Trader Joe's Reduced Guilt Fat Free Brownies

So, I got this huge craving for brownies all of a sudden! Luckily, I had a package of Trader Joe's Reduced Guilt Fat Free Brownies waiting patiently in my pantry cupboard to be baked!  I have never tried this package mix before, but I thought it was worth a try--and boy oh boy, am I glad I bought it!  Not only is this SUPER EASY to whip up, it is actually pretty healthy! All you do is add 2/3 cup of non-fat vanilla yogurt to the dry mix and stir until it is smooth and shiny.

The dry mix itself is only 120 calories for 1/12 of the mix or 32 grams worth.  When it's prepared with non-fat vanilla yogurt, it's only 130 calories per serving.  Another interesting thing about these brownies is that they use unbleached enriched malted barley four and wheat flour.  Also, they only use egg whites in the mix, which makes this a truly fat free brownie mix! 

Ok, so I totally cheated...I didn't have non-fat vanilla yogurt on hand, so I just used Greek Style Honey Yogurt instead, and then I added a teaspoon of vanilla extract. (Hey, we're already saving on fat and calories by not having butter, oil or eggs in there, so why not indulge in some good quality yogurt, at least?!) 

At first, the mix seemed like it wasn't going to fully incorporate into the yogurt, but then all of a sudden, it turned into this fudgy, ooey, gooey, thick dark brown brownie batter! I had to use a regular spoon to stir this batter because the spatula just wasn't cutting it! I almost added more yogurt thinking the proportion was off, but then it came together magically! I have never used yogurt with a baking mix before, so this was all new to me!

Ok, ok, so I cheated again...I added some chocolate chips on top to add some extra yumminess to these brownies. (I was afraid they wouldn't be chocolatey enough!)  So, that was an added indulgence on top, so sue me! 

I had to babysit these yummy babies in the 350 degree oven to make sure they didn't over bake.  They ended up taking longer than the package indicated though (22-27 minutes).  Mine took almost 30 minutes to bake until a toothpick came out clean (I always test it with a toothpick because ovens vary so much, and the directions always say "or until a toothpick comes out clean," so that's the best guideline to use rather than just relying on time). 

Here's the finished product!  They aren't rich as 'regular' brownies, but that's certainly ok with me! They definitely hit the c-spot (chocolate spot!) and trick your brain into thinking it's getting something a lot more indulgent than it really is! Plus, you get the added protein and nutrients from the yogurt. And, like I said, since I saved on calories and fat with this Trader Joe's Reduced Guilt Fat Free Brownie mix, I figured it was ok to add some extra layers of flavor by using the Greek style honey yogurt and sprinkling chocolate chips on top. Trust me, these are a craving's buster without the guilt--just like the package says!

OH, and here's the BONUS:

You can make an INDIVIDUAL serving of these brownies in the, get this, MICROWAVE!!! So, literally, if you get a craving for brownies, but you don't want to bake a whole batch, you can just stir 2 Tbsp of this mix with 1 Tbsp of non-fat vanilla yogurt until it's smooth and shiny and microwave it in a microwavable container uncovered on high for 45 seconds. What a neat trick and a quick brownie fix!

If you are sensitive or allergic to dairy, you can also substitute applesauce for the yogurt and add a teaspoon of vanilla extract or any flavor extract you like (almond or whatnot).

Trader Joe's Reduced Guilt Fat Free Brownies are so versatile and now they are going to be "hiding" in my pantry on a regular basis to squelch any brownie cravings that come lurking around our house!