Sorta Healthy Black Bean Brownies

If you are vegan for the animals, maybe you can relate. I’m intrigued by “healthy” desserts, but if they were just a little bit less healthy tasting, that would be great. I would prefer a hybrid dessert, something that has some nutritional value but is still slightly bad for me. So this is a hybrid black bean brownie. Not completely full of empty calories like a traditional brownie, but full of delicious chocolate like a traditional brownie.

These brownies are rich, extremely fudgy, and packed with tasty, nutritious legumes (yum!). They are high in iron, potassium, and fiber. They also contain a lot of chocolate which is very important. Better for you than a standard brownie, but way better tasting than one of those $7 raw “brownies” made out of dates, nuts, and cacao that the girl behind the counter at the vegan smoothie shop promises you is “SO good!” (Spoiler alert: it wasn’t, and I’m out $7.)

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Sorta Healthy Black Bean Brownies

ready in 30 minutes

makes an 8x8 or 9x9 pan of brownies

ingredients

• 15 oz can black beans

• 3/4 c cocoa

• 1/2 c + 2 tbsp maple syrup

• 1 tsp vanilla extract

• ~2 oz melted vegan chocolate (I use half of a Baker’s semisweet bar usually)

• ¼1/4 c nut butter

• ¾3/4 tsp baking powder

• ¼ 1/4 tsp salt

• ½1/2 c vegan chocolate chips

• 1 tsp instant coffee granules

method

1. Preheat the oven to 350 F and grease an 8x8 or 9x9 baking dish.

2. Drain and rinse the black beans thoroughly. Put them in a food processor or high speed blender and blend until extremely smooth.

3. Add the cocoa, maple syrup, vanilla, melted chocolate, and nut butter to the processor and keep blending until even smoother!

4. While processing, sprinkle the salt, instant coffee, and baking powder to ensure that they don’t end up clumped somewhere in the mixture. Keep processing the mixture until remarkably smooth.

5. Once you have stopped blending, mix in the chocolate chips. Use a rubber spatula to spread the mixture evenly into the greased baking dish, then bake for about 17 minutes. Let them cool for at least 20 minutes before cutting.