I made these delicious brownie bites as healthy(er) Halloween treats this week. I have a serious sweet tooth and love finding ways to make desserts offer some nutritional value. As a result of its black bean and nut butter content, these flourless black bean brownies are particularly high in protein. Black beans, in particular, are considered great sources of protein and fiber offering 15 grams of each in just one cup. Similarly, only 2 Tbsp of almond butter has 4 grams of protein, plus super healthy Omega-3 fatty acids. Not bad for a chocolate brownie…!
I’m a big fan of using natural sweeteners rather than refined sweetener in my cooking. It not only makes me feel better about satisfying my sugar craving, but it also offers some nutritional benefits rather than just empty calories. Here I use coconut sugar, one of my all-time white sugar substitutes. It’s a 1-for-1 substitution making it super easy. Plus, coconut sugar has a glycemic index of 35 (about half of white sugar) making it a better option for maintaining blood sugar levels. It also contains trace amounts of iron, zinc, calcium, potassium and antioxidants. So I can get some nutrition (albeit not a ton) while eating brownies? Yes please!
Black Bean Brownie Bites
Ingredients
- 1 Tbsp ground flax seed
- 4 Tbsp water
- 1 1/2 cups cooked black beans or 1 15-oz organic can
- 2 Tbsp raw almond butter
- 1/2 cup unsweetened nonalkaline cocoa powder
- 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 cup coconut sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup dark chocolate chips
optional topping:
- raspberries
- googly eyes
Instructions
-
In a small bowl, mix ground flax seed and water. Set aside.
-
Preheat oven to 350F. Line mini muffin tin with baking cups.
-
In a food processor, put all ingredients except the vegan chocolate chips. Add flax mixture. Process until smooth. Add vegan chocolate chips and stir to combine well.
-
Fill muffin tins nearly full. Bake for 20 minutes until cooked through.
-
Once cooled, top each brownie bite with a raspberry or googly eye.