Beans, Beans, Beans- and Chocolate!

I get it- vegetables can ruin a good time. But while some people think combining chocolate and beans makes this dessert no better than an oatmeal raisin cookie, I believe it’s the key to expanding one's palette. Going from extreme picky eater to a curious herbivore was a journey dependent on dishes just like this one. This recipe hails from a daycare in southern New Hampshire, created by the in-house chef in an attempt to secretly stuff nutrients inside. After my first taste years ago, I understood how these kids were so easily fooled.

Yield: Although it was designed for 200 children, this tweaked recipe will give you a full pan/ about 12 brownies

Ingredients:

1 ½ cups black beans

¾ cup vegetable oil

3 eggs

1 tablespoon vanilla extract

6 tablespoons cocoa powder

1 cup sugar

½ cup flour

½ tablespoon baking powder

Pinch of salt

½ bag (or more if you’d like) chocolate chips

Instructions:

1.     Pre-heat the oven to 350 degrees.

2.     Grease an 8” by 8” baking pan with oil or butter.

3.     Drain the beans and lightly smash into a bowl, some lumps are fine. When I realized I didn’t have a potato masher on hand, i covered a baking soda tin with a plastic baggy and went to town.

4.     Combine the rest of the wet ingredients (oil, eggs, vanilla) and continue mashing the mixture lightly.

5.     Slowly add in the dry ingredients and mix well (cocoa, sugar, flour, baking powder, salt).

6.     Fold in the chocolate chips, continue adding for a gooey effect.

7.     Pour slowly into the baking pan, making sure it’s evenly spread.

8.     Bake for about 45 minutes, make sure to test with a toothpick.

9.     Allow to cool, then try not to finish the pan by yourself!