What? No Sugar in Those Brownies?

At the back of an old copy of "What to Eat When You're Expecting" is a collection of recipes. Strange ones. (And don't get excited, I'm not pregnant....)

Many of them substitute apple juice concentrate for the sugar. I have had this book for probably over 10 years and never, ever did I think I would ever try a single recipe in that book.

Lo and behold, I am now trying them.

And apple juice concentrate instead of sugar works - sometimes. I don't think it worked in the raisin oatmeal cookies. They were too dry and crumbly. But it does work nicely as a smoothie sweetener.

Strawberry Banana Smoothie
(makes 1 large serving or 2 small)
* This recipe is listed as Frozen Berry Yogurt, but I adapted it to make smoothies and/or popsicles.

1 ripe banana
1 cup frozen whole strawberries
1 container of plain yogurt
1/4 cup apple juice concentrate

Process in blender, pour into glasses, and enjoy!

Yesterday I tried the Fudge Brownie recipe. It is quite unusual....

1 cup whole wheat flour
1/2 cup wheat germ
2 tsp baking soda
1 1/2 cups apple juice concentrate
1/2 cup butter
6 tbsp cocoa
1/2 cup buttermilk (I used plain yogurt since we happened to have no buttermilk and we were also out of milk at the time)
1 whole egg
2 egg whites
2 tsp vanilla
1/2 cup walnuts (I added chocolate chips instead!!!)

Preheat oven to 350. Combine flour, wheat germ and baking soda. Combine juice concentrate, butter and cocoa in small saucepan. Bring to boil, stirring frequently. Add to dry ingredients and beat till smooth. Add buttermilk, egg, egg whites, and vanilla, beat just till mixed. Fold in nuts. (Here I added a cup of chocolate chips!!!)
Pour batter into greased 13x9. Bake till toothpick comes out clean, about 20 minutes. Cool before cutting.

Then I added sugar.... by frosting them with Easy Fudge Frosting!!

2 1/2 cups powdered sugar
1/4 cup cocoa
1/4 cup butter, softened
1/4 cup boiling water
1 tsp vanilla

Beat all with mixer for 2 minutes. Spread on cooled brownies.

I honestly didn't think anyone in this house would eat those brownies. I told them that they were sweetened with apple juice concentrate instead of sugar. No one minded. I didn't tell them there was wheat flour and wheat germ in them. They probably would have minded if they had known that..... The chocolate chips added some extra chocolate umph, just in case the brownie tasted too wheaty instead of chocolatey. (They do have a different texture, but the chocolate chips and the frosting do a good job of distracting you.) And the frosting, well... at least it's homemade and contains no artifical flavorings, colors, or preservatives!!!