Fudgy "No-Guilt" Brownies

Let's be real for a moment.  I could sit down and eat an entire pan of brownies.  All. By. Myself.

It is the one and only dessert that I have a weakness for.

You can have the cheesecake.

You can have the pie.

You can have the cookies.

HANDS OFF THE MOTHER *@^#&$% BROWNIES!

With that being said, it was Valentines Day and my heart was open, so I shared.

I shared this lovely pan of fudgy chocolaty brownies with my little family.

I even packed up the last brownie today for my son's lunch.

Oh how I would love to have that little bit of goodness right at this very moment.

What a fool I am!

Fudgy "No-Guilt" Brownies
Yield 12 brownies

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Ingredients:

• 4 oz. bittersweet or semi-sweet chocolate, chopped
• 4 T. unsalted butter, cubed
• 1 T. unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1 t. instant espresso powder
• 1 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce
• 3 egg whites
• 2/3 cup all-purpose unbleached flour
• 1/4 t. kosher salt
• 1/4 t. baking powder
• 1/2 cup chopped walnut, toasted
• Powdered sugar

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 350.  Line inside of an 8-inch baking pan with foil; spray with Pam.
2. Microwave chocolate, butter, cocoa and espresso powder in a large bowl on high setting, stirring every 45 seconds until smooth.  Let cool for a moment.
3. Stir in sugar, applesauce, and egg whites.  Add flour, salt, and baking powder and blend to incorporate.  Fold in walnuts.  Pour batter into prepared pan; bake until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean; about 25 - 30 min.  Cool brownies in pan.  Lift out and peel foil away; dust with powdered sugar.
4. Eat them for yourself, I won't tell!

Adapted from Cuisine Lite

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Servings: 1 brownie

Calories:  156

Total Fat:  11 g

Cholesterol:  10 mg.

Sodium:  75 mg.

Protein:  3g.

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