Wow, this week was brutal. I swear I barely had time to breathe, let alone get anything done. Nothing is on schedule. I am getting up earlier just to get everything done. The one thing I won’t compromise on is making sure I get a workout in. I’ve been getting up some mornings at 3:45am just to make sure I work out. That may sound like a lot for some. But, I have lost 15 pounds so far by using a new exercise regimen and tweaking my diet a bit. Now the last five pounds from my goal will be the hardest. Patience is key here. Make adjustments and wait. I’ll get there, I just need to keep going. Even though my days have become very hectic.

I am starting with a recipe from Sally’s Baking Addiction for Brown Butter Apple Blondies. I picked this recipe because it was interesting and easy. I love brown butter and I love apples. However, the butter makes these to high in calories and fat. I’ll instead make these double apple with applesauce instead.

Here are the original stats:

Here’s what I changed:

• I replaced the sugars with their sweetener equivalents to reduce the sugar.
• I replaced the all purpose flour with almond and coconut flours to reduce the carbs.
• I replaced the butter in the cake with unsweetened applesauce to reduce the fat.
• I replaced the maple syrup with a sugar free variety.
• I reduced the servings from 24 to 16 to make bigger pieces.

Here are the final stats:

Here is the final recipe:

Lower Carb Double Apple Blondies

Makes 16 servings

For the apples

• 2 cups peeled chopped apples (about 2 medium apples)
• 2 Tablespoons sugar free maple syrup
• 1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon

For the blondies

• 1 cup unsweetened applesauce
• 1 3/4 cups almond flour
• 1/2 cup coconut flour
• 1 and 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1 and 2/3 cups packed brown sweetener
• 2 large eggs, at room temperature
• 1 and 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

For the browned butter icing

• 1/4 cup (4 Tbsp; 56g) unsalted butter
• 1 and 1/2 cups (180g) confectioner’s sweetener
• 2 Tablespoons (30ml) coconut milk
• 1/4 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1. Slice the 1/4 cup butter into pieces and place in a light-colored skillet. Melt the butter over medium heat, stirring constantly. Once melted, the butter will begin to foam. Keep stirring. After 5–8 minutes, the butter will begin browning and you’ll notice lightly browned specks begin to form at the bottom of the pan. You will smell a nutty aroma. Once browned, immediately remove from heat, pour into a heat-proof bowl, and set aside until ready to use.
2. Meanwhile, return the pan to the stove. Add the apples, maple syrup, and cinnamon. Stir and cook over medium heat until apples have slightly softened, about 3–5 minutes. Set apples aside.
3. Preheat oven to 350°F (177°C). Line the bottom and sides of a 9×13-inch baking pan with parchment paper, leaving an overhang on the sides to lift the finished blondies out. Set aside.
4. Whisk the flours, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg together in a large bowl.
5. In a medium bowl, whisk applesauce, brown sweetener, eggs, and vanilla extract together. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and stir until combined. Fold in the apples. Batter will be thick.
6. Evenly spread batter into prepared pan. Bake for about 35 minutes or until the top is lightly browned and a toothpick comes out *mostly* clean. Remove from the oven and allow the blondies to cool completely in the pan set on a wire rack.
7. Brown butter icing: Heat the 1/4 cup (4 Tablespoons) of brown butter in the microwave for a few seconds since it has likely solidified by now. Whisk in confectioners’ sweetener, coconut milk, and vanilla extract. If needed, add more confectioners’ sweetener to thicken or more milk to thin out. Drizzle over cooled blondies, then cut into squares.