If you offered your family brownies right before dinner, would they be suspicious? Turns out my family knew something was up when I made a fresh batch the other day. At first bite, they liked them but then questioned by motives when I suggested they have seconds and even thirds! Why was I so adamant they eat them?
You see, I made my friend Iris’ secret recipe for Black Bean Brownies. That’s right, these gems were made with high fibre and nutritionally sound beans. What’s more, they were flourless and thereby gluten-free.
I’ll admit I’ve dabbled with a few bean brownie recipes myself. Each one was a flop. Some called for exotic ingredients like Expresso and none of them stood up to any sort of taste test. Iris’ version is the exception. She’s fine-tuned her list of ingredients to the point where they taste sinfully good and will have you wanting more than just one. I promise!
Iris’ Black Bean Brownies
540 ml/ 19 oz can black beans, well rinsed and drained
1/2 cup oats
1/4 cup cocoa
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
2 large eggs
1/4 cup oil (try Avocado oil)
2 tsp vanilla
1/3 cup pure maple syrup
2 TBSP white sugar
- Throw everything into a food processor and blend for a couple of minutes. Note: do not use a blender as it will not give the same result.
- Stir in 1/3 cup chopped pecans, setting a few aside to sprinkle on top.
1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips. (or try dark chocolate)
1/4 cup chocolate chips to sprinkle on top - The nuts are optional, but the chocolate chips are MANDATORY!
Bake at 350 in a 8″x8″ well-greased baking dish for 20-25 minutes. The top starts to crack and loses its shine when done.
In review
These brownies were easy to make and wholesome. Most of all, they were delicious. A healthy, guilt-free treat for snacks or even an on-the-go breakfast. Can’t beat that.
On the “Sugar Scale” [my unofficial recipe rating system], this recipe scored a 10 out of 10. These brownies will soon be a staple in my house.
The views expressed in this post are purely my own. See my disclosure policy for more information.
