"Decadent Brownies"

Costco is selling a new sweetener that is supposed to be easier on your GI index, Agave Nectar. It is light and sweet in taste. I was interested in this brownie recipe I stumbled across which calls for the sweetener and also uses black beans to increase the protein content.

I made them up on Monday. They really do firm up and become easier to cut after leaving in the refrigerator overnight. My children came home from school and smelled them and each had a double serving with milk--never suspecting the "real ingredients" in them. That is why we do not call them by their real recipe name! They are surprisingly delicious (especially if you are not buying chocolate--see Joe's New Year's Goal in earlier posts...and if you are pregnant and constantly tired). They are not, however, low fat or necessarily "healthy." In the recipe below, I used the same amount of semisweet chocolate chips in place of the baker's chocolate and I substituted powdered cocoa for the instant coffee.

Amazing Black Bean Brownie Recipe

For those of you who have a hard time tracking down agave nectar (substitute honey 1:1 for the agave nectar. Ania's head notes encourage you to keep these brownies in the refrigerator, they will slice much better if refrigerated several hours or preferably overnight.

4 ounces unsweetened chocolate (or 4 oz. semisweet chocolate chips) 1 cup unsalted butter 2 cups soft-cooked black beans, drained well (hs: canned is fine, I used 2 cans) 1 cup walnuts, chopped 1 tablespoon vanilla extract ¼ cup (granulated) natural coffee substitute (or instant coffee, for gluten-sensitive) ( or 1/4 cup cocoa) ¼ teaspoon sea salt 4 large eggs 1½ cups light agave nectar

Preheat the oven to 325°F. Line an 11- by 18-inch (rimmed) baking pan (hs note: or jellyroll pan) with parchment paper and lightly oil with canola oil spray. Melt the chocolate and butter in a glass bowl in the microwave for 1 1/2 to 2 minutes on high. Stir with a spoon to melt the chocolate completely. Place the beans, 1/2 cup of the walnuts, the vanilla extract, and a couple of spoonfuls of the melted chocolate mixture into the bowl of a food processor. Blend about 2 minutes, or until smooth. The batter should be thick and the beans smooth. Set aside. In a large bowl, mix together the remaining 1/2 cup walnuts, remaining melted chocolate mixture, coffee substitute, and salt. Mix well and set aside. In a separate bowl, with an electric mixer beat the eggs until light and creamy, about 1 minute. Add the agave nectar and beat well. Set aside. Add the bean/chocolate mixture to the coffee/chocolate mixture. Stir until blended well. Add the egg mixture, reserving about 1/2 cup. Mix well. Pour the batter into the prepared pan. Using an electric mixer, beat the remaining 1/2 cup egg mixture until light and fluffy. Drizzle over the brownie batter. Use a wooden toothpick to pull the egg mixture through the batter, creating a marbled effect. Bake for 30 to 40 minutes, until the brownies are set. Let cool in the pan completely before cutting into squares. (They will be soft until refrigerated.)

Makes 45 (2-inch) brownies.

Reprinted with permission from Baking With Agave Nectar: Over 100 Recipes Using Nature's Ultimate Sweetener by Ania Catalano. (Ten Speed Press 2008)

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