CAROL'S BLACK BEAN BROWNIES

I have gotten so many recipes that I love from my friend Carol.  On several different occasions she has told me I had to try her black bean brownies.   According to theruniverse.com  "black beans are a powerful trio of fiber rich carbs, protein, and antioxidants.  Carbs fuel your run, while protein and antioxidants promote muscle recovery."  I bet Carol already knew that since she runs every morning.

Anyway, she finally gave me the recipe the other day.  She handed me this little paper sack and said, "I included a couple of ingredients that I thought you wouldn't have." She really wanted me to try them! Turns out I didn't have the soy cocoa powder, but did have the flaxseed meal.  Anyway, that was really thoughtful of her.   

It has taken me a week to make them because I'm not a coffee drinker.  I don't even know how to make it.  My husband drinks coffee but has been trying to cut back lately.  Every time he has made it this past week, he took it all with him (to go play golf) before I realized he had made some.  This morning, (before he went to play golf) he made coffee to take with him again, but.....when I got up and went into the kitchen, I discovered he had left a little for me. So I decided today was the day.....I would finally get around to making Carol's brownies.

To be honest, I wasn't sure what I would think of them.  Black beans and brownies????.....those two words just don't seem to go together to me.  I decided to add the Splenda since she had said "if you like a sweeter taste" on the recipe. That was a hint to me that they weren't going to be sweet like you normally think a brownie will be.

 I also think I misunderstood her recipe because I thought she meant if you wanted to use less coffee, you could use 2  tablespoons.  Since I don't like coffee, I just put  2  tablespoons in it (my husband does make STRONG coffee though) thinking that is what she meant.  As I was typing this recipe, I realized that she probably meant "1/2 cup - 2 Tablespoons".  You know how they do that sometimes in recipes. 

Anyway, I was pleasantly surprised.  They aren't sweet even with the added Splenda.  The honey and peanut butter are fairly strong flavors.  We ate one and I wrapped the rest individually and put them in the freezer.  I am anxious to try one this way since Carol said she likes to eat them frozen.

Here is Carol's recipe....  

BLACK BEAN BROWNIES

1/4   cup canola oil

1/3   cup soy cocoa powder

1/4   teaspoon salt

1   teaspoon vanilla

1   can black beans (drained and rinsed)

3/4   cup peanut butter

1/2   cup honey

2   tablespoons flaxseed meal

1/2   cup brewed coffee (less 2 tablespoons)

1/4   cup instant oats

2   teaspoons cinnamon

If you want a sweeter taste, add 1/4  cup Splenda.

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. 

Line a  9 x 9 - inch baking pan with parchment paper leaving enough length so you can lift out the brownies.  LIGHTLY brush paper with oil.

Put oats in food processor for 30 seconds. (I used my little chopper.  It wasn't enough oats to process in my food processor.)

Put all the ingredients in processor 

and puree for 1  minute until smooth.

Pour into pan ( The batter was really thick and I couldn't "pour".  I carefully spooned the batter into the pan and evened it out pushing it up in the corners.)

 and bake 45 minutes until set.

Cool to room temperature.  Then put in the refrigerator for 1 hr.

Lift out the brownies and cut into 12 pieces.

Keep in refrigerator or freezer. (I wrapped the brownies individually with plastic wrap and placed them in a gallon ziplock freezer bag.)

140 calories per piece

(personal note from Carol:  I like to eat them frozen)