Low Calorie - High Protein Brownies!

Sounds too good to be true? It isn't! When I made the milk chocolate brownies a couple of weeks ago, I researched brownies on the web and came across a recipe for ‘black bean brownies’. Intrigued, I read dozens of reviews about these ‘healthy’ brownies and they were all ecstatic. So the next day I bought a can of organic black beans and started baking! Of course, the brownie batter is not very lickable and you may be skeptical at first, but when they are baking in the oven and the mesmerizing smell of cocoa fills your kitchen, you are a goner! I can't believe I'm saying this, but these are the best brownies I have ever made! The pureed beans makes them so incredibly gooey and moist. And the fact that these are quite healthy and low in calories, makes them guilt-free. Who wouldn't want that? Rating: 4.5 out of 5.




Black Bean Brownies: adapted from AllRecipes.com

Ingredients:
- 1 (15.5 ounce) can black beans, rinsed and drained
- 3 eggs
- 3 tablespoons vegetable oil
- ¼ cup cocoa powder
- 1 pinch salt
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ¾ cup white sugar
- ½ cup milk chocolate chips (optional)

Instructions:
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Lightly grease an 8x8 square baking dish.
- Combine the black beans, eggs, oil, cocoa powder, salt, vanilla extract and sugar in a blender; blend until smooth; pour the mixture into the prepared baking dish. Sprinkle the chocolate chips over the top of the mixture.
- Bake in the preheated oven until the top is dry and the edges start to pull away from the sides of the pan, about 40 - 45 minutes, or until a cake tester inserted in the center comes out clean.


You may already be familiar with beans' fiber and protein, but this is far from all black beans have to offer. In addition to lowering cholesterol, black beans' high fiber content prevents blood sugar levels from rising too rapidly after a meal. Black beans are packed with antioxidants. In fact, the darker the bean, the more antioxidants they contain. [Source]