Adapted from Cook Republic's Chocolate and Assam Tea Prune Brownies, these little alcohol-infused chocolate treats were just the kick I needed in between my structural mechanics study sessions!

Though slightly higher in carbs than your normal fudgey brownie, the addition of Kahlua adds a nice, aromatic touch to these mini cupcakes. While I could have simply just used tea-soaked prunes, as the original recipe did, I recalled Cooking with Dog's Rum Raisin Truffle recipe and thought, "Why not give this a try with Kahlua-soaked prunes?". And that's exactly what I did (while adding a few raisins to the mix).

Opting for the low fat alternative, I also switched out the butter for mashed avocado.

(Recipe adapted from Cook Republic; measurements were converted from English to metric units)

Ingredients
- 3 prunes
- 1 tbsp raisins
- 4-5 tbsp Kahlua
- 1.8 tbsp plain flour *
- 1/3 cup cocoa powder
- 1/4 avocado, mashed
- 1 tsp baking powder
- pinch of salt
- 6 tbsp semi-sweet chocolate chips *
- 2 eggs
- 1 tbsp granulated sugar
- 6 tbsp no sugar added syrup
- 7 tbsp plain nonfat yogurt *
 
Directions:
1) Place prunes and raisins in a small bowl. Pour Kahlua into the bowl until it is 2/3 full. Let soak overnight.
2) Preheat the oven to 325 F. Line cupcake tin with paper liners, or use silicon baking cups.
3) Separate the eggs and place the egg whites in the freezer while preparing the other ingredients. Beat egg yolks and set aside.
4) Sift the flour, cocoa powder, and baking soda together.
5) Place avocado, chocolate chips, and sugar in a large bowl, and sit over a hot water bath. Allow chocolate chips to melt completely. Add in beaten egg, stirring constantly as the mixture thickens.
6) Remove mixture from heat and allow to cool slightly. Pour into food processor.
7) Add prunes and raisins to the food processor. Pour in remaining Kahlua. Process until smooth and transfer to a large bowl.
8) Remove egg whites from freezer and beat until soft peaks form.
9) Incorporate meringue in four portions and combine until just mixed.
10) Spoon mixture into mini cupcake lines and bake for 45 - 50 minutes.
11) Allow to cool completely before removing from tin. Enjoy!

Makes 12 mini brownie cupcakes.

Notes
- To make this recipe vegan, opt for dairy-free chocolate chips and substitute a soy/almond yogurt for plain nonfat yogurt.
- To make this recipe gluten-free, substitute oat flour or almond flour for the plain flour.
- For a more kid-friendly alternative, soak the prunes in your preferred choice of tea (as in the original recipe) or simply soak them in water.

Nutrition:
(For each mini cupcake)

Calories: 106.9
Fat:  3.1 g
     Saturated: 1.6 g
Cholestrol: 31.1 mg
Sodium: 67.1 mg
Potassium: 75.9 mg
Carbohydrates: 15.9 g
     Fibre:  0.5 g
     Sugars:  12.5 g
Protein:  1.7 g
---
Vitamin A: 1.6%
Vitamin D: 1.7%
Calcium: 3.8%

What happens when you're seriously craving something dense, moist, and somewhat chocolatey during exam period but can't afford to indulge in decadent sweet treats in fear of lowering your immune system to a point where test-taking becomes a strenuous activity?

Well my friends, I make brownies. But not just any brownies! Healthy red velvet brownies that contain absolutely no colour additives since they derive a natural red-pink hue from pureed beets..

And while we're at it, why not just fold in some cream cheese to make them cheesecake brownies ^ ω ^

Ahhhhhh two-bite heaven.

Lastly, let's not forget that they're also low in calorie count, low in fat, gluten free, and pack in an extra dose of fiber through the use of oat flour. Go ahead. Indulge.

Ingredients
- 1 3/4 cup beets, cooked and pureed
- 200 g light cream cheese, softened
- 5/6 cup oat flour *
- 2/3 cup powdered sugar
- 1 1/2 tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1/2 square Baker's Semisweet Chocolate, melted
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/3 tsp coarse sea salt *
- 1/4 tsp baking powder

Directions:
1) Preheat oven to 375 F.
2) If using canned beets, empty the beet juice into a separate container upon opening the tin. Place the beets in a microwaveable bowl, cover, and microwave for 1 1/2 - 2 minutes or until soft. Dice and place in a food processor. Puree until smooth. Alternatively, cook the beets over the stove until soft, let cool, and puree.
3) combine softened cream cheese with beet puree. Mix until smooth.
4) Sift in powdered sugar, cocoa powder, and baking powder. Add in sea salt and melted chocolate. Combine well.
5) Stir in vanilla extract and mix once more.
6) Pour mixture into a greased brownie pan, or one lined with parchment paper.
7) Bake for 16-18 minutes. Let cool for 5 minutes before removing from pan.
8) Move to a cooling rack and let cool completely before placing in refrigerator. Chill for 30 minutes.
9) Slice and enjoy!
Makes 20 servings.

Notes
- I opted for canned beets as opposed to fresh since I find them unnecessarily messy to work with, but the choice is entirely up to you.
- In this recipe, I used PC Blue Menu's Light Cream Cheese to keep the fat content of the brownies to a minimum. However, if you prefer a richer taste, feel free to choose the regular (non-reduced fat) option.
- If you do not have sea salt, use a pinch of normal salt instead.

Nutrition:
(Per serving)

Calories: 66.6
Fat:  2.5 g
     Saturated: 1.2 g
Cholestrol: 0.0 mg
Sodium: 88.8 mg
Potassium: 45.6 mg
Carbohydrates: 9.2 g
     Fibre:  0.8 g
     Sugars:  6.2 g
Protein:  1.8 g

What is one to do when she has a major brownie craving and her dad forgets to bring back low fat two-bite brownies for her when he goes grocery shopping?
The answer is simple: She gets creative and makes her own! =]

Mr. Brownie Pacman is super-easy to whip up, supplies you with a boost of energy, and is vegan to boot!

Excuse my extremely amateur photoshop job - but I honestly thought that this would be the best way of presenting this recipe xD

Ingredients
- 2 tsp unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1/3 tsp matcha powder
- 1/2 tsp coffee granules
- 1 tbsp cake flour
- 1 tbsp mochi/glutinous rice flour
- 3/4 tsp baking soda
- 1 tsp apple cider vinegar
- 1 tbsp granulated sugar*
- 1.5 tbsp half & half cream
- 2 tbsp water
- 3/4 tsp vanilla extract

Directions:
1) Sift powders together and add coffee granules. Mix well.
2) Add in all wet ingredients. Mix until well combined.
3) Pour into greased microwave-safe bowl and microwave for 1 minute. *

Notes
- For this recipe to be fully vegan, switch up the sugar for raw honey or raw cane sugar.
- Cooking time will differ depending on your microwave wattage and make; I used a 1200 W Panasonic one.

Nutrition:
(Based on the ENTIRE recipe)

Total Calories: 152.3
Fat:  3.0 g
Cholestrol: 7.5 mg
Sodium:  1267.9 mg
Carbohydrates: 29.4 g
Fibre:  1.7 g
Sugars:  13.1 g
Protein:  2.6 g