Dark Chocolate Cherry Beet Brownies

Ingredients

• 2 small beets (should yield ½ cup once pureed)
• 1 cup brown or coconut sugar
• 3 eggs
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• ½ cup coconut oil or butter
• 200 gr dark chocolate (2 bars 70% cocoa)
• 3/4 cup any flour, gluten free, spelt, wheat ( I used coconut flour)
• 1 heaping teaspoon baking powder
• 1/4 tsp salt and ¼ tsp ground cinnamon
• 1 cup cherries pitted, fresh or frozen and thawed, coarsely chopped
• For icing - ½ cup icing sugar and 1 tablespoon beetroot juice (optional)

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees, grease an 8 inch square pan or put liners in a mini muffin pan.   
Steam beets for about 15 minutes, then strain beets and reserve 1 tablespoon of liquid and set the liquid aside for the icing. 
Let beets cool, blend to a puree and set aside.  (cooked beets are available at some grocers in the produce dept.)
Chop the chocolate and put in heatproof bowl with coconut oil.  Set over a saucepan of simmering water, stir until melted.  Remove bowl for saucepan and cool for 5 minutes.
Beat eggs and sugar and add vanilla.
In large bowl, mix flour & other dry ingredients, set aside.  Mix wet ingredients with the melted chocolate, stir in the beets, fold in flour mixture, and the cherries, pour into prepared pan.  Baked for 25 min for pan, about 12 min for the mini`s.  Allow to cool slightly.
For icing - Mix beet juice and icing sugar to a runny consistency.  Drizzle and enjoy.

Notes

Good things about this recipe:

• Beets: loaded in vitamins & minerals, benefits heart health, brain acuity, eye sight, colon health
• Cherries: reduces arthritic pain, relieves  gout, anti-inflammatory; anti-aging,  good for heart health, & promotes good sleep
• Dark Chocolate: promotes good mood, benefits heart health & a source of magnesium, antioxidant