Black Bean Brownies

 

I LOVE brownies. I seriously think they are by far one of the best dessert options. They are moist and super chocolaty. Nothing goes better with a dish of vanilla ice cream than a  warm chocolate brownie. It is hard to eat only one and unfortunately they really do not have the most nutritious qualities to them. But, now meet the black bean brownie, complete with dietary fiber, lean protein, and heart healthy fats (mostly). It is practically a health food! :) This brownie is so moist it literally melts in your mouth. It is made entirely in the food processor which I love and also does not contain any flour. As much as I wish I had thought to create this, I can not take credit for this recipe. I facilitate a suport group for people with Celiac Disease that meets bi-monthly in our community. Several months ago we had a gluten-free potluck and this was one of the dishes we sampled that day. I am not sure where this recipe originated from, but I have been making them faithfully since that day. They are surprisingly delicious and I hope you will love them as much as I do! Enjoy!

Black Bean Brownies
- 1 15 1/2 ounce can black beans, drained and well rinsed
- 3 large eggs
- 3 tablespoons canola oil
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup cocoa powder
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/2 tsp peppermint extract (optional)
- 1/2 tsp baking powder
- pinch of salt
-1/2 cup mini chocolate chips, divided

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray an 8x8 inch baking pan with nonstick cook spray and set aside
2. Place the black beans in a food processor and process until smooth and creamy. Add eggs, oil, sugar, cocoa powder, vanilla, peppermint extract, baking powerder and salt and process until smooth. Add 1/4 cup of the chips and pulse a few times until the chips are combined.
3. Pour the batter into the prepared baking dish and sprinkle the top with the remaining chocolate chips
4. Bake 30-35 minutes, or until edges start to pull away from the sides and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool in pan before slicing.

Nutrition information: 120 calories, 5g fat, 1.5 g saturated fat, 95mg sodium, 18g carbohydrate, 2g fiber, 3g protein