Oh the Black Bean Brownies

Yeah, it can be done, and still taste delicious.  Sometimes people say, "I'll diet, but if I'm going to eat a 'brownie', I'm going all in and eating a real brownie.  One that's chewy and gooey and worth the calories."  And this people, is how we break.  It's not that every once in a while we shouldn't allow ourselves to have that chewy gooey brownie, but every once and a while doesn't need to be every couple of weeks because we end up at social events that throw them at us.  

My food quest so far has been a constant battle in how to satiate the cravings for the things I'm used to, and replace them with alternatives that are healthier, and make me feel good.  Like I said before, I am admittedly a sugar-whore.  What I did not say, is that I am also a chocolate-whore.  That being said, I searched out this recipe because other people had tried them, said "Eh" things about them, and I wanted to judge them for myself.   So, I went to Oxygen Magazine, and searched them out.

How does the Black Bean Brownie hold up?

And the verdict is...DELICIOUSNESS!  I think that part of the reason people don't like these, is because they look like brownies, and they smell like brownies, but they don't exactly taste like brownies.  Every once in a while I think it's important for us to step back from our food and remind ourselves that we are SO conditioned when it comes to the way our food looks, and the way it tastes.  Don't think about it as, "Ew.  This doesn't taste like a 'brownie', I am never eating these again", and more of a, "Does this brownie fulfill it's purpose?  I ate because I was craving chocolate: check.  I also wanted sweetness: check.  I also don't want to feel like I gave up everything that falls into these two categories because I chose to live a healthy lifestyle: check."  

I followed the recipe, for the most part, to a tea.  I did exchange Stevia in place of the Sucanat which mildly changed the texture of the brownie (Sucanat cooks much like a brown sugar keeping in the moisture with a molasses), and in the future, I think I'll use a tad bit more applesauce, but other than that the recipe was a success.  My husband actually loved these, and everyday was so excited to pack his little brownie for a snack at work.  The whole time they were on the kitchen counter, it was like you felt guilty, but had nothing to feel guilty about, and that was fantastic!

AND...beans are a Superfood, so it's the best of both worlds!