Cooking from My Pantry is a new series featuring Kirsten Romero, MS, RDN, a registered dietitian with the wellness program at Senior Services of Southeastern Virginia. While we’re all spending a lot more time at home, Kirsten is here to show you how you can make healthy recipes using real ingredients from your own pantry.

We encourage you to join along in creating today’s recipe: Black Bean Brownies

Black Bean Brownies

**This video goes along with Kirsten’s presentation Highlighting Beans. Be sure to check that one out too!

Black Bean Brownies

Full Recipe

Black Bean Brownies
Adapted recipe from ChocolateCoveredKatie.com

Total Time: 15m
Yield: 9-12 brownies

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 cups black beans (1 15-oz can, drained and rinsed very well)
• 2 tbsp cocoa powder
• 1/2 cup quick oats
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/3 cup pure maple syrup, honey, or agave
• 2 tbsp sugar (may omit and increase maple syrup to 1/2 cup)
• 1/4 cup coconut or vegetable oil
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 cup to 2/3 cup chocolate chips (Not optional. Omit at your own risk.)
• Optional: more chips, for presentation

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 F.
2. Combine all ingredients except chips in a good food processor, and blend until completely smooth. Really blend well. (A blender can work if you needed, but the texture—and even the taste—will be much better in a food processor.
3. Stir in the chips, then pour into a greased 8×8 pan.
4. Optional: sprinkle extra chocolate chips over the top. Cook the black bean brownies 15-18 minutes, then let cool at least 10 minutes before trying to cut. If they still look a bit undercooked, you can place them in the fridge overnight and they will magically firm up!
5. Makes 9-12 brownies. The trick with these: serve them first, and then reveal the secret ingredient.

Enjoy!