Beans, Beans, Good for Your...Dessert???

I have tried a lot of odd recipes in my life but I usually know before I begin pretty much how it is going to taste and feel.  I read this recipe on the blog Chocolate Covered Katie and was intrigued enough to make it, but had absolutely no earthly idea how/if it would work, much less how it would taste.  So, of course I decided to experiment using my book club as Guinea Pigs.  I told them this was a trial and asked for complete honesty but did not reveal the secret ingredients until after they had tasted it.  Without further ado I give you Black Bean Brownies.

                                                                                            Black Bean Brownies


1 15 ounce can black beans drained and rinsed very well
2 tablespoons cocoa powder
1/2 cup quick oats
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup agave syrup
1/4 cup coconut oil
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 cup chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Combine all ingredients except chocolate chips in a food processor and blend until completely smooth. Blend until you think it is smooth and then blend some more.  Stir in the chocolate chips and pour into a greased 8x8 inch pan.  ( Or if you are like me an 8 inch round cake pan)  Cook for 15-18 minutes.  Let cool at least 10 minutes before trying to cut.  Makes 9-12 brownies.


I have eaten several vegan and or gluten free desserts before and thought they all tasted like sweetened muck with no real form or anything remotely close to whatever they were intended to be.  Sorry but if I eat frozen pureed bananas, and you call it ice cream it is still nothing more than frozen banana mush.  I tried these with the same skeptical attitude.  I have to admit I was blown away.  Though the consistency is different than a flour based brownie, the taste was very similar.  In fact these were  a denser chocolate flavor and very fudgy.  It is something I will make again, just because it is much healthier than a traditional brownie.  Since it uses coconut oil in the recipe there is a very subtle coconut undertone, but it is slight and does not overpower or take away from the chocolate flavor.  If anything it enhances it.  You could make this with another vegetable oil or margarine I would think but can't tell you how it would be since I have tried this only once.

These keep well in the fridge, but you do want to let them warm to room temperature before eating.  If you eat them cold the chocolate chips are hard and it makes the whole bite feel a little funny in your mouth.  I did not try rewarming them, but should have.  I think it would be a little better than room temp.  I served them completely plain, but will admit to taking a bite of this one after I snapped the photo.  It was not bad at all with a dollop of whipped cream.

So from here on I will keep an extra can of black beans in the pantry just in case brownie fever hits.  Try for yourself and you just might find it a little easier to justify eating brownies.