When I set out to make these brownies, they were at the request of my trainer and friend, Vanessa (check her out…Bachata and Barbells). She wanted some recipes that could satisfy her sweet tooth, without completely voiding her daily workouts. I should warn you, while they are healthier…I still wouldn’t recommend sitting down and housing the entire batch.
I’ve made black bean brownies before these completely blow all the others out of the water. Wow! This recipe is so good that I had to make a second batch. I will be honest, the second batch was necessary because I ate too many (I brought a few to Vanessa) and no longer had enough to bring to work and allow for everyone to have seconds (and I knew that they would all WANT seconds). Now, the obvious perk is that they are of course, a healthier alternative to regular brownies. Another perk – they’re easy to make!
I love recipes in which the time required is minimal and all you do is throw the ingredients into a food processor, blend, and pop in the oven. This recipe, is just that. It is that easy. That quick. If you have a dishwasher, the clean up is that simple too.
I will list the entire recipe and portions below. I modified a recipe I found on Chocolate Covered Katie. I didn’t change much but what I did change, you would never know. The base of the recipe is 1 can of black beans (rinsed and drained). I use a colander to ensure that the bean juice is fully rinsed and of course drained. Tip: Don’t try and get fancy and swoosh around the beans – it makes a mess. Whoops!
After blending the beans alone in the food processor, add oats, unsweetened cocoa powder, salt, vanilla extract, coconut oil (I modified from vegetable oil), baking powder, pure maple syrup (or agave nectar), organic coconut sugar (recipes uses regular sugar). You will also need chocolate chips to fold in after everything is blended together. I used organic dairy free chocolate chips. I also folded in walnuts to add more texture and crunch. YUM. Fair warning, the batter is just as delicious as the brownies. Once you have blended the ingredients and have folded in the chocolate chips (and walnuts, if you so choose), spread the batter into a greased 8×8 pan. The first batch I used a 10×10 pan and the brownies were thinner than I would have expected. The second batch, I followed directions and they were a better thickness. Make sure it is evenly spread throughout the pan so that all your brownies are the same size (another whoopsie from the first batch).
Stick it in the oven at 350F and let cook for 15-18 minutes. I cooked on the lower end to make sure I didn’t dry out or burn the brownies. Once it passes the toothpick test (the toothpick comes out clean), you know your brownies are good to go. Let them cool fully before cutting into them. If once you cut, you find they are too gooey inside, you can pop them in the fridge over night and they will firm up to the right consistency.
These are so yummy, I will warn you to be careful not to eat them all (or too many) in one sitting. They taste just like regular brownies but are packed full of healthy ingredients. I challenge anyone to detect the black beans in these heavenly brownies.
Recipe
Preheat oven to 350F. Mix ingredients in food processor. Bake for 15-18 minutes.
- 1 15 oz can of black beans (drained and rinsed very well)
- 2 tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1/2 cup quick oats
- 1/4 tsp sea salt
- 1/3 cup pure maple syrup (can use agave or honey)
- 2 tbsp coconut sugar (or omit and increase maple syrup to 1/2 cup)
- 1/4 cup coconut or vegetable oil
- 2 tsp pure vanilla extract
- 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 cup to 2/3 cup chocolate chips
- Sprinkle more chocolate chips on top
Recipe Link: http://chocolatecoveredkatie.com/2012/09/06/no-flour-black-bean-brownies/