Un"Beet"able Brownies - Brighter Bites

Ingredients

• Beets (roasted, boiled, or canned): Roasted: 3 small-medium beets
• Boiled: 3 small-medium beets, peeled & cubed
• Or canned: 1½ (15oz) cans of beets (no salt added)
• ½ cup sugar
• ⅓ cup canola oil
• ⅓ cup nonfat milk
• 2 eggs
• 4 oz unsweetened applesauce
• 1½ tsp vanilla extract
• 1½ cups whole wheat flour
• 3 Tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1 tsp baking soda
• ¼ tsp salt
• ¾ cup mini semisweet chocolate chips, divided