Coconut Brownies
Ingredients:
¼ cup extra-light olive oil, vegetable oil, or Earth Balance shortening
1 cup white sugar
2 eggs
1½ teaspoons real vanilla extract
¾ cup all-purpose flour
¼ cup unsweetened cocoa
¼ teaspoon salt
½ cup flaked coconut
¼ to ½ cup semi-sweet or dark chocolate chips
1 Tablespoon sugar (optional)
¼ cup chopped walnuts (optional)
Directions:
Grease a 8x8 inch baking pan. Combine oil or shortening, sugar, and vanilla
in a mixing bowl. Beat in eggs. Add flour, cocoa, and salt. Stir until
combined. Stir in coconut. Spread batter in the prepared pan. Sprinkle
the remaining ingredients over the top. Bake at 350 degrees for 25 to 35
minutes. Let cool for 10 to 15 minutes before removing them from the pan.
Variations:
For a gluten-free alternative, any combination of brown and white rice flour
may be used in place of the all-purpose flour.
For a healthier alternative, replace some or all of the flour with whole
wheat flour.
Replace some or all of the coconut with up to two heaping Tablespoons of
peanut butter.