These blondies are some of the best-tasting things I have ever put in my face. I'm a bit sad that the photos don't do them justice.
I used two types of wheatberries (spelt and soft white) to make the flour, each giving a slightly different flavor profile.
I used organic melting chocolate and cacao nibs, giving two aspects of chocolate flavor, one sweet and one bitter.
I used two types of sugar, giving two layers of sweetness--honey and turbinado. The turbinadao also gives a subtle caramel undertone.
The strawberries add a bit of another kind of sweetness and brightness to it. I also lightly salted them to tie the flavor to the chocolate.
And I had walnuts, which blended well with the nuttiness of the flour. The fat in the walnuts and the butter helped give it depth.
My experiments in cooking lately have been to give a "whole tongue" experience, where I play with different types of flavor and different layers.
I liken it to an orchestra, where every instrument works together to make a whole piece of music. The danger is that if you don't do it right, you're just making noise.
And to be fair, I've screwed up a few experiments, but this one really hit. I honestly had a tonguegasm.
Most importantly, while these aren't "health food" in the traditional sense, they offer far more nutritional value than you're typically getting in a "desert" because I use fresh-milled flour and unprocessed ingredients.
Furthermore, because I have the insoluble fiber in the grain, it gives a much more satisfying, satiating sense than, say, a Snickers bar.
I think we have come to think of being on a "diet" as eliminating foods you love. But I"ve lost 60 pounds eating like this. I don't count calories or eliminate food groups. I just make sure whatever I'm eating has nutritional value.
I'm writing a book called the "FOOD Diet" that discusses all this in detail.
These have about 300 calories and all this. I think next time I'll try adding some fermented strawberries to it to take it to another level.
Recipe and nutritional info below.