The Best Vegan Brownies

This comes from Joanne Stepaniak's Vegan Vittles

1/4 cup lite silken tofu (firm), crumbled
1/2 cup water
1/2 cup pure maple syrup
1/2 cup unsweetened, roasted carob powder or unsweetened cocoa powder
2 Tablespoons canola oil
1 Tablespoon vanilla extract
1 1/4 cups whole wheat pastry flour
1 cup unbleached cane sugar
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon (optional)
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 to 1 cup chopped walnuts (depending on how nutty you like your brownies)

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Farenheit. Mist an 8-inch x 8-inch x 2-inch glass baking pan with non-stick cooking spray and set it aside.
2. Place the tofu, water, maple syrup, carob or cocoa powder, oil, and vanilla extract in a blender, and process until completely smooth.
3. Place the remaining ingredients, except the walnuts in a medium mixing bowl, and stir them together until they are well combined.
4. Pour the blended mixture (from step #2) into the dry ingredients in the mixing bowl, and stir them until they are well combined. Fold in the walnuts.
5. Pour the batter into the prepared baking pan. Bake on the center rack of the oven for 40 minutes, or until a cake tester inserted in the center comes out clean.
6. Cool the brownies in the pan. Cut and serve.

Makes 12-16 brownies