Fudgey Dark Chocolate Black Bean Brownies

Black beans??? You might be thinking in a burrito yes, but they have no business in my brownie, but give these babies a try because black beans actually make a really fudgey yummy brownie! I first saw the idea for putting black beans in brownies on 101 cookbooks blog. If you haven't seen her blog, you really should go there, she has amazing photography, and recipes. Her brownie looked beautiful but it is full of butter, coffee, and complicate steps. I wanted a simpler method, no butter, and coffee, because hey if I am going to put black beans in my brownies, I am going to make them healthy-ish. For my rendition of the brownie, I added baking soda, maple syrup extract, cut out an egg, the butter, a half cup of agave, and the coffee. I also added cocoa powder to the batter instead of melted chocolate and then put on top chunks of dark chocolate, and chocolate chips, mmmmmm.

I had to include this picture, it is of my little one stealing pieces off the plate while I took pictures. He LOVED them.

And another pic of Isaiah shoving his face with brownie. Don't be afraid to try these, they are a decadent dessert. If you like more of a cakey brownie, add a half cup of flour in, and ENJOY, because it is a brownie you can feel good about eating!

Fudgey Dark Chocolate Black Bean Brownies (whoo, what a name)

3 eggs
1/2 C cocoa powder
1/2 C walnuts
1 T vanilla
1/2 t baking soda
3 T coconut oil (i you don't have coconut oil, you can sub another oil) (but you should get some because it is a lot better for you than most oils and it is good for your skin!)
1 C agave
2 C black beans (rinsed, if canned)
1/2 C chocolate chips/dark chocolate chunks (I did half dark chocolate chips and half dark chocolate chunks)
1/4 t salt
1/4 t maple syrup extract (optional, but gives it a nice flavor)

Line a 11X13 baking pan with parchment paper. Preheat the oven to 325. Then put all of the ingredients, except the chocolate chips, and a 1/4 C of the walnuts, in a high powered blender and blend. If your blender is not so high powered, try blending just the eggs, agave, and black beans, and then add the rest of the ingredients except the chocolate chips, and a 1/4 cup of walnuts. just give it a little longer to incorporate all of the ingredients. (You don't want chunks of black beans in your brownies!). Pour the mixture in the lined pan, then sprinkle the chocolate, and walnuts on top. Bake at 325 until the middle has set, about 30-45 minutes. Let cool COMPLETELY before cutting. Unlike most brownies these taste best refrigerated, so keep them in the fridge and serve cold.