Vegan black bean brownies
Admittedly, some of my homemade recipes have been epic fails, but every once in a while, I stumble upon something nice. This has turned into one of my favourite dessert recipes, for sure!
These brownies are not a traditional cake-like consistency; they’re much denser (almost like fudge). This is a good thing in my opinion because they fill you up so you don’t eat as many of them! Not only that, but they’re high in antioxidants, vitamins, minerals, fibre and protein, they’re refined sugar-free and they’re packed with all sorts of natural goodness to offer a long list of health benefits* including (but not limited to):
bone health
brain health
diabetes management
digestion
heart health
improved blood pressure
weight loss
Here is the recipe in case you want to give these babies a try!
Ingredients
1 400g can black beans (drained and rinsed)
2 cups pitted dates (soak in water for at least a half hour to soften)
½ cup unsweetened cacao powder
2 tablespoons nut or seed butter (almond, peanut, sunflower)
1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
2-3 drops doTERRA Peppermint essential oil
½ cup chopped nuts (optional) – I like to use walnuts
Directions
Preheat oven to 325F/163C. Puree beans in food processor and set aside in large bowl. Remove dates from water. Chop dates in food processor and add to beans. Fold in cacao, vanilla, nut/seed butter and essential oil until ingredients are well incorporated. The mixture will be quite thick. If it’s too dry, add 1-2 tablespoons of water and mix. Add nuts, if using. Line square glass baking dish with parchment paper. Transfer mix to pan and spread out evenly with spatula. Bake for 30-40 minutes. Test centre with a toothpick to ensure brownies are cooked through. Remove from oven and let cool before cutting. Garnish with crushed nuts, berries or fresh mint leaves.
Makes 9 brownies
* Resources:
Beneficial effects of date palm fruits on neurodegenerative diseases
Everything you need to know about black beans
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