Minty Chocolate Gluten Free Brownies

A super fresh twist on your standard brownie with, wait for it… added health benefits!

First off I love these brownies with or without the addition of mint (so feel free to make them without). But lets talk about the way I transformed these perfect brownies into minty chocolate goodness!

Over the years I have been intrigued by essential oils and their amazing healing properties, delicious aromas, and flavors that pack a refreshing punch! Recently a good friend of mine, Meredith of Be Well Yoga Lifestyle, turned me on to a quality brand of essential oils and once again ignited my interest in these drops of liquid health. So I began to experiment using oils topically, diffusing them into the air, and yes, cooking with them!

So let’s start by defining what essential oils are and how they work. An essential oil is a concentrated extraction from plants, flowers, fruits, seeds, roots, etc. You have come across essential oils in many forms like the amazing aroma you smell from zesting a lemon, chopping herbs and experiencing the fresh scent wafting from your cutting board, and even the minty freshness of your chapstick! Yes, essential oils are everywhere and for good reason; they are super beneficial to your health!

Essential oils can be applied to your skin, inhaled directly from the bottle, diffused with water into the air, used for cleaning, and eaten! All of these ways are very effective in purifying your environment and your body.

In this recipe I used the essential oil: peppermint. Peppermint aids in digestion, promotes a healthy respiratory system, clears breathing, keeps you alert and focused, and cools you down on hot humid days (very helpful as I am adapting to this Texas climate!). It is so versatile and in one word: refreshing!

But before using essential oils in any form, please keep in mind the quality of your oils. Like many things on the market, there are no regulations on essential oils. So even if you buy them from your favorite health food store, they may have synthetic additives even if it says “100% essential oils” (yes I know… so frustrating).

Growing, harvesting, extracting, and distilling oils is an ART not just a science. Through this process you want to make sure your oil is not jeopardized in anyway and also promotes environmentally friendly practices and supportive work environments for the farmers.

If you have questions about the oils you currently have and/or would like a recommendation to my favorite brand please send me an email and I would love to chat further!

Now that you know a little bit more about essential oils it is your turn to experiment!