The Black Bean Brownie Trick

Make ooey-gooey brownies with less fat, more fiber, and more protein because, why not? Reposting this old gem, the crazy-simple The Black Bean Brownie Trick.

The following was originally posted July 2012. Scroll down for printable version.

Let me start this post off by saying IF I can feed my kids (and myself) yummy, gooey, amazing brownies that have less fat, more fiber, and more protein why wouldn’t I do that?!?

These things were amazing! I could have seriously eaten the whole batch myself. Even the dessert-indifferent husband ate some and had nothing but good things to say. Of course, he changed his tune once I told him how I made them.

Typical.

However, I also had guests and, well, let’s just say there was only a nibble left on the plate by the end of the BBQ.

I’ve seen this idea around the interweb for some time but when Snack Girl posted it earlier this week I was inspired to give it a whirl.

This will be my go-to brownie for any occasion. That’s how much I liked them regardless of the “lighter” aspect. Speaking of, preparing the brownies this way saves 5g of fat but it also ups the fiber and protein by 2 g each. Again, not earth-shattering but slightly tipping the scales towards a more balanced nutritional profile and that’s my goal.

Balance.

Here’s how I made them…

• 1 18oz Brownie Box mix (I used Ghirardelli Chocolate Brownie Mix, Double Chocolate)
• 1 15.5 oz can of Black Beans
• water
• sprinkles (optional)

First, drain and rinse the beans. Place beans back into the can and fill with water. The idea here is to replace the salty bean juice with fresh water to reduce the sodium. If you have sodium-free beans this step is unnecessary.

Puree the beans and water together. I used my bullet for this. Worked like a charm…

Add the bean puree and brownie mix to large bowl.

Mix well with a spatula until combined.

Spray your brownie pan with nonstick spray and pour in the batter. I used an 11×7 glass pyrex.

Top with festive sprinkles, if you like.

We were making for a 4th of July BBQ.

Bake for 30 minutes. This may vary based on your pan size and material. They take less time then the package states for traditional eggs/oil. I found 30 minutes to be perfect. A toothpick stuck in came out clear and the top was firm to the touch. If you bake longer they will start to dry out and become more cake like. I went for gooey.

Remove from oven and let cool in pan.

Cut into 16 squares and try to contain yourself…

 

 

Here's the printable version. I hope to recap some recent date-night-in ideas the husband and I experimented with this last weekend soon!