If you have any level of love for food, then you likely recognize the name Julia Child. My earliest memories of Julia stem back to childhood when my parents would mention not only how talented of a cook she was, but also how vibrant of a personality she had.

When I began taking more interest in cooking as an adult, Julia’s recipes would inevitably surface from time to time and I always recognized how incredibly high quality they were, and how she executed them with such professionalism and love. This, I hope, is the way I approach food every time I enter the kitchen.

Julia passed away just two days before her 92nd birthday in 2004, and today would’ve marked her 100th birthday. In commemoration of a chef who brought classic French cooking with her own unique twist to America and beyond, we’re celebrating her the best way we know how: By cooking.

Julia was known for her decadent dishes, including a recipe for her best-ever brownies. While we don’t share the same deep love for butter and sugar as Julia did (which she used quite liberally), we certainly appreciate a fine dessert with a healthy spin. Here we’ve created an equally delicious brownie with a healthier-for-you twist so you can join the birthday celebration, too.

Dark Chocolate Brownies for Julia
vegan friendly | yields 12 small brownies

Ingredients
2 flax eggs (2 Tbsp flaxseed meal + 4 Tbsp water)
1 cup all purpose flour
1/2 cup whole wheat flour
1/2 cup dark chocolate cocoa powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
2 tsp vanilla extract
2 Tbsp coconut or canola oil
1/2 cup semisweet or dark chocolate chips
1/2 agave nectar (or maple syrup)
1/3 cup almond or coconut milk
1/4 cup walnuts (optional)

Method | Preheat oven to 350 degrees and spray oil into a 9×9 pan. Prepare flax eggs by combining flaxseed meal and water in small bowl, stirring and setting aside. In a large bowl, whisk together flours, baking soda, salt and cocoa powder. Bring 1-2 inches of water to a simmer in a small saucepan. Place ceramic bowl over to create a double boiler, and place chocolate chips and oil in and whisk until fully melted. Remove from heat and add flax eggs, milk, vanilla, agave nectar and stir. Add wet to dry ingredients and stir until just combined with a rubber spatula or spoon. Transfer to baking dish and bake for 28-32 minutes – a toothpick should come out clean. Let cool completely before cutting.

These brownies are rich in chocolate flavor, lighter in texture than your average brownie, and studded with plenty of earthy walnuts. Not only that, but they’re also vegan friendly and contain no-added sugar. This is a dessert indulgence you can actually feel good about. Each brownie will only set you back about 165 calories, 6 grams of fat, 25 grams of carbohydrates, 2.5 grams of fiber, 9 grams of sugar, and 3.5 grams of protein.