The Magic Bean!

Black. Bean. Brownies. Need I say more? Intrigued yet? Skeptical? Well so was I when I first heard about them. They are from the new cookbook Baking with Agave Nectar by Ania Catalano. For those of you who don't know what agave nectar is, it is an all natural sweetener that has a low glycemic index. I have been using it lately in place of my usual artificial sweetener because it is all natural and will not raise my blood sugar (something I am trying to become more aware of these days).

So my skepticism got the best of me and I knew I had to try them... and they were good! They were real good. In fact, everyone who tried them could not believe they were made with black beans. So set aside your preconceived judgements and go pick up some agave nectar and black beans (and a few other odds and ends) and see just how tasty wholesome eating can be. And yes, that's right, Jack And The Beanstalk is not the only place for magical beans!

The Amazing Black Bean Brownies

4 oz. unsweetened chocolate

1 cup unsalted butter or non hydrated butter substitute

2 cups soft-cooked black beans, well drained (canned works fine too)

1 cup walnuts, chopped

1 Tbsp. vanilla extract

1/4 cup natural coffee substitute (found in health food store) or instant coffee

1/4 teaspoon sea salt

4 large eggs

1 1/2 cups agave nectar

preheat oven to 325 degrees. line an 11 by 18 inch (or closes you have to it) baking pan with parchment paper and lightly spray with cooking spray.

Melt chocolate and butter in microwave for 2 minutes on high. Stir to melt chocolate completely. Place beans, 1/2 cup walnuts, vanilla extract, and a couple spoonfuls of chocolate mixture into the bowl of a food processor (a blender will not work for this). Blend for 2 minutes, or until smooth. The batter should be thick and the beans smooth. Set aside.

In a large bowl, mix together the remaining 1/2 cup chopped walnuts, remaining melted chocolate mixture, coffee substitute, and salt. set aside.

In a separate bowl, with an electric mixture beat the eggs until light and creamy, about 1 minute. Add the agave nectar and beat well. set aside.

Add the bean-chocolate mixture to the coffee-chocolate mixture. stir until completely blended. Add the egg mixture, reserving 1/2 cup. Mix well. Pour the batter into the prepared pan. Using an electric mixer, beat the remaining 1/2 cup egg mixture until light and fluffy. Drizzle over the brownie batter. Use a wooden toothpick or skewer to pull the egg mixture through the batter, creating a swirled effect. Bake for 30 to 40 minutes, until the brownies are set. Let cool in pan completely and then refrigerate for several hours or overnight before slicing.

And yes, this recipe does create a lot of dirty dishes, but I assure you they are worth it! And besides, arent no guilt brownies worth a few dirty dishes?