Bake with kids -- Healthy brownie recipe

Make this healthy brownie recipe with your toddler and watch her gobble it up as soon as it is out of the oven!

Everything, even your house chores, can be a learning activity for your child. If you have a toddler and have been reading up on those skill building exercises, you know that pouring, mixing, kneading, etc. are important activities for perfecting motor skills and improve hand-arm strength. I am the kind of parent who likes to keep things real. I would rather take my toddler to a beach instead of getting her to play with kinetic sand. So instead of doing activities like pouring, mixing, kneading, I thought why not make her do something productive. And that is how I came up with this healthy brownie recipe that uses wholewheat flour, honey and applesauce. Get your toddler an apron, get out your baking tools and get, set, go.

Ingredients

• Cooking spray
• Honey -- 2/3 cup
• Unsweetened cocoa powder -- 1/3 cups
• Whole-wheat flour -- 1/2 cup
• Baking powder -- 1/4 teaspoon
• Baking soda -- 1/4 teaspoon
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 large egg, at room temperature
• 3/4 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Preparation

• Preheat the oven to 350 F. Spray an 8-inch square pan with olive oil. Set aside.
• Place the honey in a large glass measuring cup. Microwave on high power until the honey is runny and just bubbling, 45 to 60 seconds. Add the cocoa and stir with a fork until well combined. Let cool to room temperature.
• Meanwhile, in a small bowl, place the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Whisk until well combined.
• In a large bowl, combine the applesauce, oil, egg, and vanilla. Whisk together until well blended. Add the honey-cocoa mixture and whisk until smooth. Add the flour mixture to the liquid mixture and stir until no traces of flour remain. Scrape the batter into the prepared pan.
• Bake until the surface looks dry around the edges of the pan and a toothpick inserted in the centre comes out with moist crumbs clinging to it, about 25 minutes. Do not overbake. Place the pan on a cooling rack and let cool completely before slicing into 16 squares.

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