Coconut Black Bean Brownies

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coconut black bean brownies

Mmm…brownies. And coconut! And…beans?? Yep, you read that right – I said beans! Black beans, to be exact.

I’m sure most of you have at least heard of black bean brownies – and if you haven’t well, allow me to introduce you.

Kind reader, meet black bean brownie. Black bean brownie, meet kind reader.

coconut black bean brownies

Ok, now that that’s taken care of, let’s talk a little bit more about those beans! I really love beans, especially black beans. I’ll usually cook a big batch in my awesome crock pot at the beginning of the week to use in recipes, and freeze the rest. But not this week. This week, I was feeling very adventurous and managed to use them up in a couple of new recipes.

Enter Black Bean Brownies.

coconut black bean brownies

I’d only heard of them until now. I never thought I would try them. And I surely never, ever thought I’d like them.

But I do. I really, really do!

I found this recipe on Allrecipes.com and tweaked away to my heart’s content! I cut the eggs and sugar, added more vanilla, and used some virgin coconut oil. And of course, I had to add some coconut flakes – to the batter and on top. Because I’m just in love with coconut. But you could add some nuts, or chocolate chips, or even berries – get creative!

coconut black bean brownies

They come together so easily too – just throw everything into the blender and whirl away… Well, almost… If you have a high powered blender, you’ll probably be ok. My dinky $40 blender could barely handle it all at one time. Next time, I’ll either blend the beans with the eggs first, and then add everything else; or I’ll just try it out in the food processor.

coconut black bean brownies

After you’ve blended up your batter, pour it into a square baking pan (I only had an 8 x 11 – no big deal) and pop into the oven for about 30 minutes. About half way through baking, I realized I’d forgotten to add the coconut flakes on top, so I took them out and sprinkled them on. Although they kind of toasted up a little, they definitely didn’t stick to the brownies, so remember to add them before you put them in the oven!

As you wait for them to bake, feel free to “lick the bowl,” err.. the blender. Even the batter is pretty tasty! :)

coconut black bean brownies

As I was whipping these up in the blender, Mr. Nurture asked what I was making – told him it was a surprise.

“Mmm, smells good!”

Passed the first test!

coconut black bean brownies

After dinner, I gave him a piece to taste test, and let me tell you, the man had no idea what the “secret” ingredient was! Poor thing was wondering why I was peering over him as he tasted the brownies.

“Do you know what’s in them?” 

“Umm, coconut?”

“Yes, what else?”

“Uhhh…”

“Black beans! They’re black bean brownies!”

Yeah, he was amazed, to say the least. Later, I served us another piece over a bowl of vanilla ice cream, which was de-lish!

coconut black bean brownies

“You mean there’s absolutely NO FLOUR in these?”

Yep not a single grain of flour in these brownies! Not that we’ve gone gluten-free or anything, but we have been cutting down our grain consumption over the past few months. So these are a perfect treat for our chocolate-addicted sweet tooth…and did I mention, there’s NO BEAN FLAVOR whatsoever – honest!

So, final verdict: Do these really replace the chocolatey, fudgey goodness of traditional brownies? Well, yes and no. They’re definitely a very strong stand-in for brownies, and I’ll definitely make them again for sure! Do they taste exactly like regular brownies? Not exactly. BUT, they’re very, very, very close. So close, in fact, that I’ll definitely make these again before I make traditional brownies.

So, this was a total win in my book! Enjoy! :)

coconut black bean brownies

 

Coconut Black Bean Brownies
Recipe Type: Dessert
Author: Sarah @ Nature’s Nurture
Prep time: 10 mins
Cook time: 30 mins
Total time: 40 mins
Black bean are used to replace flour in this chocolatey, coconut-infused brownie!
Ingredients
  • 2 cups black beans, cooked (or 1 can, drained and rinsed)
  • 1/2 cup sugar (or sweetener of choice)
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1/4 cup virgin coconut oil
  • 1/4 cup cocoa
  • 2 tsp. vanilla
  • 1/4 tsp. salt
  • 1/2 cup of coconut flakes + more for sprinkling
Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 350 and lightly grease a 8 in. square baking pan. (I brushed mine with coconut oil)
  2. Add all ingredients to blender or food processor and blend until very smooth.
  3. Pour into baking pan, smooth out the top, and sprinkle with more coconut flakes.
  4. Bake for about 30 minutes, or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.

 

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Sarah UmmYousef

Sarah UmmYousef is a former school teacher turned stay-at-home wife and mama with a passion for all things simple, natural, and homemade. She loves the natural world, and believes the solutions to many of the world’s ailments lie in nature. Her blog, , began as a way to document her family’s journey to a greener home, but has since become a thriving community and resource for those wishing to take small steps towards a more eco-friendly, natural and sustainable lifestyle. Follow her on Facebook, Twitter, Google+, and Pinterest.

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