Add the chocolate chips to a small sauce pan and heat over medium low. When the chips begin to melt on the bottom, slowly stir with a spoon until chips are completely melted. Although this may take a couple of minutes, I prefer melting chocolate over the stove as opposed to the microwave to ensure it does not overcook or get burned. Set melted chocolate aside.

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees.

Add all ingredients (except chocolate) to a blender and blend until completely smooth.

Add the melted chocolate and blend until combined. The batter will be very thick – this is marvelous.

Line an 8” x 8” baking dish with parchment paper (or lightly oil it with olive/grapeseed oil). Pour the brownie batter into the parchment-lined dish and smooth with a knife. The batter will not change form very much (it won’t rise much or spread out), so make sure it appears the way you want it to.

Bake brownies for 28 to 30 minutes (28 was the magic number for me) and test the center with a toothpick to be sure they’re cooked all the way through.

Allow brownies to cool a few minutes then pull the edges of the parchment paper to remove the whole brownie block and set it on a cutting board. Use a sharp knife to cut brownies and garnish with powdered sugar if desired.

Serve fresh out of the oven and refrigerate any leftovers