I am in love with anything sweet and delicious and sometimes it feels impossible to stop myself from eating chocolate. Luckily my mom had a very clever rule when I was growing up... no baked goods in the house unless they were homemade. That way I would have to put in the effort to bake any cookies or brownies before I could eat them. It was really clever and although I sometimes longed for those store-bought cookies when I was younger, I am very grateful for the rule now.

One of the trickiest things about refined sugar is that it makes you crave it more the more you eat. So how are you ever supposed to satisfy that sugar craving?! Well my trick is to bake desserts with some extra protien (I am addicted to peanut butter so this is usually my key ingredient) and mainly natural sweeteners. I've recently discovered sweet potato brownies and it is one of my favourite treats! One or two brownies is plenty of chocolate to satisfy my sugar cravings.The best thing about these brownies is all of the extra health benefits you get from the ingredients!

Peanut Butter – The peanut butter (or other nut butters of choice) adds some protien to these brownies, which is so important for healthy growth and to keep you tummy full and your body energized. Not to mention the delicious combination of chocolate and peanut butter... yummm!

Soup Spoon Blog, flickr creatie commons, CC BY-NC-ND 2.0

Sweet Potatoes – Sweet potatoes are a tuber and they are full of amazing nutrients. One of the best nutrients found in sweet potatoes is an antioxidant known as beta-carotene; without getting into the confusing details, beta-carotene is responsible for increases in Vitamin A in the body! Antioxidants are known to help improve eyesight and the immune system!

That's not the only AMAZING thing about sweet potatoes... Their orange flesh is rich in different vitamins like B6 (which helps blood health), C (which is commony known for preventing the cold), and D (which is great for bone health and decreasing tiredness). Aside from vitamins, sweet potatoes are packed full with minerals like iron and magnesium and electrolytes like pottasium.

Kelly Sikkema on Unsplash

Avocados – Avocados are a part of the delicious icing on these brownies, but don't worry the brownies aren't green! *giggles* Avocados are full of really healthy fats, which are so important for brain health. I know that the taste of chocolate makes me feel good, but what really boosts my mood are the healthy fats I get from the avocados.

Now I am not saying that these brownies give you all the nutrients you need for the day, but they surely have a lot more to boast about than your average chocolate bar or lollipop!

References

Cook, Michelle Schoffro. “9 Health Benefits of Sweet Potatoes.” Care2 Healthy Living, www.care2.com/greenliving/9-reasons-to-love-sweet-potatoes.html.

Visit our Sneaky–Nutrient Recipes section to find the full recipe for Sweet Potato Brownies.