Good for You and Your Tastebuds Brownies

I was a searching the interwebs for a psuedo-healthy dessert I can make to bring to a Superbowl party and I kept coming across cake and brownie recipes that used black beans. Yeah, you read correctly- black beans....


I know- that was my first reaction too. DISGUSTING.


But, everyone who tried it raved about it, so I thought it couldn't hurt to give it a shot. (wow- 4 "it"s in one sentence...my honors English teacher would be so proud...)


Everyone had their own "recipe" so I thought I'd let my creative side take over and just wing it. Here's what I came up with: Healthified Mocha Brownies Cupcakes

How Long Is This Gonna Take:
About an hour and a half from start to finish


But Is It Good For Me?
The recipe makes 24 cupcakes, 3 points+ each. Not to bad considering its a frosted brownie :)


What You'll Need:

*Yes, I know the picture is of 4 TABLESPOONS of margarine, but after re-consulting several frosting recipes, only about 4 TEASPOONS is needed....sorry for any confusion!


What To Do:
1. Preheat oven to 350F (or whatever your brownie directions say). Drain and rinse black beans, but keep the can. Once well rinsed, put beans back into their can and then fill to the top with water. Put beans and water into a blender and puree until smooth. (Its not going to look pretty, but stay with me. DON'T LOSE HOPE)


2. In a bowl, mix together brownie mix, bean puree, and 2 tsp coffee granules. DO NOT ADD any other ingredients that the box says to add. Bake brownies as directed on box (I put mine into cupcake tins because they're easier to transport and serve that way. If you want to do yours like this, I used my 2 tbsp "cookie scoop" to fill the tins. They aren't going to be as thick as normal cupcakes, but you don't want that...these are brownies & an inch thick brownie I think would kill a person. Bake for 25 minutes). And just take a taste of some of the leftover batter- chocolatey, coffee goodness. Not a hint of black beans. And you doubted me....




3. While the brownies bake, dissolve 1 1/4 tsp instant coffee in hot water in a medium bowl. Add powdered sugar and margarine and mix until smooth. If too thick, add an additional 2-4 tsp of water. Spread over completely cooled brownies. (I piped mine onto the "cupcakes"). Add a slight dusting of cocoa powder on top if desired.


4 comments:

  1. About a year ago I made Dr Oz's version with agave syrup and black beans. I thought it was pretty good but my family didn't agree. I will be trying these in the next week or two and will let you know the verdict!

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  2. Just a warning, they do have a strong coffee flavor. Don't know what the kiddos with think of that.

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  3. My 1 and 3 year olds LOVE coffee, so I bet they'll love them! I need to buy some instant coffee (hence why I didn't make them today).

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