I love to bake. My mom taught me how to bake bread when I was in high school. I got my first bread cookbook as a high school graduation gift. I was the baker at camp one summer, making homemade breads and rolls, coffee cakes, cookies and bars. When I want to relax, I bake. The bummer is I can’t eat anything I bake! I’m allergic to wheat. I’ve been starting to use alternative grains to make brownies and breads, but nothing makes the best baked products like wheat. So, when I bake with real flour, I always give it away—that makes my friends very happy. J
Just recently my friend was incredulous over a story she read about black bean brownies. She asked me how I thought it would taste. I wasn’t so sure. I was curious but my love of baking is rooted in the rich taste of chocolate, the flakiness of a butter pie crust, the melty-ness of chocolate chip cookies. So I’m thinking—black bean brownies?! But I tried them for the sake of baking experimentation.
So, here’s what I found. The black beans take the place of the butter and eggs so the brownies are lower in fat and have a ton of fiber. The texture is more like the texture of a low fat brownie, but the taste is great! You wouldn’t be able to guess there were black beans in them.
Here’s the recipe:
1 pkg brownie mix (any kind you like, like Duncan Hines, Pillsbury, 365 Organic, etc.)
1- 14oz can black beans, with liquid
¼ c. water
Empty brownie mix into a bowl. Empty the can of black beans plus their liquid into the bowl of a food process. Process the beans until smooth. Add water and process to combine.
Add bean puree to brownie mix. Stir until just combined. Bake according to package directions.
That’s it! Try them and let me know what you think.
Sue Braun, University Ministries-Small Group Coordinator
