Beauty and the Beast (No Butter) Brownies

I love to cook low cost healthy for my friends and husband. These brownies are made with oil instead of butter making them a little cheaper on the pocket book. I also mix in some of our favorite tasty bits such as dried cranberries, sunflower seeds, dried marshmallows or bits of chocolate. Whatever is in my cupboard.

- 1/2 cup of Vegetable oil
- 1/2 cup of Flour
- 1 cup of White sugar
- 2 Eggs
- 1 tsp Vanilla
- 1/3 cup Cocoa
- 1/4 tsp Baking powder
- 1/4 tsp Kosher salt
- 1 Tbsp Flax seeds (optional)
- 2/3 cup Mix-ins such as nuts, dried cranberries, coconut, sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds, dried marshmallows. You can use only one choice or several, it’s up to you what you want in your brownies.

1. Preheat oven to 350*F
2. Using a medium size bowl, add the oil and sugar.
3. Stir until well blended.

1. Using a small bowl, crack the eggs into the bowl.
2. Using a fork, lightly beat the eggs until they are mixed together and a light yellow colour.
3. Add the vanilla to the eggs and stir.

1. Add the egg mixture to the sugar mixture.
2. Stir until well mixed. Set aside.

1. You will need to use a large bowl for this section.
2. Using your sifter, place it over top of the bowl and pour your flour into the sifter. Carefully shake the flour side to side.
3. Once the flour is sifted, do the same to the cocoa.
4. Add the Baking Powder, Kosher salt and Flax seeds (if using) to the remaining dry ingredients.
5. Stir until blended.

1. Add the wet ingredients to you large bowl of dry ingredients.
2. Stir all together.
3. Add your mix-ins and stir.

1. Use some margarine (I always have some wrapped up in a small bag that I use to grease baking pans which I keep in the fridge) to grease your pan. Don’t forget your corners!
2. Using a little bit of flour, shake it around your pan until the flour covers the sides and bottom.
3. Either over a sink or a garbage bin, tip your flour covered pan upside down and tap the bottom of your pan with your hand, getting rid of the excess flour.
4. Once your pan is ready you can pour your brownie mixture into your prepared pan.

1. Once your oven is heated to 350*F
2, Carefully open the oven door and place your brownies on the top/ middle rack in your oven.
3. Set a timer for 25-30 minutes., depending on your oven and where you live in the world.

1. When your timer goes off, carefully open the oven door and take your tray of brownies out using oven gloves.
2. To test to see if the brownies are cooked, insert a toothpick or wood skewer in the middle of the baked treat. If dough or crumbs come out onto the tooth pick/skewer, your brownies are not cooked and may need a couple more minutes. Your tooth pick/skewer needs to come out clean to ensure that your brownies are cooked.
3. Place the hot brownies on the cooling rack.
4. Allow to rest for about five minutes.
5. You can now turn your brownies out of the tin.
6. Place the cooling rack on top of the brownies, holding the brownie tin and rack together flip the pan over allowing the cooling rack to rest on the counter.
7. Your brownies should now be upside down. Slowly remove the pan.
8. Allow brownies to cool completely before flipping back over, using a cutting board; to cut and serve them.
9.I have never tried to freeze these brownies as they are gone before I can freeze them. However, I assumethey would freeze well.