Dense Chocolate Brownies made with quinoa, sugar-free and in the crock pot!
If you've never tried quinoa in a baked treat you'll be in for a delicious surprise if you venture to make these brownies. The quinoa replaces any flour needed to provide a nice, soft, dense "brownie".
Using your crock pot in the winter season is typical for many busy people. You prepare ahead and come home after a long day to the house filled with home cooked aromas like someone has been slaving at the stove all day. So nice right?!
Using a crock pot in the warmer months is just as smart and equally as helpful. While I am an avid crock pot aficionado, I had never made a brownie or any cake like dessert in the crock before. I always stuck with the practical like, Overnight Cinnamon Crumble French Toast, Crock Pot Sugar Free Fudge, and Crock Pot Chicken Enchilada Soup. You can check out my Crock Pot tab on my Recipe Index for more wonderful recipes.
This brownie recipe has been on my mind and on my list FOREVER! My original recipe which was super popular was Cocoa Baked Quinoa Bars. I adapted slightly for the recipe here and the results are pretty fantastic!
Summer also brings us to vacations. In fact this week I'm in the Poconos of Pennsylvania with my entire family: Parents, 3 brothers, 2 sister in laws and between us and them 9 children! Last year we were in a house on a Lake in New Hampshire. To my surprise it wasn't as scary as I thought it would be, no offense to my family but living all under one roof with so many different personalities can be challenging. The house was beautiful but the living space was a little on the tight side.
Luckily my mom and I found a house in the Poconos with 7 bedrooms so everyone has there own space and it's quite comfortable. The comforts of a home kitchen make for an enjoyable week ahead.
We often make many meals together, every family takes a turn. Today hubby and I are on breakfast and lunch duty. I'm making Egg burritos for everyone then some Cilantro Mayo Free Chicken salad which everyone loved last year. This year I brought along my brown rice fresh skin roll wrappers to place the chicken salad in with some cucumber and carrot sticks and lettuce. New idea, not sure my Italian daddy will enjoy, but that's what I'm making. 🙂
I'm optimistic this week will be an enjoyable family reunion vacation. As long as I can do most of the cooking to keep it pretty healthy, I will be happy and even willing to do it again next summer! 🙂
Brenda's Notes:
- I use Lily's Brand of sugar-free chocolate chips made with stevia found at Whole Foods.
- Here's my stevia conversion chart if you need to exchange liquids for powders. etc.
- To make 3 cups cooked quinoa, use 1 ½ cups dry rinsed quinoa with 3 cups water. Cover and bring to a boil and boil for 12-15 minutes until all water is absorbed.
- Another dessert Quinoa recipe you might like: Mini Chocolate Brownie Bites!
Crock Pot Sugar-Free Chocolate Quinoa Brownies
Ingredients
- 3 cups cooked quinoa
- 2 eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla liquid stevia
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 ¼ cups sugar free chocolate chips
- ⅓ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ⅓ cup flaxseed ground
- ½ cup unsweetened applesauce
- 1 teaspoon pure stevia extract
Sugar-Free Frosting
- ¼ cup heavy cream
- ¼ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1 teaspoon chocolate liquid stevia
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- Combine all ingredients into a food processor and process until complete incorporated.
- Line an 8 quart sized crock pot with parchment paper.
- Spread batter into crock pot.
- Cover and cook on low 4 hours or high 2 hours.
- Lift onto a wire rack to cool before slicing.
- Make frosting by whisking ingredients together and microwave for 20 seconds.
- Taste and add more sweetener if needed.
- Stir well again then top over brownies.
Notes
Nutrition
The Sugar-Free Mom Cookbook has been Released!! Hitting shelves in days and Amazon is selling it at a discount right now!
About Brenda
Brenda Bennett is a certified Nutritional Therapy Practitioner, certified Sugar Detox Coach, certified Keto Coach and certified Life Coach. She has been Sugar Free & Refined carb free for 17 years and has written 2 cookbooks, Sugar-Free Mom, and Naturally Keto and her 3rd book The 30-Day Sugar Elimination Diet, is a four part program to help you detox from sugar, eliminate cravings, balance blood sugar and lose weight all while eating a delicious, nutrient dense whole foods. Meal plan offers two tracks to follow, low carb or keto. She is the founder of the Sugar Free Fresh Start course and Sugar Free Tribe weight loss membership. Learn more.
