Raw Vegan Mint Chocolate Maca Fudge Brownie

I have to say this, I am SO ADDICTED to these squares of heaven! They're so delicious and decadent, fudge, chocolate-ey, with the refreshing mint flavour and a hint of sweet-caramel-like taste from the  Organicburst Maca powder.

And I can eat lot's of these because they're good for you! It's mostly made from dates and nuts which provide energy and healthy fats, raw cacao which is super high in antioxidants, and of course, all the health benefits of maca in dessert form, YUM!

A little bit about Maca, for those of you that don't know, it's a superfood that has been used in Peru for over 2000 years for energy and hormonal balance. I personally can feel myself feeling 'awake' after having it, it's like after having a big cup of coffee (except that maca is so much healthier). So I'm glad to find a replacement for my coffee addiction haha! You can read more about the benefits of Maca here. The Organicburst one has a kind of nutty-caramel like flavour that I really enjoy, unlike many other brands that I have tried in the past which tastes bitter and yucky (LOL, I'm not joking).

For the peppermint flavour, I like to use essential oil as the flavour really comes through, unlike when you use extracts. Just a few drops will do though! The stuff is pretty powerful!

Recipe

• 2 c pitted medjool dates (soaked for an hour to soften)
• 1 c walnuts OR hazelnuts
• 1 c rolled oats (or another cup of nuts)
• 1/4 c raw cacao powder (you can use cocoa, but then it wouldn't be raw)
• 1/2 tsp pink himalayan salt (or any coarse salt)
• 2 tsp maca powder 
• 1/4 c coconut oil
• 1/4 c raw cacao powder
• 1/4 c maple syrup
• 2-3 drops peppermint essential oil (you can use 1 tsp extract if you don't have this)

Method

1. In a food processor, process dates, nuts, oats, 1/4 cup cacao powder, salt, and maca until it forms a dough (that sticks together when you press it).
2. Press the dough evenly into a parchment lined container (I used a small square tin), chill in the fridge for an hour.
3. To make the glaze topping, whisk 1/4 cup cacao powder, peppermint oil, coconut oil, and maple syrup until smooth. Pour over the brownie evenly. Chill in the fridge for an hour until set (I highly recommend chilling it overnight for the flavours to fully develop though).
4. Cut into squares, decorate however you want (I sprinkled some matcha powder over mine), enjoy!!!