Flourless Black Bean Brownies with Strawberry Sauce

Can there even be a Valentine’s Day without chocolate? I think not.

I fall victim to this consumer holiday every year, and couldn’t imagine going through Valentine’s Day without eating something incredibly chocolatey. Unfortunately, as I get older, the traditional box of chocolates tends to put me in a sugar stupor and causes my stomach to despise me. So this year I plan to satisfy my chocolate cravings and woo over my husband with a dessert that my body may actually recognize as real food.

 

Now, I’ve had awful luck with black bean brownies in the past. During my dietetic internship, I attempted to make high-protein black bean brownies for athletes–worst. thing. ever. Brownies should not be mixed with protein powder. They were so bad that it’s taken me six months to even consider making another brownie with black beans. Thankfully for my taste buds, this recipe turned out pretty awesome; and as an added unplanned bonus, the carb to protein ratio is about 4:1, which is an ideal ratio for post-workout recovery. Anyone want a brownie after a long run? I do.

 

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{Flourless Black Bean Brownies with Strawberry Sauce}

Black beans, oats, and raisins replace the processed white flour and sugar in these brownies and give a more complex taste; the oil is replaced with healthy almond butter, which adds additional protein too! Each brownie is packed with 5 grams of fiber and 7 grams of protein. As long as your oats are certified gluten-free, this recipe is gluten-free too! More importantly, these brownies are filled with chocolate chips and will satisfy your dessert craving.

 

Servings: 12

 

Ingredients: Brownies

3/4 cup packed raisins

3 eggs

1/2 cup oat quick oats

1 15-oz can black beans, drained and rinsed

1/2 cup almond butter

1/4 cup cocoa

1 tbsp instant coffee (intensifies chocolate flavor)

2 tsp real vanilla

1/2 tsp baking powder

1/4 tsp salt

1 cup dark chocolate chips

 

Ingredients: Strawberry Sauce

1 1/2 cups chopped fresh strawberries

1 tsp cornstarch

1 tbsp cold water

 

 

Directions: Brownies

1. In a small bowl, soak raisins in eggs for 30 minutes to make blending easier.

2. Add oats to food processor or a high powered blender and blend into a powder. (A regular blender will probably not be strong enough to combine all ingredients).

3. Combine all remaining ingredients except for chocolate chips, and blend until VERY smooth. You may need to scrape the sides of the food processor a couple of times to prevent any lumps.

4. Stir in chocolate chips and pour into a greased 8×8 pan. Bake at 350 F for 25 minutes, or until toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.

 

Directions: Strawberry Glaze

1. Add chopped strawberries to a small saucepan and bring to simmer over medium heat.

2. Reduce heat to low; cover and simmer for 10 minutes.

3. Whisk water and cornstarch in a small bowl.

4. Whisk cornstarch mixture into strawberry mixture. Cook, stirring constantly, until mixture thickens, 1 to 2 minutes. Remove from heat.

5. Transfer mixture to a blender and puree until smooth, or leave as is! Spoon onto brownies just before serving.

 

These brownies taste best warm. Re-heat in the microwave for 10-15 seconds with a little strawberry sauce on top….mhmm 

 

Nutrition info per serving (brownie only): 250 calories, 13 g fat (5 g sat fat), 30 g carb, 7 g protein, 5 g fiber

 

Substitutions:

• Dates or figs could be used instead of raisins–still soak in eggs to soften.
• Peanut butter could also be used to replace the almond butter, but your brownies will have a peanut butter flavor.

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