Black Bean Brownies
I can hear you thinking, Danielle, you’ve gone one step too far - black beans, in your brownies? Gack!
But wait…I have served these at family gatherings, to diehard foodies, to unsuspecting friends, and even to my 93-year-old father-in-law, who asked for a box of these to take home for later. No one, and I mean NO ONE, has yet to guess my secret ingredient. You truly can’t tell that the base for these brownies is a humble legume.
They are delicious, something like a cross between a brownie and flourless chocolate torte. Given their high cocoa content, they have an intense chocolate flavor, and they are gooey and delightfully moist.
As for health benefits, which is my overarching goal when cooking, they are much lower sugar than a typical brownie, contain no white flour (only oats), are oil-free, and can be made gluten free (if you choose GF oats). They are high in antioxidants from the cocoa, contain soluble fiber for your gut microbes, are high in protein, and are full of fabulous legumes. Best of all, they taste great.
This recipe is based on Chocolate Covered Kate’s recipe, with a few modifications. Thank you, Kate!
Ingredients:
1 can black beans, rinsed
2 heaping TBS unsweetened cocoa powder
½ cup rolled oats ground into flour (or you can buy oat flour)
¼ tsp salt
½ cup maple syrup
2 tsp vanilla
½ tsp baking powder
¼ cup peanut butter
1 cup bittersweet or semi-sweet chocolate chips
(If you are looking to be totally plant-based, choose a variety without dairy.
Do NOT omit the chocolate chips. They are essential.)
Method:
Preheat oven to 350 F.
Grind rolled oats into oat flour in a high-speed blender or use store-bought oat flour.
Put the beans into the bowl of a food processor and blend until nearly smooth.
Add all remaining ingredients except the chocolate chips into the processor and blend until completely smooth.
Stir in 2/3 of the chocolate chips, reserving the rest for the top of the brownies.
Line an 8” x 8” pan with parchment paper, pour in the batter, smooth the top, sprinkle remaining chips over the top and press them slightly into the batter so they stick.
Bake for 15-18 minutes.
Let them cool completely and then refrigerate for at least an hour. This step is critical. Don’t try to cut them before chilling!
Cut and then refrigerate until serving.
You can easily double the recipe, and the brownies last well in the fridge for several days.
This recipe makes 16 brownies.
When made with plant-based bittersweet chocolate chips, each brownie has 129 calories, 3.4 grams of protein, and 3 grams of fiber.
Yum! Eating for health is delicious! 🌱💕