Cooking Matters volunteer instructor Melissa Miller says this recipe “always makes me really happy, because it is a food that I love, that I can have as a treat, and also be healthy. I’m a fiend for the spicy/sweet flavor combination, so when I make them myself, I usually add cinnamon and chili powder to spice them up — but they’re super delicious without.”

Serves 16, 1 brownie per serving

Ingredients:

• Nonstick cooking spray
• 1 (15-ounce) can black beans or 1-3/4 cups cooked, cooled black beans
• 3 large eggs
• 3 tablespoons canola oil
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup packed brown sugar
• 1/3 cup cocoa powder

Optional Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup chocolate, peanut butter or butterscotch chips, or chopped nuts

Materials:

• Measuring cups
• Can opener
• Measuring spoons
• Colander
• Rubber spatula
• Fork
• 9-inch square baking pan

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Coat a 9-inch baking pan with nonstick cooking spray.
2. In a colander, drain and rinse beans.
3. In a large bowl, whisk eggs, oil and vanilla with a fork. Add beans and mash with fork until beans are barely visible (this can take 5 or more minutes of mashing). Stir sugar and cocoa, and blend with a rubber spatula until mixed. Stir in chips or nuts if using.
4. Pour the batter into the baking pan. Bake until a knife inserted in the center of the brownies comes out clean, 25 to 30 minutes. Let cool completely before cutting into 16 squares.

Note:

If you have a blender or food processor, you can use it to make these brownies. Put eggs, oil and vanilla in a blender or food processor, pulse to mix. Add beans and blend until pureed and smooth, 1 to 2 minutes, scraping down the sides of the blender or food processor with a rubber spatula once or twice. Add sugar and cocoa, and blend until mixed, about 1 minute. Add chips or nuts (if using), and pulse once or twice to mix.

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This delicious recipe was developed by  Share our Strength’s national Cooking Matters and is reprinted from their website.