Black Bean Brownies

Author's Note: This recipe has been reworked as a result of my Second Edition of Delightfully Free which removes agave nectar from the book. The Second Edition resulted from my discussions with hundreds of health practitioners (most of whom carry Delightfully Free as a resource for their patients), as well as thousands of very knowledgeable natural food retailers and consumers. Over the course of these discussion and exchanges of ideas, I noticed a growing consensus that better choices are now available for low-glycemic natural sweeteners than agave nectar which is used in the recipe below. 

Because my goal is to create new recipes and recreate old favorites in the most delicious and healthy way possible, and after looking into the issue myself, I decided to rework just over 50 recipes from Delightfully Free to eliminate agave nectar. I plan to post the new Black Bean Brownie Recipe at my web site, www.delightfullyfree.com in the near future. In the meantime, if you are interested in healthy gluten, dairy and refined sugar-free eating, I would encourage you to purchase the new and improved Second Edition of Delightfully Free at www.delightfullyfree.com  

I wish you health & Joy,
Tracy 

Everywhere I go, I meet people who want to eat healthy. In the past, "healthy" meant bland and boring. But what if those healthy dishes tasted delicious, even indulgent, yet were, in fact, extremely healthy and beneficial? That is the bottom line of my new cookbook, Delightfully Free. 

Really, the proof is in the pudding...or, in this case, let's just say the proof is “in the brownies.” 

Over and over again, as people bite into one of my chewy chocolate brownies, their response goes something like  “This brownie is delicious! I can't believe it's good for me!” Or, “Oh my gosh, did you say that there is no refined sugar in this brownie?” To which, I happily reply “Nope, no refined sugar, but there is a whole can of black beans in there!”  It is at this point that many people exclaim “I want my friend to try one of these! She'd never guess what's in them!” It has been really fun and exciting to see people love a recipe, and LOVE the fact that the recipe is completely healthy.

While I can't offer samples here on my blog, I can give you this delicious Black Bean Brownie recipe which, really, is an even better treat because you'll get to see how easy they are to make and how you can bake and cook gluten-free, dairy-free, and refined sugar-free foods that are delicious, just like these brownies.

The brownies are a great example of how the GF, DF and sugar-free recipes found in Delightfully Free truly taste great, are easy to prepare and, thanks to their awesome health benefits, far outshine the “traditional” versions. The main ingredient found in my Black Bean Brownies really is an entire can of black beans. Next major ingredient, you ask? That would be eggs, another healthy and whole food. Then, instead of loading up with bleached, refined white flour (which is no longer a food, but a health hazard), these brownies have absolutely no flour of any kind. And of course with typical brownies, there is the issue of using all that refined white sugar. But my brownies don’t have that issue because I never use it. Instead, all of the recipes in my cookbook use only natural sweeteners. My brownies only have about 9g of unrefined, completely natural sugar per serving (for comparison, consider that a medium-sized apple has about 16g of natural sugar*), and unlike typical brownies, can be enjoyed without the negative effects of refined, processed sugar on the body. Also, where else will you find a brownie that delivers about 3.2g of protein and 2g of fiber while tasting as delightful as mine do? ;)

Imagine the looks on the faces of your family and friends when you put a plate full of them out and say, “Have as many as you like! They’re good for you!”

Want the recipe? Here it is:

Black Bean Brownies
Makes 24 

2   large eggs

1   15 oz can black beans, rinsed well using a wire strainer, and drained on a paper towel
1    Tbsp water

1/3  cup grapeseed oil

¼   tsp sea salt

2    tsp vanilla

¾   cup coconut palm sugar

¼   cup agave nectar
¾   tsp liquid stevia
½   tsp xanthan gum
¾   cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1    tsp baking soda

1½ tsp aluminum-free, gluten-free baking powder
 ½  cup chopped toasted almonds or walnuts
2/3 cup dark chocolate chips or chunks, optional**

Preheat oven to 350°. Brush or spray a 9x13 inch pan with grapeseed oil. In a blender or food processor, blend the eggs for 10 seconds, then add the beans and blend for 30 seconds. Scrape down the sides of the blender with a silicone spatula as needed.

Next, add all remaining ingredients except for the chocolate chips or chunks, and nuts, if desired. Process 2-3 minutes until all is thoroughly blended. Stir in the chocolate chips or chunks and nuts, if desired. Pour the batter into the pan. Sprinkle with additional nuts, if desired, and bake 16 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool on a wire rack.

**Some chocolate options include Chocolate Dream Semi-Sweet Baking Chips, Endangered Species All-Natural Dark Chocolate Bars, Enjoy Life Semi-Sweet Mini Chips, Equal Exchange Organic Very Dark Chocolate Bars, Sunspire Organic Bittersweet Chocolate Chips or Love Street Organic Coconut Crystal Chocolate Bars. The bars should be cut into small bits by using the point of a sharp knife, working on a cutting board.

~Tracy

About Delightfully Free: Delightfully Free is a gluten-free, dairy-free and refined sugar-free cookbook of 141 recipes. It includes delicious resources for autism, Celiac disease, diabetes, lactose intolerance, obesity and just plain healthy living. It contains 114 color photographs, 114 vegetarian or vegetarian compatible recipes, and 103 vegan or vegan compatible recipes.

You can buy Delightfully Free and Even More Delightfully Free on my website, www.delightfullyfree.com or directly at this link: https://squareup.com/market/delightfully-free
Your signed books always come with free shipping. We do not sell on Amazon or Barnes & Noble or any other internet sites.

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