Vegan Black Bean Brownies | WW Friendly, Too
Ingredients
1 15-ounce can black beans, drained and rinsed well
1/4 cup + 2 tablespoons (60 g) boiled “flax gel egg replacement”
3 tablespoons (42 g) neutral oil (like grapeseed, canola or vegetable)
1/2 cup (109 g) packed light brown sugar
3/4 cup + 1 tablespoon (65 g) unsweetened cocoa powder (natural or Dutch-processed, your choice)
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
3 tablespoons (48 g) smooth unsweetened applesauce, at room temperature
1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1 1/2 teaspoons strong brewed coffee (can use decaf or just more vanilla extract)
2 ounces dark dairy-free chocolate chips (optional)
Instructions
Preheat your oven to 350°F. Line an 8-inch square baking pan with parchment paper. Grease the paper with cooking oil spray, and set the pan aside.
In a blender or food processor, place the drained and rinsed beans, “flax gel eggs,” and oil, and blend or process until smooth. In a large bowl, place the brown sugar, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt, and whisk to combine well, breaking up any lumps in the brown sugar. Create a well in the center of the cocoa powder mixture and add the pureed bean mixture, plus the applesauce, vanilla, and coffee. Mix until well-combined. Add about half of the (optional) chocolate chips to the batter and mix to combine. The mixture will be thickly pourable.
Pour the mixture into the prepared baking pan and spread into an even layer. Sprinkle the remaining (optional) chocolate chips evenly on top of the batter, and press down gently to help the chips adhere.
Place the baking pan in the center of the preheated oven and bake until the top springs back when pressed gently with a finger (35 to 40 minutes). Remove the pan from the oven, place it on a wire rack (still in the pan) and allow to cool until no longer hot to the touch. Place the pan in the refrigerator to chill for about 30 minutes (or the freezer for about 10 minutes). Remove from the pan and slice into 9 or 12 squares with a sharp knife.