Flourless PB Black Bean Brownies

Wait...what?! Did she say that right? Black beans...brownies...combined?!

That's probably what you were thinking, right?

Well, you read that correctly. There really are black beans in these brownies.
And there really is no flour in them either!

You think I'm crazy? Well, maybe you're right. But they really are delicious!

I never considered making black bean brownies until I needed to
make a dessert for someone who couldn't eat gluten.

I sure was skeptical.

But look at these!...

If I hadn't already spilled the beans (haha?) that these were made with black beans,
you would NEVER have guessed, right? :)

Well, here is the recipe I used to make these beauties. I found this recipe on DAMY Health.
I slightly modified it by omitting the instant coffee and using 4 whole eggs.

Flourless PB Black Bean Brownies
Prep time: 10 Minutes – Cook time: 30 Minutes – Total time: 40 Minutes
Servings: 12-16 brownies

Black Bean Brownie Ingredients:

• 1 15oz. Can Black Beans, drained and rinsed
• 4 Eggs
• 1/3 cup Pumpkin Puree (or unsweetened apple sauce-I used the pumpkin puree)
• 1/2 cup Natural Cocoa Powder
• 1/4 tsp. Salt
• 2 tsp Vanilla Extract
• 1/4 cup Agave, Honey or Maple Syrup (I used Agave) - and actually I would add a bit more than this if you prefer a sweeter brownie rather than a rich brownie
• 2 Tbsp Maple Syrup (or just use more agave or honey)
• 1 Tsp Baking Powder
• 1/4 Cup Dark Chocolate Chips (more if you wish - highly recommended)

Peanut Butter Swirl Ingredients:

• 1/3 Cup Peanut Butter
• 1 Tbsp Agave or Honey
• Pinch of Salt
• Dash of Vanilla Extract

Directions:

1. Pre-heat your oven to 350 F.
2. Place all black bean brownie ingredients into your food processor and blend until smooth.
3. Spray an 8×8 baking dish with a healthy, non-stick cooking spray.
4. Evenly spread batter into baking dish.
5. On your stove-top melt peanut butter swirl ingredients and mix.
6. Dollop peanut butter swirl mixture with a spoon spaced out about an inch from each other onto the brownie batter.
7. Pull a knife back and forth through the batter creating your swirls.
8. Place in the oven and bake for 30-40 minutes.*Ovens vary so your discretion is needed. You will know your brownies are baked when the top becomes firm and the brownies pull away from the sides of the dish.
9. Sticking a tooth pick in the middle and pulling it out clean will ensure your brownies are baked fully.
10. Remove from oven when baked and let set in the baking dish for about 10 minutes.
11. Gently cut brownies, serve and enjoy!
12. To store brownies it is best to first let them cool completely and then store them in a sealed tight container in the refrigerator.

Try this recipe! It is surprisingly delicious, especially with a scoop of vanilla ice cream. :)

I am officially a fan of black beans in brownies. Yep. I just said that.

:)

Choco-holics

So, Joshua and I are are what many would call
...choco-holics...
Yep, you heard me right.
We love our chocolate.

And I want to share with you a couple of our favorite, FAVORITE chocolate recipes:

**Brownie Batter Pancakes**
**Chocolate Cake-in-a-Cup**

First thing's first...

Brownie Batter Pancakes!!!!

(This photograph is NOT MINE...I can't make food look that good.)

Source

Joshua and I LOVE these!
In fact, Joshua specifically requested them for his birthday breakfast...

The first time I heard of them was while browsing
the Skinny Taste website and I just could not believe
that pancakes that look so sinfully delicious can actually be HEALTHY!

Nutrition Facts as given in original recipe post:

Brownie Batter Pancakes
Skinnytaste.com
Servings: 1 • Size: 6-8 silver-dollar pancakes • Old Points: 3 pts • Points+: 4 pts
Calories: 172 • Fat: 2.4 g • Carb: 32 g • Fiber: 6.7 g • Protein: 5.3 g • Sugar: 4.7
Sodium: 241.7 (without salt)

What?! Only 172 calories for all that decadence?!
I was sold.
(The ones I made ended up with more calories, sugar, fat, etc. because I HAD to add some chocolate chips)

I made them, somewhat skeptical that these could really taste that good...
But they did!

