Who said one has to feel guilty eating a homemade brownie? At first you may raise an eyebrow about putting black beans in your brownie, but believe me, it provides a boost of protein, and you won’t even taste it at all.
Ingredients
1 medium sized can (about 1¾ cups) black beans, well rinsed and drained
3 tbsp coconut oil
¾ cup cocoa powder (the higher quality the better)
¼ tsp sea salt
¾ cup brown rice flour (optional)
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
7 dried and finely chopped dates or ¾ cup honey
1½ tsp baking powder
½ cup coconut milk
Optional toppings: crushed walnuts, pecans or chopped dark baking chocolate
Instructions
Preheat oven to 350°F (180°C).
Lightly grease a baking loaf or square pan.
In a small saucepan, boil the chopped up dates with ½ cup water, let simmer for about 10 minutes, checking and mixing it so it doesn’t dry out and burn.
Pour in the coconut oil and coconut milk and turn off the stove heat/fire. Mix well and set aside to cool.
Mix all the dry ingredients in a mixing bowl (salt, cocoa powder, brown rice flour, etc.).
Slowly pour the coconut milk mixture into the dry bowl, mixing it well and scraping down sides as needed until smooth.
Optional: Sprinkle with crushed walnuts, pecans or chocolate chips.
Pour into prepared baking pan.
Bake for 25–40 minutes or until the tops are dry and the edges start to pull away from the sides.
Remove from oven and let cool for 30 minutes before removing from pan. They will be tender, so remove gently with a fork. The insides are meant to be very fudgy, so don’t be concerned if they seem too moist.
Store in an airtight container for up to a few days. Refrigerate to keep longer.
