Fudgy Vegan Brownies

My family has a sweet tooth. Try as I may, I can not erase it, so I have resulted to curbing it. We don't like super sweet things, but we do like dessert. So, what's a girl to do?

I will do what I always do, and put a healthy spin on it!

Brownies is one of our favorite desserts. I make them for almost every get-together that we host. We pair them with ice cream, fruit, coconut whip and more. They're delicious and nostalgic and besides, who doesn't love a good brownie?

Since I have a house full of boys, I have been determined to sneak protein into everything. I typically use Orgain to accomplish this in ordinary recipes, but today, I was determined to get it from a whole food source--and plant based, no less.

Black beans are solid winners in my book. Not only are they a great source of vegan plant protein, but they aid in digestive health, help maintain healthy cholesterol and blood sugar levels, and aid in healthy circulation. What's not to love?!

I have made other recipes using beans successfully, and figured there had to be a way to make it work in brownies. I mean, think about it, we use avocado in pudding, sweet potatoes in waffles and white beans in cookies. Surely, this would work. And...it SO did.

I love that this recipe doesn't require many ingredients, and is super easy to make. My boys even helped, which always makes things more fun. So, let's get to it!

Fudgy Vegan Brownies

What You'll Need:

15 oz organic black beans (drained and rinsed)
1 cups date paste
2 tbsp maple syrup
2 tablespoons ground flax seeds
1/2 cup raw organic cacao powder
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 cup gluten free blend (2/4 cup almond flour 1/4 cup coconut flour)
1 cup organic chocolate chips or chopped dark chocolate (I recommend at least 60% cacao)

Make it Work:

Blend the black beans and date syrup in a food processor until smooth. Add the remaining ingredients, and pulse until well blended. Place in a greased baking pan ( or lined with parchment baking paper). Bake at 350 °F for 25-35 minutes until a fork or toothpick comes out clean. Let the brownies cool down completely before serving. Enjoy!