Dr. Sara’s Hormone Reset Brownies

How can brownies be good for you? Well, these ones are. I included these in my book THE HORMONE RESET DIET because I don’t think that women respond well to a drill sergeant restricting every food. Women like to have their chocolate. And guess what, chocolate resets your cortisol.

My brownies contain sweet potatoes, which are one of the best forms of carbohydrates. Some people can restrict their carbs too much, especially when they are trying to go gluten-free. A study of sweet potatoes in the Journal of Nutrition and Metabolism found that the way in which the root is cooked will affect its glycemic index. Boiling was found to be the optimum cooking method for a lower G.I. The glycemic load in these grain-free brownies can be reduced further by substituting additional xylitol for coconut sugar.

Makes 12 servings

Ingredients

2 medium sweet potatoes
2 eggs
½ cup organic, hardwood- derived xylitol
½ cup coconut sugar
½ cup avocado oil
1–2 tablespoons sorghum flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 cup unsweetened pure cacao powder
For icing:
2 dark chocolate bars, 85 percent pure cacao or higher
¼ cup organic, hardwood- derived xylitol (adjust to taste)

Preparation

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Bring 6 cups water to boil in a large pot.
3. Peel sweet potatoes and cut each into several large pieces. Add to boiling water and cook until tender, approximately 30 minutes.
4. Strain potatoes and mash flesh with a fork in a large bowl.
5. Stir in eggs, xylitol, coconut sugar, avocado oil, sorghum flour, baking powder, and cacao powder.
6. Pour batter into a greased 8 x 8- inch baking dish and bake at 350 degrees for 20 to 25 minutes.
7. Meanwhile, melt chocolate bars in microwave or double boiler.
   Stir xylitol into melted chocolate.
8. Once brownies are baked, remove from oven and pour melted chocolate over top to form a thin, even layer.
9. Allow brownies to cool before serving.