so of water for 30 seconds (just get your water boiling, pop the spinach on top, and cover). I steamed mine in the same colander I used to wash it.

When it's done, it will have wilted quite a bit.

Add this to your food processor or mini processor. I found the mini to make quick work of the job, minus the lugging around of heavy equipment.

There, spinach is ready.

Now go ahead and prepare your pan by coating with nonstick cooking spray.

Melt your chocolate over a double boiler. I used the same pot I steamed my spinach in. Just place any glass bowl over simmering water, making sure the water doesn't touch the bowl.

Now add your veggies and chocolate to your mixing bowl and stir. Almost looks like Mardi Gras, doesn't it?

To this, add sugar, cocoa powder, margarine, and vanilla.

Mix on medium speed with your whisk attachment (or just use a whisk and go at it) for 1 to 2 minutes, until smooth and creamy.

Whisk in your egg whites.

Sift your flour, baking powder, and salt together.

Add flour mixture to chocolate mixture and stir with a wooden spoon until well combined.

Pour mixture into prepared baking dish and bake at 350 degrees for 30-40 minutes.

Allow to cool, then ENJOY!

The to-the-point version:

Deceptively Delicious Brownies

Ingredients:

Nonstick cooking spray

3 ounces semisweet or bittersweet chocolate

1/2 cup carrot puree

1/2 cup spinach puree

1/2 cup firmly packed light or dark brown sugar

1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

2 tablespoons trans-fat free soft tub margarine spread

2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

2 large egg whites

3/4 cup oat flour, or all-purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

Directions:

1. Heat oven to 350 and prepare baking pan by coating with nonstick cooking spray.

2. Melt chocolate in double boiler over low flame.

3. Add veggies and chocolate to mixing bowl and stir. Now add sugar, cocoa powder, margarine, and vanilla. Mix on medium speed with your whisk attachment (or just hand whisk) for 1 to 2 minutes, until smooth and creamy.

4. Whisk in your egg whites.

5. Sift flour, baking powder, and salt together. Add to chocolate mixture and mix with wooden spoon.

6. Pour mixture into prepared baking dish and bake at 350 for 30-40 minutes.

7. Allow to cool, then enjoy!