Black Bean Brownie Recipe

Black Bean Brownies, some of you are probably thinking, Wow that sounds so awesome! While other's of you may be thinking, Why would you desecrate brownies with black beans??? haha

So, a couple years ago I had my first try to Black Bean Brownies. Initially the person serving them didn't tell me what they were made of, and I honestly would never have guessed. If you make these right there should be no evidence of black beans in the brownie when you are done.

This past weekend I decided to take a shot at it myself, and was once again pleasantly surprised by the results! These brownies are not cake like but are much more dense and fudgy. They are a rich chocolate flavor and perfect to serve warm with a bit of whipped cream.

Black Bean Brownies

Ingredients:

1 15 oz. can ( 1 3/4 cups) black beans, well rinsed and drained
2.5 T flaxseed meal + 6 T water
3 T your choice oil
3/4 cup cocoa powder
1/4 tsp salt
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
1/2 cup sugar
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
Optional toppings: crushed nuts or semisweet chocolate chips

Instructions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Lightly grease a standard size muffin pan (12 muffins). Begin by thoroughly rinsing and draining your black beans. If you are using a regular blender consider mashing them with a potato masher to help the process along.

Prepare flax egg by combining flax and water in the bowl of the food processor or blender. Pulse a couple times and then let rest for a few minutes.

Add in the rest of the ingredients (besides walnuts or other toppings) and blend until smooth - about 3 minutes - scraping down sides as needed. You want it pretty smooth and should resemble regular brownies.

If the batter appears too thick, add a Tbsp or two of water and pulse again. I found that I needed 2 additional Tbsps. It should be a think batter so don't add too much water and make it runny.
Evenly distribute the batter into the muffin tin.

Optional: Sprinkle with crushed nuts or chocolate chips.

Bake for 20-26 minutes or until the tops are dry and the edges start to pull away from the sides. I found mine took about 25.

Remove from oven and let cool for 30 minutes before removing from pan. They will be tender, so remove gently with a fork. The insides are meant to be very fudgy, so don't be concerned if they seem too moist - that's the point.

For a real sweet treat serve with a dab of whipped cream or vanilla ice cream!

Store in an airtight container for up to a few days. Refrigerate to keep longer.

Nutritional Information:

Calories: 140 calories Fat: 6 g Carbohydrates: 22 g Sugar: 9 g Sodium: 163 mg Fiber: 7 g Protein: 5 g