The BEST Nutella Protein Brownies

Ok uhmmmm Nutella. Shall we debate? Is Nutella a healthy option or is it something to avoid like the plague? Should we be angry at the genius team behind the insanely addictive, chocolate lover's cocaine hit? Well let's see. It has hazlenuts which makes it a good source of fat. It has milk solids which makes it a decent source of protein. And last but not least it has (gasp!) refined sugar. Yep it's definitely a treat. But treats in moderation are what make the world go 'round and if you're trying to eliminate every grain of sugar from ever crossing your lips, I wish you the best of luck. My approach? Understand food as fuel, and treat sugar and fat accordingly. Fit it into your daily macros and caloric needs, while ensuring you are getting all the micronutrients and other macros you need to keep your metabolism working at full capacity. And a big cup of helpful soup here... eat your treats and your fats or sugars with PROTEIN. When you add protein, you increase the satiating effect of the nutritionally shallow treat you are eating. In this case I add a heap of protein and the hazlenuts

already offer a great source of fats and trace minerals. Win win for helping you feel full and satisfying a sweet craving in the 3pm slump. And because I'm all kinds of awesome, I'm gonna share my long perfected recipe with you.

3/4 cup NUTELLA (yummmmmmm)

1 whole large egg

1 large egg white

5 tbsp oat flour finely ground

40g chocolate protein powder (my fave is North Coast Naturals)

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F

Mix all ingredients well in a large mixing bowl. No need to use a hand mixer, but doing so is fine.

Line a flat 9" baking pan with parchment paper, cut to size.

Bake on middle rack for approx 15 min, depending on how soft you want your brownies.

Let cool 5 minutes, cut into squares and refrigerate or freeze. They defrost beautifully and I actually quite like them half frozen :)

Enjoy! Food is fuel, there are no "clean" or "dirty" foods. Eat in moderation, keep track of your macros and train hard. The rest will fall into place!

Coach A.