black bean brownies....yeah, you heard me right

So yes, the Healthy Girls at work might have corrupted me a little as now I am making the delicious black bean brownies that have been made twice in the office. You gotta trust me on this one, guys, these are GOOD. And what a way to get your dose of fiber in for the day. Just make sure it's not too much fiber, aka don't eat the whole tray, or else the people you live with might not like you so much for a while. Get my drift?

The actual intention of this recipe, however, is to make a brownie that is gluten-free. All people, though, can enjoy this dessert no matter their gluten-status. The key? Black beans, of course. These provide the starch and such to give these puppies substance. All you do is mash 'em up in your friendly food processor.

Ewwwwww. Looks like.....yeah, just use your imagination.

Hmmmm, looks like normal brownie batter. Not a shabby start. And in the end, these guys came out as good as the Healthy Girls' version. I'll chalk that up as a win in my book. :) These are also great with frosting on top, too.

Black Bean Brownies
Taken from Allrecipes.com

1 (15.5 oz.) can black beans, rinsed and drained
3 eggs
3 tbsp. vegetable oil
1/4 cup cocoa powder
Pinch salt
1 tsp. vanilla extract
3/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray an 8x8-inch baking dish with nonstick cooking spray.

Put the black beans in food processor and puree until smooth. Place in bowl with eggs, oil, cocoa powder, salt, vanilla, and sugar. Mix until well blended. Pour the mixture into the prepared baking dish. Sprinkle chocolate chips over the top.

Bake in preheated oven for about 30 minutes, or until the top is dry, and the edges start to pull away from the sides of the pan.

NOTE: The above recipe is for a completely gluten-free version. For those who are NOT gluten-free and want a brownie with a little more height, add 1 tbsp. all-purpose flour + 1 tsp. baking soda to your mixture before combining. This is what I did to make this batch.

ANOTHER NOTE: If you're feeling lazy....box brownie mix + can of pureed black beans yields delicious, non-gluten-free brownies that don't require water, oil, and eggs.