Flourless Black Bean and Avocado Brownies
I have found healthy vegan desserts to be some the best tasting desserts out there. These desserts are pure, made with real ingredients whose flavors shines through. These are desserts that speak for themselves and do not need to be doctored up with refined sugar or artificial ingredients to give them sweetness.
I discovered vegan desserts after I lost the weight that I needed to lose. Wanting to be able to have dessert every once in awhile and also having this huge desire to make health-promoting desserts for my children in order to keep them away from refined flour and sugar, my research led me to the world of vegan desserts. This was a tasty realm I never knew because I never fathomed black beans, avocados, sweet potatoes, beets and the likes as main ingredients in delicious desserts.
The vegan desserts I make are health-promoting, energizing, and do not cause bloating or lethargy like tradition desserts did to me.
The below recipe is one I modified to better suit my needs. I discovered the original recipe a couple years ago form a site called ambitiouskitchen.com.
These brownies are an excellent source of both protein and fiber.
As a side note, my fairly picky-eater son who has a hard time trying out new foods, loves these.
I large chia egg (see below how to make)
1 15oz can black bean rinsed and drained
1 large avocado pealed and pitted
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
½ cup dark real maple syrup (adjust if you want more sweetness)
⅔ cup cacao powder (unsweetened)
2 to 3 tablespoons coconut oil
¼ teaspoon baking soda
¼ teaspoon non-aluminum baking soda
½ teaspoon of real salt like pink Himalayan or Redmond’s, for example
(optional) almond or other nut milk
⅓ cup vegan chocolate chips (like the Enjoy Life brand), plus about 2 tablespoons for sprinkling (these contain some sugar)
cocnut or avocado oil for greasing your pan
- Make the chia egg by combining 1 tablespoon of chia seeds with 3 tablespoons of water. Let sit for about 5 minutes until it turns into a gel.
- Grease and 8x8 pan or baking dish with coconut or avocado oil
- Preheat oven to 350.
- Place chia egg, black beans, avocado, vanilla and maple syrup in a food processor and process until smooth.
- Add in cacao powder, coconut oil, baking soda, baking powder and process again until it is smooth. The batter will be thick. This is normal and will produce fudge-like brownies. If you find it to be too thick, then add a tablespoon or 2 of almond milk.
- Fold in chocolate chip with a mixing spoon.
- Transfer batter to prepared pan and spread evenly. Sprinkle a couple tablespoons of the chocolate chips over the top.
- Bake for approximately 25 minutes, until a knife inserted into the center comes out somewhat clean.
- Cool pan completely on wire rack. Then, refrigerate. Cut into the size bars you desire.
These brownies are best served cold, so keep them refrigerated. They also freeze well and can be thawed out as needed.
Image coutesy of ambitious kitchen.com