Mary-Ann
Brenda,
This recipe looks amazing. I have all the ingredients and I was planning to make it today. Then I realized that I have a 3.5 quart (casserole type) crock pot. I don’t know how to use this recipe for this size and type crock pot. Can you help? Perhaps the recipe won’t work for this style crock pot? I look forward to you responding. Thank you.
Mary Craig
OMg where have you been all my life,i have such a horrible problem with sugar,no,not diabetic ,other issues like addiction,mood swings,depression,one sweet sugarery treat can send me on a sugar bender,then i end up with zits,depression,feelings of self=loathing.if i can have a sugar free treat without going over board and eating the whole thing,I'm in! I can't wait to go shopping all i need is the sugar-free choc chips,i have everything else.
Nancy @ imadethisdish
Hi Brenda! I love any recipes made in crockpots (yes, I am lazy) and love brownies (yes, it's my weakness!). You have combined two of the best worlds into one for us righ there. Thanks Brenda! 🙂
Plus it's sugar-free? ---> OMG I can't ask for more!
claudia ellis
do you have to whip the heavy whipping cream with the cocoa powder or just whisk together and microcwave?
Care Bear
I made these and they were phenomenal! I've been on a gluten/dairy/sugar-free diet for a couple months now due to candida and now that I am coming out of the woods decided to make these. I love chocolate so I loved them. However, I've just wrapped them in tin foil and left them out and been eating a little each day. Since it's quinoa, should it be refrigerated?
Brenda
I do think they should be kept refrigerated. Happy you liked them!
Michelle
At what temp. would you cook this in the oven? I have all the ingredients but no parchment paper. I'm not sure foil or wax p paper would work and they will be impossible to get out without anything.
Melissa
What size crock pot did you use? I have one of the standard round ones, not one of those large ovals. Do you think it would still work? Also, what would recommend if you wanted to bake them in the oven?
Thanks
Brenda
I'm out of town right now, but I believe it's a 6 quart oval, but I think a round would still work. I've not tried it in the oven but if I were to guess I'd said they would need at least 40 minutes if not more until center is clean on a toothpick.
Kellie @ The Suburban Soapbox
Love your dessert recipes! I'm trying to cut back on sugar so this is perfect!
Nutmeg Nanny
Gah I had no idea you could make brownies in a slow cooker!
Aly ~ Cooking In Stilettos
I have to say I don't think I've ever used my slow cooker to make dessert - clearly I need to change that ASAP! Love that you have a bit of quinoa in there 🙂
Colleen (Souffle Bombay)
Trying to wrap my head around this...so creative - they look delicious!!
Rose | The Clean Dish
Wait - what?! You made these in a crock pot?!
I'm completely gobsmacked! I had no idea this would work. We're still without crock pot but I think it's really time we invest in a new one. This will be my first adventure, for sure -- chocolate quinoa brownies sound AMAZING 🙂
Brenda
Thanks Rose!
Coleen @ The Redhead Baker
Wow! I had no idea you could make desserts in the crockpot. And these look way too indulgent to be healthy!
Ashley @ Wishes & Dishes
I had no idea that you could make brownies in the crock pot and have them look this amazing!
Ginny McMeans
Okay, I gotta try this. Sounds delicious!
Amanda @the_kitcheneer
Yum! I love the idea of substituting quinoa for flour in brownies! I sometimes use black beans as a substitute sometimes! These sound so good!
Crystal Barrett
I LOVE things from a crock pot...and I would REALLY love these brownies!!! Oh my I am drooling over here! Just look at that icing and that moist chocolate brownie....MMMMMMM
Rebecca {foodie with family}
I wonder if I could sneak quinoa past the lips of my hold outs here with these brownies?!?
Carolyn
How do you lift the brownies out of the crock pot without breaking them?
Brenda
Using the parchment paper and having extra hanging over each end.
Ricki
Okay, so I don't have a crockpot. . . but I might just have to buy one to make these! LOL! They look amazing, Brenda. 🙂
Brenda
Thanks so much Ricki!
Librarian Lavender
What a fun recipe! And a great way to make the brownies a bit lighter, I love it!
Brenda
Thanks!