As many women can attest, there's a certain time of the month where I often find myself craving dark-chocolatey brownies! All of a sudden they just sound so good and become increasingly hard to resist!

Now, I have seen many a brownie recipe beginning with 2 cups of sugar! Unreal. And unnecessary. Mine are sweet and satisfying with only 1/2 a cup of brown sugar, a little maple syrup, and applesauce. Then, I've replaced the oil with avocado. That's right! These bad boys are made with fruit and a vegetable. Yet, they are still moist and fudgy, with an added boost of healthy fats and fiber.

And, the best part- no one will know! Unless you tell them...

I was even able to make the frosting healthier, but it still feels like a creamy treat! Typically, icing is made from butter/shortening and powdered sugar, with little nutritional value. This frosting has lots of peanut butter and only a little oil and sugar.

So, maybe not quite healthy enough to enjoy everyday, but many steps in the right direction...without losing any satisfaction!

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Ingredients in Gluten Free Avocado Brownies

• Avocado
• Applesauce
• Cold Coffee
• Cream or Milk
• Maple Syrup
• Eggs
• Vanilla
• Brown Sugar
• Cocoa Powder
• Baking Powder
• Gluten Free Flour Blend

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Peanut Butter Frosting

• Peanut Butter
• Coconut Oil (or butter)
• Vanilla
• Maple Syrup
• Powdered Sugar
• Milk or Cream

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Benefits of Avocados

Why add avocado to a perfectly good dessert? Most recipes use butter or oil to give brownies a fudgy texture, but avocado can do the same thing, while also adding fiber. And if you are not a big fan of avocado (like me!) this is a great way to experience some of the health benefits, while avoiding the flavor and texture of avocados.

• They are high in monounsaturated fatty acids.
• They have more potassium than bananas.
• They are high in Vitamin K, Folate, Vitamin C, Potassium, and Vitamin E.

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