Black Bean Brownies

Yep, you heard me right, BLACK BEAN BROWNIES. I did it. I had to, I felt I had no choice. I saw this article: Naughty Foods Made Nice and being a self-proclaimed baker, I had to try it...once I stopped feeling nauseous. I googled it first, of course, to see if this was a ridiculous joke or a tree-hugging hippie idea trying to pass for something tasty and healthy. Everyone claimed it was great and you couldn't taste the difference and how could "everyone" be wrong?

So...I did it. I went to the store and I bought myself a box of brownie mix and a can of black beans. I rinsed the beans, put them back into the can, filled the can with water, and dumped them into my mini-food processor. Then I pureed. I had to stop myself from gagging as I took the lid off to examine my mashing. I ended up with this purpley bean juice. I shook my head, shrugged my shoulders and told the dog "welp, here goes nothing" and added the bean juice into my brownie mix. It smelled like brownie mix and beans and I was feeling queasy but my pan was greased and it was too late to turn back.

I poured the batter into my pan and stared at the spoon and bowl, the best part of brownies. The only reason I make brownies is so I can lick the spoon when I'm done. But alas, today was not a spoon day. I took one, small cautious lick and much to my surprise it tasted like brownie. Mentally I had ruined the experience because my brain kept repeating "black bean juice" over and over again and the spoon and bowl ended up in the dishwasher instead of my tummy.

Into the oven the brownies go as I take a look at the box to examine the stats of my new brownies. Packed with fiber and protein, I cut the calories and the fat! But was it worth it? 20 minutes later the house began to smell of brownies! 30 minutes later the timer went off and I stuck a knife into the center to see how we were looking (I'm out of toothpicks). I tasted the little bit of brownie on the knife. It tasted like brownie!

A while later it was time for dessert. Mike knew nothing of my nonsense and I decided only to tell him dessert was healthy tonight. He looked at me funny and said "...brownies?!..." I added some blueberries and a dollop of cool whip, still fearful we'd have beany brownies. One bite in and I was amazed. Mike gobbled it down and told me he liked it. I ended up telling him my secret and he was shocked but instead of being disgusted told me "there were really good!"

I'll probably never trust another brownie again but, in all honesty, I think I'd consider doing it again. They REALLY don't taste any different from normal brownies and I'm always very skeptical of "healthy alternatives". Try it if you don't believe me!