Whole wheat chocolate yogurt loaf

Reading the description of chocolate yogurt loaf in Debbie Koenig’s Parents Need to Eat Too cookbook I was struck by two ideas: the recipe was inspired by New York City delis (as a former New Yorker I was intrigued) and it’s chocolatey goodness is hypnotic while still being dietlicious.

I’m all for chocolate treats that taste decadent but don’t pack too many calories or fat (think: brownie craving satisfier right here). But I wondered if I could boost the nutrition just a bit. That way I wouldn’t feel too bad adding in some chocolate chips too (hey, we all need more anti-oxidants in our diet and dark chocolate happens to have them, which is why I try to get a little dark chocolate in each day–it’s tough, but I somehow manage).

I figured this recipe with a hefty dose of yogurt would be perfect paired with whole wheat instead of all-purpose flour. I also added a tablespoon of ground flax, 1/4 cup chopped almonds, orange zest, and mini Ghirardelli chocolate chips.

Kid reactions: Well, it’s chocolate, of course they loved it! My teen who has quite the discerning taste buds didn’t like the added orange zest. In her words, “the orange zest brings out the flavor of the whole wheat instead of the chocolate so I’d skip it next time.” If your kids are begging for brownies but you want to try something that might be just a little healthier than your standard recipe, you might consider making this loaf.

Want to see more recipes from Parents Need to Eat Too? Enter the giveaway that’s going on now through next week for a chance to win a free copy.

Recipe

Servings: 9

Prep time: 15 minutes + baking

Ingredients

1 cup whole wheat flour

1/4 cup Dutch process cocoa

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

5 tablespoons butter, softened

3/4 cup sugar

1 egg

1 teaspoon vanilla

1/2 cup plain nonfat yogurt (I used Greek)

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Grease a loaf pan. (I thought two mini pans would work nicely here too).
3. In a small bowl, mix together the dry ingredients, except for the chocolate chips.
4. Beat the butter and sugar together on high speed. Then add in the egg and vanilla.
5. Add half of the dry ingredients into the butter mixture; blend.
6. Add half of the yogurt into the batter; blend.
7. Repeat with the remaining dry ingredients and yogurt. (The batter will be stiff.)
8. Mix in the chocolate chips and chopped nuts, if using.
9. Spread the batter into the pan and cook for 35-40 minutes or until cooked through.