Chocolate beanie brownies
- 15 mins
- 25 mins
- Serves 8
Black beans are the secret ingredient that make these brownies nutritious, satisfying and extra fudgy.
Ingredients
- 3 Medjool dates, roughly chopped
- 5 tbsp boiling water
- ½ cup plain wholemeal flour
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 3 tbsp cacao nibs
- ⅓ cup toasted and chopped hazelnuts
- 1 x 400g can black beans, drained and rinsed
- 2 ripe bananas (about 150g), peeled and sliced
- 4 tbsp raw cacao powder
Directions
- Place the dates in a bowl and add the boiling water. Set aside for 10 minutes to soften.
- Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 180 degrees celcius. Line a square baking tin (18 x 18cm) with baking parchment.
- Sift the flour and baking powder into a large bowl, returning the husks after sifting. Stir in the cacao nibs and hazelnuts.
- Tip the dates and their liquid into a food processor or blender along with the beans, bananas and cacao powder. Blitz together until smooth, scraping down the sides of the bowl or jug a couple of times to catch every last bit.
- Add the puree to the flour and gently fold together, until well combined with no obvious lumps. Don’t overmix or beat it or you’ll end up with a flat, cakey brownie.
- Pour the batter into the prepared tin and level it out with a spatula. Bake for 25 minutes, or until the tip of a knife inserted in the middle comes out clean.
- Set aside to cool completely in the tin, then turn out and cut into 8 squares. If not eating straight away, store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.
Chef's Tips
- For a gluten free option use wholemeal gluten free flour.
- For a nut-free option, omit the hazelnuts.
- Substitute raw cacao for cocoa.
- 'The Plant-Based Diet Revolution' book is available now from all good book-sellers. It features more than 80 delicious and completely plant-based recipes, clear explanations of how to eat for optimal gut microbial health, and Dr Desmond’s Ten Prescriptions for better health on a plant-based diet. Published by Yellow Kite.
Shared by Dr Alan Desmond
