Can you guess the secret ingredient???
MOIST
CHOCOLATE
I bet that if you tasted these brownies, you still couldn’t figure it out;-)
From the Happy Herbivore, I bring you Low Fat Vegan Black Bean Brownies!
I found this recipe on Lindsay’s blog a while back and have been wanting to try it ever since. Actually, I have heard of adding beans to desserts in many different recipes, but this one peaked my interest the most because it is 1) EASY 2) HEALTHY and 3) VEGAN. Now, I am not Vegan, nor am I Vegetarian, but I do think that for many reasons it is a good idea for me to eat within the different guidelines from time to time. Don’t expect me to start baking everything without butter or eggs, but sometimes, Vegan baked goods can be tasty!
To make these brownies you will need:
15 ounces black beans, drained and rinsed
2 bananas (preferable very ripe)
1/3 cup agave nectar
1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa
1 TB cinnamon
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/4 cup raw sugar (optional- I did not use this additional sugar; I tasted the batter and decided they were sweet enough)
1/4 cup instant oats (if you don’t have instant, grind rolled oats in the food processor for a minute)
Once you have all of your ingredients ready, the process is extremely easy.
Directions:
Spray 8×8 pan with cooking spray. I used a slightly larger pan so I cooked my brownies for a shorter period of time.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Blend all of ingredients, except for oats, in a blender or food processor until smooth. Scrape the sides with a spatula and blend some more.
Stir in oats.
Pour into pan and bake for 20-30 minutes.
Brownies are done when a knife or toothpick comes out clean. I had the brownies in for 20 minutes but they could take longer in an 8×8 pan.
The recipe is supposed to serve 9. If you are like me, it might serve closer to 4 or 5;-) I love healthified desserts!
The verdict:
While I wouldn’t pass these off as “real brownies”, they certainly taste good! They are fudgey and moist. I could not detect the black beans at all and would recommend them as a healthier dessert alternative when you are craving something sweet. The Executive Taster will have to let me know what he thinks…
What is the strangest ingredient you have ever baked with?
Keep It Sweet 
i love black bean brownies! i use them in box mix b/c i’m too lazy to measure, and i actually prefer them to “real” brownies sometimes.
when you use them with a box mix, do you have to add anything else?
I’ll be honest for the integrity of the blog. It’s really difficult for me to say I did not like my wife’s baking, but I did not like these brownies. Where is the butter? Where are the eggs? Where is the milk? Where is the sugar? These are the things that make brownies good! They were very “banana-ey” and the texture was weird. Oy, I could never be a vegan, haha.
LOL I see what you are saying. I do think they are good if you go into them knowing they are healthy:-)
I prefer oreo chessecake for a “healthy” dessert!
I think it’s amazing how creative you can be! So……if these brownies have black beans in them……. I’m thinking DINNER!!!!!!!! This recipe’s a no-brainer! Thanks Lauren!!
i like the way you think!
i’ve heard of the black bean brownies before, but they kind of freak me out a littttttttttttle bit! good to know they’re not the exact same, but they’re still good!
LOL I originally had thought the same thing. Once everything is blended up you can’t tell.
I haven’t made brownies in quite some time, but the next time I do, I’m trying your recipe!! Thanks!! 🙂
let me know how they turn out!
I’ll have to try baking these…
i’d wanna add 2 tbsp of butter, that wouldn’t be to bad, would it? 🙂