Beans! & Beans in Brownies?

Today I did a lot with Black Beans.  I love black beans so much, not just for the health benefits but for the taste!  That's why today I made a WW "Black & White Summer Bean Salad".  Then I also made "Black Bean Brownies".  I know, it made me gag when I first heard of it, thinking there would be clumps of these beans inside what should be chocolate-y goodness.  However, thank god, they are pureed with coffee, and surprisingly good! Recipes down below!  And check back later tonight - we are having Enchilada Pasta that I healthied up from 13 WW points plus a serving down to 10!

Black & White Summer Bean Salad
1 cup canned Black Beans - rinsed & drained
1 cup canned White Beans - rinsed & drained
1 tomato (or 8 cherry tomatoes) diced
1 stalk of celery diced
1 onion diced (kyle has his own special salad with onion powder)
1 tsp Salt
1 tsp Pepper
1 tbsp White Wine Vinegar

Combine all ingredients and mix together.  Let sit in a sealed container in the fridge for about an hour for flavors to combine.

WW Friends: A 1 Cup serving is 3 WW Points Plus points.  (it's very filling!)


*Again, I made Kyle's with onion powder since he hates his onions, and he still loved it!

Kyle's without the Onion

Mine! With Onion

Black Bean Brownies
What you Need:
Cooking Spray
1/2 cup canned Black Beans, rinsed & drained
1/4 cup strong black coffee
1/2 cup unsalted butter
4 oz bittersweet chocolate
4 large eggs
1 1/4 cups of suger, white
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/8 tsp table salt
1 cup white flour

How to:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Coat a pan in cooking spray.  Cover with aluminum foil & spray with cooking spray.

In a food processor (I used my magic bullet!), combine coffee & black beans well.  Puree until smooth. I pureed mine for about 5 minutes JUST to be sure.  I also accidentally used 1/2 cup of coffee instead of 1/4.  Everything still turned out fine, I"m sure it just made the batter a bit looser.

Melt butter & chocolate together. The original recipe suggests tempering the chocolate, but I just melted in a microwave safe bowl: first 1 1/2 minutes on power 7, then 1 1/2 minutes on power 8 & stirred well.

Combine eggs & sugar in a mixing bowl. Whisk until light and fluffy.  Stir in chocolate and butter once it is melted together.  Whisk and combine ingredients well.  (an electric mixer is suggested, but I just used a whisk).  Add the black bean mixture and combine well.  Add in vanilla, salt & flour, again stirring well.

Before the Oven

Pour into aluminum coated pan.  Bake in the oven for 25-30 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.  Let cool approx. 10 minutes, then pick up aluminum foil carefully and set on a cooling rack for another 1/2 hr.  Cut brownies into 24 pieces.

After Baking

*One Portion would be one of these brownies cut in 1/2 for WW.

WW Friends: Each piece yields 4 WW Points Plus points.

*Important note - you will see in my pictures that I used a 9x9 pan.  Because of this, my cooking was extended to approx. 50 minutes.  Also, I cut my brownies into nice big hunks for the picture, but when I portion them out, I will be cutting them in 1/2 (since I cut 12 brownies).

They turned out yummy!  I would not go so far to say that they are as delicious as the Godiva dark chocolate brownie mix that is currently sitting in my cupboard, HOWEVER they definitely satisfy the chocolate craving, and are not dry or 'gross' tasting as much "healthy substitution" foods can.  Kyle likes them and so do I!  And no black bean taste!

Enjoy! - Jack