Month: January 2023

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Black Bean Brownies

I found my first bean brownie recipe on Chocolate Covered Katie’s blog years ago and they became my first introduction to brownies made from beans and without flour. I loved the flavor and ease of preparation. I’ve now made so many different variations, but this is an oldie but goodie, so I had to rework to recipe to ditch maple syrup and sugar. I hope you enjoy them.

[soy-free, gluten-free, egg-free, dairy-free recipe]

1 1/2 cups cooked black beans (one can, drained and rinsed or homemade, ideally in a pressure cooker for softness, rinsed; bonus points if you catch the beans while they are hot – they will help absorb the oats)
1/4 cup cocoa powder
1/2 cup rolled oats
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 cup water
10 Medjool dates, pitted
1/4 cup canola, sunflower or safflower oil* (any neutral flavor oil is fine)
1 tbsp pure vanilla extract**
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 cup chocolate chips (try Completely Cacao or Taza’s 100% chips for a no-sugar version)
1 cup walnuts or almonds (optional)

Preheat the oven to 350F. Line a 9×9″ baking pan with parchment paper or if you want to go the trash-free version, line a 9×12″ baker with a Silpat or similar silicone liner.

Grind all the ingredients, except the chocolate chips and nuts if using, until very smooth. Add in the chips and nuts and pulse, until the new additions are small chunks.

Bake in a preheated oven for 15-18 minutes.

* If you live close to VomFass, lucky you – they have a Canola oil that tastes like melted cow butter. Try it. You’ll never go back to ultra processed Canola.
** If you’re a lucky human who lives near a Trader Joe’s, try their glycerin vanilla. It’s much cheaper than other stores’ versions and has a great flavor.

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Tahini Squares

When we thought that my children’s school did not allow nuts on premises and with humans who are doing sports and therefore starving all the time, I had to create seed-based snacks that were packed with good protein, carbs and the right kind of sugar. Here is my take on a snack bar: without nuts or cane sugar.

[soy-free, gluten-free, dairy-free, egg-free recipe]

Ingredients
For the base:
1/3 cup tahini (ground sesame paste)
15 medjool dates
2 tbsp maple syrup or date syrup
2 1/2 cups rolled oats
pinch of salt
zest from 1 organic orange
For the chocolate topping
1 cup dark chocolate chips*
1 tbsp coconut oil

Grind all the base ingredients until you have formed a sticky dough. Press into a 9×9″ pan lined with parchment or, if you want to go the trash-free way, line a 9×12″ baker with a Silpat silicone cookie sheet liner (the edges will come up the sides – that’s ok). Your base should form a relatively unform flat bottom.

Melt the chocolate over a double boiler or using the microwave method. Mix in the coconut oil until uniform. Pour over the base and place in the refrigerator to set. The bars will be ready to cut or pull apart in about an hour or less. Store in an airtight container, in the fridge.

* If using either the Trader Joe’s Completely Cacao chips or Taza 100% (neither of which have added sugar), add 2-4 tbsp of agave into the melted chocolate mixture until it tastes to a level of sweetness that you like. Start with 2 tbsp, mix, taste, add up to 2 tbsp more as desired.