Happy Friday! Are you ready for the weekend? Are you doing anything fun? Yes and yes, for me! There are only hours till the Lake Tahoe Relay and I have to say, I haven’t looked forward to a race this much in years, regular pre-race nerves aside. This will be the fifth time I have participated in this race, but I’ve missed out on it the past two years. Last year I was physically unable to do it. I was out of shape and dealing with some Achilles issues. Those are behind me and I have been working my butt off to get in shape over the past five months. It’s game time.

I’ve always loved running because it is about pushing yourself to be the best you can be, but when you have a team relying on you, there is even more motivation to perform at the highest level you can. I’m ready to tackle my 10 1/2 mile leg tomorrow and will definitely let you know how it goes. Hopefully well, because I have the Rock Tahoe Half Marathon next weekend. Hello racing season. It is nice to see you again!

With all this hard work and racing, I think I deserve a little treat. What’s a delicious little treat that makes me happy? Chocolate. Duh. Not only are these brownies decadent and delicious, but they are also much healthier than their refined grain and sugar cousins. These brownies won’t make you feel like garbage eating them and are extremely low in sugar and carbs. Enjoy this treat without feeling guilty, just try not to eat the whole pan.

Double-Chocolate Paleo Brownies

Ingredients:

• 1 cup smooth almond butter (no sugar added)
• 1/2 cup full-fat coconut milk (shake well before opening)
• 2 eggs
• 2 teaspoons vanilla
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1/4 cup coconut sugar
• 1 cup Enjoy Life semi-sweet chocolate chips, divided (or some other good quality chocolate chip, dairy is fine if you can tolerate it)
• 1/3 cup chopped walnuts

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350°F.
2. Grease an 8×8 glass baking pan with coconut oil. Set aside.
3. Combine almond butter, coconut milk, eggs, vanilla, and salt. An electric mixer is best for this.
4. Add cocoa powder, sugar, and 2/3 cup chocolate chips. Mix well.
5. Pour into greased pan and top with nuts and leftover chocolate chips.
6. Bake for 30 minutes or until a toothpick can be inserted and comes out clean.
7. Allow to cool before cutting…or at least try to let them cool before you dig in.

So simple and so delicious! What are some of your favorite treats when you have been working extra hard? Let me know in the comments.