PS: Vegan Street Holiday Brownies

Vegan Street:  Marla Rose
Makes:  8 x 8 pan, 9 large or 16 small brownies.
Prep Time: 25 minutes
Cook Time: 35 minutes
Total Time:  1 hour

INGREDIENTS

• 1 T ground flax seed
• 3  T chickpea aquafaba (juice in can)
• ½ c pure maple syrup
• ¼ c brown rice syrup
• 1 ¼ c gluten-free all-purpose flour blend or regular flour
• ½ c Fair Trade cocoa powder
• 2 t baking soda
• 1/8 t salt
• 3/4 c sweet potato purée 
• 1 T pure vanilla extract
• ¼ t peppermint extract
• ½ c, plus two T Fair Trade non dairy chocolate chips, divided
• 1 - 2 full size, vegan candy canes (not a mini and not a giant one), crushed

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Line a 8-X-8 baking pan with parchment paper or lightly grease. 
2. In a cup, mix together the flax and aquafaba with a small whisk or fork. Allow to sit for 15 minutes in the fridge. 
3. In a small saucepan, heat together the maple syrup and brown rice syrup over low heat until integrated and more liquid-y. 
4. In a medium bowl, combine all your dry ingredients – the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda and salt. In another bowl, mix together the syrups, extract, flax mix and sweet potato purée. Pour the wet into the dry ingredients; fold in ½ c of the non-dairy chocolate chips. (If the syrup is still warm, this will melt the non-dairy chocolate chips, which is fine.)
5. Mix together until you have a smooth, thick batter. Spoon into your prepared pan and top with reserved non-dairy chocolate chips.
6. Bake for 20 minutes. Turn down to 180 degrees and bake for five minutes. Sprinkle the crushed candy canes and bake 10 more minutes. Allow to cool. 

Marla Rose and John Beske hatched the idea for the original VeganStreet.com in 1997.  Vegan Street conveyed the sense of community and spirit of optimism they felt about compassionate living. Through combining their convictions about veganism with their passions for writing, communications and the arts, they began to carve out their perfect vehicle to express it with -- VeganStreet.com.