A great healthy style brownie – black beans do not have a high taste and therefore fit in this cake recipe beautifully. Brownies need to be soft and chewy so the moist mixture works well. Using flaxseed as an egg substitute not only makes this recipe Vegan but also adds a good quality phytoestrogen to the recipe. The beans, flaxseeds and apricots are all good sources of lignans which have a weak estrogenic effect. These delightful brownies are not decadent because they are low in sugar and have a good oil and protein profile
If you have any questions please contact me
Ingredients (makes 16 brownies)
- 140gms coconut oil
- 200gms 85% chocolate (good quality)
- 1 tbsp cacao powder
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 x 420gm can of black beans drained and rinsed
- 3 tbsp milled flaxseeds (mixed with 9 tbsp water)
- 100gms mix of chopped walnuts and dried apricots
- 100ml maple syrup
Method
- Pre-heat oven to 180C Gas 4 and line a 24cm square baking tin
- Soak the flaxseed in the water and leave for 15 minutes to absorb
- Break the chocolate into pieces and melt the chocolate and coconut oil together over a pan of simmering water but do not let the water touch the bottom of the pan
- Cool slightly and add the cacao and vanilla extract
- Blend the beans to a paste in a food processor and add about a 1/3 of the flaxseed mix to aid blending
- Add the cacao, chocolate mixture and the rest of the flaxseed mix and maple syrup and blitz in the food processor
- Stir in the chopped walnuts and apricots
- Pour into the prepared baking tin
- Place in the oven for 25-30 minutes until just set (it will be slightly wobbly)
- Leave to cool in the tin a little and then place in the fridge until set
- Cut into 16 pieces and store in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 1 week
- Can be frozen
