Look Who’s Taking the GroundUp Brownie Baking Challenge!

Recipes for brownies started making their way into cookbooks in the early 20th century and quickly this chocolatey square found its way into bake sales and party platters. This delightful dessert is fudgy chewy squares of luscious decadence that are surprisingly easy to make. Whether packed into a lunch, picnic or enjoyed with an espresso at your favourite Italian cafe, a moist chocolate brownie really hits the sweet spot.

Over the last two months, we have introduced you to GroundUp Eco-Ventures, an Alberta-based company founded by Shawn Leggett, that lives and bakes sustainability through upcycling barista (coffee grounds) and brewery waste (barley) into nutritious super-flours. One of their most popular product is a protein-packed vegan brownie mix that ships country-wide and bakes up into a rich flavourful dessert that is sure to be loved by the whole family.

GroundUp Brownie Baking Challenge

This month, GroundUp has challenged three Vancouver-based influencers to create their own spin on traditional brownies using the Born Again Protein Brownie Mix. Each of the chosen influencers is environmentally minded, climate-conscious, and up for any challenge that results in delicious plant-based treats!

Each will be provided with a bag of the proprietary mixture that includes both super flours that make for a chocolatey nutty brownie that is delicious and nutritious. This mix is loaded with fibre and protein, creating brownies that will fuel your body and satisfy your sweet tooth at the same time! Perfect for when you want something sweet in the afternoon, but may not have a lot of time to whip it up from scratch.

Meet Our Influencers

Karisma Collins / @karismacollins

Q: Who are you and why is sustainability important to you?

My name is Karisma Collins, I am a social media influencer with over 1.5 million followers across my socials. I also own a luxury, sustainable clothing company called Ephina Co. Sustainability is important to me because we only have one planet to live on and we have to take care of it so it can take care of us!

Q: Why are you excited to try the GroundUp Brownie Baking challenge? 

I am just really excited to try this product! It is super unique- I had never heard of upcycled flour before. This is a very unique concept that I look forward to learning more about, and hopefully incorporating into my diet!

Jorge Ramos / @iamjorgeramos

Q: Who are you and why is sustainability important to you?

My name is Jorge Ramos. I am based in Canada and have now been in the international model management business for 15 years. Prior to that, I worked locally and internationally as a Session Stylist and TV Host (Vancouver television – Shaw Network). Having seen the effects of the fashion manufacturing business on the environment, I feel that I have to help open the dialogue on how we can reuse, recycle, reduce, and repurpose. The fashion industry is a huge contributor as the second biggest polluter right behind oil companies. The rise of fast fashion has also had a huge impact, leading to more and more people buying clothes only to throw them away after one season. If we are going to have a future on this earth then we have to act today!

Q: Why are you excited to try the GroundUp Brownie Baking challenge? 

I am excited because I am all about eating clean, and healthier and know that plant-based is the way of the future. Maintaining livestock and other non-vegan farming practices is another contributing factor to the world’s carbon footprint, and since learning this I have switched how I consume food. I am very proactive in buying seasonal fruits and veggies from farmer’s markets so as to support local businesses.

Louis Li / @louisli_fitness

Q: Who are you and why is sustainability important to you?

I enjoy a wide array of sports and fitness and the great outdoors, especially exploring nature through hiking and backpacking. I am part of the fitness and bodybuilding community, and have been training and competing now for a few years. I enjoy motivating others in maintaining a healthy lifestyle and helping people work toward their own personal fitness goals. Sustainability is important to me because I am someone who loves being outdoors. Living in BC for my entire life, I have experienced a small glimpse of the incredible forests and mountains we have at our local trails. I believe that healthy food can also be delicious and eating plant-based can help preserve the earth we live on.

Q: Why are you excited to try the GroundUp Brownie Baking challenge? 

The reason why I chose to partner with GroundUp is that I have seen the impacts of the unsustainable culture created by our society today. By doing this challenge with EcoLuxLifestyle and GroundUp, I hope to inspire those around me to believe that sustainability is possible with something as simple and delicious as brownies.

 

This is the third of a four-part series on the Alberta-based GroundUp EcoVentures founded and operated by Shawn Leggett. In two weeks, watch for the results of our GroundUp Brownie Baking Challenge!