Anti-Inflammatory Sweet Potato Tahini Brownies (Paleo & Vegan)

If you haven’t tried tahini in a dessert recipe, then you’re seriously missing out. The first time I tried tahini in sweet and savory recipe was in Costa Rica. The tahini cookies the local restaurant made were out of this world delicious. So I naturally wondered what a sweet potato tahini brownie would taste like. The result? Incredible.

Now, you’re probably thinking that tahini in a brownie (or even cookie for that matter) would taste a little weird. And this is totally normal to assume. But tahini creates a super rich, decadent brownie, while the sweet potato makes it incredibly moist and fall-apart-in-your-mouth delicious.

Sweet potato tahini brownies are going to become a staple in your home after this recipe!

What Makes This Recipe So Healthy?

The ingredients in these sweet potato tahini brownies are loaded with anti-inflammatory compounds that help combat disease, as well as aches and pains in the body.

Let’s start with sweet potatoes.

Sweet Potatoes

Sweet potatoes are loaded with antioxidants like beta-carotene, chlorogenic acid and coumarins. Beta-carotene is transformed into vitamin A in the body, which is necessary for good eye health. Vitamin A also helps form and maintain healthy teeth, skeletal and soft tissue, mucus membranes and skin (1).

Sweet potato is also a rich source of different vitamins and minerals that possess powerful anti-inflammatory properties. They have a high concentration of choline, whose main benefit is reducing inflammatory responses in the body (2). Studies on animal models have shown that choline is effective in therapeutically restraining chronic inflammation in the body (3).

Among the many vitamins and minerals in sweet potato, magnesium is one of them. Sweet potatoes contain a high concentration of magnesium, which is essential for normal body function (4). A major function of magnesium in the body is helping reduce stress and anxiety (5). Most people are deficient in magnesium, which has led to a huge spike in depression, anxiety and stress among society. Eating more sweet potato (or foods like this sweet potato tahini brownie recipe) can help increase magnesium levels in the body, and ensure more happy, stable moods.

Sesame Tahini

While the addition of tahini in this recipe creates incredibly rich, delicious brownies, it also has some pretty special benefits for the body. Tahini is made from sesame seeds, which are rich in minerals like phosphorus, magnesium, potassium, calcium and iron. It is particularly high in calcium, and happens to be one of the best plant-based sources of calcium out there!

Sesame seeds are also a good source of vitamin’s E, B1, B2, B3, B5 and B15. B vitamins are essential for regulating metabolic processes in the body, as well as dealing with stress. They keep our nerves healthy and help boost the immune system.

The iron in tahini has the ability to prevent iron-deficiency anemia, a condition characterized by low red blood cell counts, iron deficiency, and fatigue.

Cacao Powder

Cacao (don’t mistaken with cocoa), is another excellent source of magnesium, as well as a plethora of immune-boosting antioxidants. Cacao actually has 40 times the amount of antioxidants that blueberries have, and for that reason, makes it an amazing food for scavenging disease-causing free radicals in the body.

Iron is also majorly abundant in cacao, so it acts as an excellent blood-building food that can help eliminate anemic symptoms.

Cacao also contains two mood-enhancing molecules called phenylethylamine (PEA) and anandamide. PEA is a chemical our body naturally produces when we’re excited, giving us strong focus and awareness on the task at hand (6). Anandamide, on the other hand, is also known as “the bliss molecule,” which got its name due to its similar molecule shape to THC, the active ingredient in cannabis.

It can’t get much better than a delicious treat that fights disease, too! If that doesn’t make you want to eat these sweet potato tahini brownies, I don’t know what will!

Sweet Potato Tahini Brownies (Paleo, Vegan, Nut-Free)

Ingredients:

– 2/3 cup cooked, mashed sweet potato (about one large sweet potato)
– 1/3 cup sesame tahini
– 1/2 cup coconut sugar
– 2 flax eggs*
– 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
– 3/4 cup almond flour
– 1/4 cup coconut flour
– 1/4 cup raw cacao powder
– 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
– 1/4 teaspoon salt

*To make a flax egg, mix 1 tbsp. flaxseed meal with 2.5 tablespoons of water, and mix. Let stand 5 minutes before using. For this recipe you will need 2 tbsp. flaxseed meal in 5 tablespoons of water.

Method:

1. Preheat your oven to 350ºF and line a small brownie pan with parchment paper on the bottom, and rub coconut oil on the sides.
2. Using a hand mixer and a bowl, or food processor, mix the sweet potato, tahini and coconut sugar. Add in the flax eggs and vanilla, and mix until well combined.
3. Add all of the remaining ingredients, and whisk by hand until well mixed.
4. Spoon the mixture into the baking pan, and bake for about 20-25 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean.
5. Let cool completely before cutting and consuming!
6. Store in the refrigerator for up to 1 week, or freeze in a freezer bag.