And now I'm hooked. And so is Joshua.
(Kaiya will be too, haha)

 Here's my version of the Skinny Taste recipe:

(This IS my photo...obviously, haha)

Brownie Batter Pancakes
Servings: 1 • Size: 6-8 silver-dollar pancakes

Ingredients:

• 1/4 cup King Arthur Whole Wheat Flour
• 1/4 tsp. baking powder
• 1 Tbsp. Hershey’s Special Dark unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1 Tbsp. Agave Nectar (or 1 1/2 Tbsp. for extra sweetness; you can also use 2 Tbsp. of regular granulated sugar instead)
• pinch of salt (optional)
• 1 1/2 Tbsp. unsweetened applesauce
• 1 tsp. pure vanilla extract
• 5 1/2 Tbsp. 1% milk (or whatever dairy or non-dairy milk you prefer)
• 1 handful of chocolate chips (we love the Hershey dark chocolate morsels in our pancakes!)

**I often double the recipe for two people**

Directions:

• Mix dry ingredients very well, then add wet. 
• Make pancakes on a griddle or large skillet over medium heat.

In addition, I like to spread Adam's Creamy Natural Peanut Butter between the pancake layers.
Chocolate + Peanut Butter = HEAVEN!

Note:
*Joshua and I usually don't have to add any syrup to these pancakes because we like how sweet they are already.
*But if you like more sweetness, feel free to add some regular (or chocolate) syrup!
Just remember, if you add more "stuff" to them, they won't be as healthy. :)


Now for...
Chocolate Cake-in-a-Cup!!!!

Joshua and I have a fun story behind this recipe.
Starting within the past couple of months, Joshua and I have made it a tradition
to make cake in a cup on Sunday evenings after putting Kaiya to bed.

We make our own little individual cake in a cup and snuggle on the couch or bed while watching
an episode of Studio C or Granite Flats (or both?!) on BYUTV.

Oh my gosh!!! So good! I like to break up pieces of a Ghirardelli Mint Chocolate Square
and put it in my cake in a cup...along with a "healthy" amount of Hershey Dark Chocolate Morsels.

Yeah. Chocolate crazed.

But Joshua and I love it.
It's our own little tradition that brings us closer together.

Here's my recipe...

Chocolate Cake-in-a-Cup
 Servings: 1

Ingredients: 

• 2 Tbsp. King Arthur's Whole Wheat Flour (you can use regular all-purpose flour)
• 2 Tbsp. Hershey's Special Dark unsweetened cocoa powder 
• 1 Tbsp. agave nectar or honey (or 2 Tbsp. sugar)
• 1 egg (large or medium should work fine), well beaten
• 1 1/2 Tbsp. milk
• 2 Tbsp. canola oil (I actually like to use 2 Tbsp. applesauce instead of oil - less fat and calories!)

(Joshua and I have also recently started using coconut oil in our cake in a cup and it is AMAZING! Instead of 2 Tbsp. oil, use 1 Tbsp. oil and 1 Tbsp. coconut oil. The coconut oil is pretty solid, so when you mix everything together, you have to use a fork to break the coconut oil apart.)

• 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract (or a tad more if you'd like!)
• as many chocolate chips as you'd like! (or whatever chocolate you have around the house...remember, I like using Ghirardelli!)

 Directions:

•  In a large mug, stir together the flour, cocoa powder, and sugar (if not using agave or honey).
• Stir in the egg, milk, oil (or applesauce), vanilla, and agave or honey (if not using sugar). 
• When well combined, stir in the chocolate chunks. 
• Microwave somewhere between 50 and 60 seconds. The time really depends on the strength of your microwave. It may take a bit of experimentation to get it just right.
• Enjoy!And keep a glass of milk nearby. :)

("Just right" for my cake in a cup is about 54 seconds.)


** Here's the recipe that inspired my spin on cake in a cup.


Hope you enjoy these chocolate recipes! Joshua and I certainly do.
Try them out and let me know what you think! :)