Chia Almond Brownies

This is a variation on my grandma's brownie recipe, which I love, and have already posted, but when I made this variation of the recipe it tasted totally different. The brownies these reminded me most of are the brownies we sometimes by at Exki in Belgium. They are everything a brownie should be, and the chia seeds add a delightful crunch.

Chia Almond Brownies

Ingredients:

• 2 oz semi-sweet chocolate chips (about 1/4 cup)
• 1-2 tbsp cocoa powder
• 1/2 cup butter
• 2 eggs
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 1/4 cup ground almonds
• 1/4 cup whole wheat flour
• 2 tbsp chia seeds
• Pinch salt

Directions:

1. Melt chocolate with butter over very low heat. Beat the eggs until creamy, adding the sugar gradually. Continue beating until fluffy. Stir in the butter and chocolate mixture, and the vanilla. Sift the almonds, flour, cocoa powder, seeds, and salt together, then stir into the batter until just until blended (do not over-beat).  Pour a rather thin layer into a shallow pan lined with parchment paper. 
2. Bake at 350-degrees F for 20-30 min. Do not overbake, as this will make brownies dry. Make sure the batter sticks to the toothpick, but is not runny. 
3. Makes one 8 “x 8” x 2” pan; double the recipe for a 9 by 13 inch pan.