Black Bean Brownies

Black beans and brownies...sounds crazy right?  Well, as many have discovered, using black beans in place of flour is a clever way to make brownies a bit healthier (and gluten free) without sacrificing a delicious chocolaty, rich-tasting dessert.  Black Bean Brownies have been on my list of things to make for years, and had I realized how easy they are to make, they would have been made a long time ago!  Essentially you just throw everything in a food processor (or blender), process for a minute, pour in pan and bake.

Then comes the true test...how are they?  Amazing!  Mike and I were both excited to try them and very pleasantly surprised how good they are (or were...the brownies are long gone!)  They have a deep chocolate flavor, a not quite cakey and not quite fudgy texture, and were some of the best brownies I've had in a long time! 


Black Bean Brownies
Yields 16 servings

Ingredients
1 can (15 ounces) black beans, rinsed and drained
3 eggs
3 tablespoons canola oil
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2/3 cup brown sugar, packed
1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips, divided
Cooking spray (or additional oil)

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Spray a 8-inch square baking dish with cooking spray (or brush with oil) and set aside.
2. Put black beans in a food processor and process until smooth. 
3. Add eggs, oil, cocoa, baking powder, vanilla and brown sugar, and process until completely blended.  (Note: You may need to stop and scrape down the sides a couple times during this step).
4. Add 1/4 cup chocolate chips and pulse 5 times.
5. Pour mixture in prepared baking dish.  Sprinkle top with remaining chocolate chips.
6. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.  Put on a wire rack and let cool completely before serving.

Source:  Whole Living