Healthy Flourless Chocolate Fudge Brownies (Gluten free + Vegan)

Chocolate fudge brownies.... that are actually good for you?? Sign me up! The base ingredient of these flourless brownies is actually black beans!! Black beans are a great option for a brownie base because they have a mild taste, and cocoa can mask what little flavor they do have. These beauties are packed with healthy carbs and protein from the beans, as well.

These brownies are made with raw cacao powder, the unprocessed form of cocoa powder, so they aren't as traditionally sweet as regular brownies. I prefer them with this slightly bitter chocolate taste, but a simple addition of more sugar can make them sweeter (and still healthy!).
Makes 12 brownies - Recipe adapted from here

You will need:

• 1 can black beans
• 2 tbsp ground flax + 4 tbsp water (2 vegan eggs)
• 1/2 cup cacao powder
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/4 cup coconut sugar (or 4 tbsp liquid sweetener of choice) 
• use an extra tbsp for a sweeter brownie)
• 2 tbsp coconut oil (melted)
• 3 tbsp non-dairy milk of choice
• toppings of choice (nuts, chocolate chips, cacao nibs, etc)

Directions:

Preheat your oven to 350F.

Form your flax egg by combining ground flax and water. Let sit for about 10 minutes until gelled. 

Rinse and drain the black beans well. Place beans, flax egg, cacao powder, baking powder, vanilla extract, sweetener, coconut oil, and milk in your food processor. Process until the batter is smooth and the chunks are gone. The batter should be hard to pour, but not as thick as frosting. Add more water until you reach the right consistency.

Grease a 12-cup muffin tin and place about 2 tbsp of the batter into each cup. Place your toppings of choice on the batter and place in the oven for 30 minutes. They are done when the edges come away from the pan and the middle is still slightly soft. These brownies are pretty delicate so let them cool completely before attempting to remove them from the pan. 

Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to a week.

Enjoy!