Blissful Brownies

I had been looking for a "made-from-scratch" recipe that really tasted homemade. I found several that tasted like a box mix and that just wasn't what I was after. This recipe is healthy (for brownies) and has the homemade yummy goodness.

You need:
EITHER 4 squares of unsweetened baking chocolate OR 3/4 c. cocoa and 1/4 c. oil
1/3 c. canola oil
1/3 c. unsweetened applesauce
1 tsp. vanilla
2 c. sugar
4 eggs OR 8 egg whites
1 c. flour (I used whole wheat)
1/2 c. pecans (optional)

Preheat the oven to 350. Line a 13x9 pan with foil, with the ends of the foil extending over the short sides of the pan and grease.

Microwave the chocolate on high for 1 min. and stir until smooth OR stir together the cocoa and oil until smooth. Add oil, applesauce, and vanilla. Mix well. Stir in sugar. Add eggs OR egg whites. Stir until well blended. Add flour and pecans. Mix well. Spread batter into prepared pan.

Bake 25 minutes or until brownies pull away from sides of pan. Cool completely. Lift brownies from pan using foil handles. Cut into 24 brownies (ideally).

Thanks Kraft!! I modified their recipe a bit. (Food & Family, Winter 2007, pg. 53)