Chocolate Keeps Me Alive; Even With Black Beans

No, really. I do really live to eat chocolate. I love it. oh, I want some right now just thinking about it. Good thing I have a stash or chocolate chip cookies in my freezer right now. 

I eat a lot of chocolate. Perhaps too much? No, never! But I am aware of my addiction so I thought that I'd try to make my sweet tooth a little healthier by trying out some Black Bean Brownies. 

I had heard of black bean brownies back in Kingston to a friend who also liked healthy, but delicious food. She had had them at a dinner and tried to make them herself at home. She went for an even healthier route than I did, using Agave Nectar instead of sugar. Ever since she told me about these beaney brownies I've wanted to try them. I finally did.

These are gluten free, fast and easy to make. They didn't turn out gooey and fudgey like gluten brownies but with ice cream, they were fabulous. I served them to some unsuspecting lunch guests and they couldn't tell at all they were gluten free or full of beans. So mix some up today and feel a little bit better when you eat the whole pan while watching the latest chick flick. 

Gluten Free Black Bean Brownies

1 19 oz (540 mL) can black beans, drained and rinsed (I like to cook up a whole whack of black beans and keep them in in my freezer in sandwich size zip-topped bags)
1/2 cup sugar 
2 large eggs
1/3 cup butter, melted
1/4 cup cocoa (Fry's in my favorite brand)
2 tsp. vanilla
1/4 tsp. salt
1/2 cup chocolate chips (I skipped these)
1/3 cup chopped walnuts or pecans (I have some walnuts but skipped them this time)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Place the black beans, sugar, eggs, melted butter, cocoa, vanilla and salt in the bowl of a food processor and blend until smooth, pulsing and scraping down the sides of the bowl to ensure all the beans are completely pureed (I threw these in my blender and turned it on high until it was all mixed up).

If adding the chocolate chips and nuts, do it now. Pour into a greased 8x8 baking pan (or a 8' round cake pan if that is all you can find).

Bake for 25-30 minutes, or until slightly puffed (and this really means slightly puffed) and set. 

Cool before cutting and serve (with ice-cream).