My last post focused on fresh, local, organic, simple, and healthy produce, the kind of food that makes you feel nothin’ but wonderful after finishing a meal. My body craves whole foods; I feel my absolute best after eating a nutrient-rich meal that’s abundant with veggies, veggies, and more veggies. I know this to be true; my body and I have been pals for 23 years now, and I understand what she likes and what keeps her going strong.

And yet.

And yet, once in a while I crave something that is in no way, shape, or form whole. I crave something rich and decadent and – let’s face it – unabashedly unhealthy. Being the chocolate lover I am, more often than not this craving manifests in a lusty desire for some sweet, rich, dark chocolaty treat. Like, perhaps, brownies, possibly the oddest named dessert when you really think about it. So you say brownies, and I’ll say “fudgy, dense, craving-fulfilling squares of delight.” Or maybe “chunks o’ heaven.” ‘Cause that one’s really elegant, y’know?

Anyway, when my craving for fudgy-squares-of-heaven struck about a month or so ago, I turned to my modern-day, lazy-girl equivalent of a recipe file: a Pages document called “Crap I Want To Make,” my repository for links to recipes that catch my fancy. A quick search revealed a promisingly-titled – and appropriately unhealthy – recipe for “The Best Vegan Brownies Ever.” Oh baby.

Retro brownie?

Now, here’s the thing about these brownies. Although you mightn’t be able to tell from that photo, they *looked* a little strange, sort of flat and sandy. But right out of the pan, they satisfied the exact desire I had set out to fulfill – I wanted to recreate that feeling of intense chocolate satisfaction I used to get as a child when my mom made brownies and I ate a piping hot square right out of the oven and was overwhelmed with waves of chocolate bliss. And, dear reader, I felt that joy once more. Unfortunately, it was followed by the aftermath – a heavy, rather disgusting feeling in my stomach, a vague urge to vomit, and the solemn vow that I’d never, ever, ever do that again! …the same set of feelings, of course, I’d experienced every.single.time. I ate brownies as a child. Chocolate overload for the lose!

When I finally recovered from my chocolate coma the next day and tentatively tried a small bite of another brownie, I have to admit that I was disappointed. Once they’d cooled, the magic seemed to disappear – they were chewy and dense, but oddly unsatisfying. Disappointed, I threw the remainders in a container and popped them in the freezer, shoring up for days of a chocolate dearth. And then I promptly forgot about them.

Until a couple of weeks ago when I rediscovered the brownies in my freezer as I rooted around for a snack. With a little trepidation – given the disappointment with my last encounter – I tried a bite of the still mostly-frozen treat. And – by God! – it was magical again! The frozen brownies are ridiculously delicious, chewy and intense and the absolute perfect summertime treat. I’ve savored one every week or so, and now – sadly – there’s only a solitary square left in my freezer. Ah well – so it goes.

Any favorite brownie recipes out there? I think I’ll go for one of those trendy black bean varieties next, because Lord knows I’ve fulfilled my cHoCoLaTe OvErLoAd!1!!!11! quota for at least another month or two, and I could go for a healthier brownie variety until I (inevitably) crave that painfully pleasurable experience yet again. :)