Chocolate Black Bean Brownies

By Vegiegail

Ingredients

• 1 (15 ounce) can black beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 1/2 cups agave nectar
• 2 tablespoons ground flax seeds
• 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup cocoa powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
• 3/4 cup whole wheat pastry flour

Details

Servings 12
Adapted from drmcdougall.com

Preparation

Step 1

Preheat oven to 350F.

Line an 8x8” pan with parchment paper and allow about 1” of the paper to hang out on each side. This will allow you to lift the brownies out of the pan once they cool.

Place black beans and agave nectar in a food processor and puree until very smooth. Add the flax seeds, vanilla, cocoa powder, baking soda and salt and pulse to combine. Add the flour and pulse until just until barely combined, scraping the sides as needed. Do not over mix. Pour into prepared pan. Bake approximately 30 minutes or until center no longer jiggles when shaken gently and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out almost clean.

Allow to cool completely before slicing. Cut into 12 small rectangles.

Top with a scoop of Iced Vanilla Cashew Cream and drizzle with Fresh Strawberry Sauce.

For the Iced Vanilla Cashew Cream:

2 cups raw cashews, soaked in filtered water for 1-5 hours
1 1/2 cups filtered water
3/4 cup agave
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1 vanilla bean

Drain cashews and discard soaking water. Place cashews in blender and add about half of the water. Blend for 3-5 minutes tor rest your blender (unless you have a high-speed blender.) Add in the rest of the water, agave, and vanilla extract. Cut the vanilla bean in half lengthwise and scrape out the seeds. Place the seeds in the blender and blend for another minute or two until silky smooth and the consistency of heavy cream. Pour into ice cream maker and freeze according to manufacturer's instructions.

Fresh Strawberry Sauce:

Make this fresh, sweet syrup whenever strawberries are in season. Drizzle it over ice cream, pancakes or French toast. Substitute any seasonal fresh fruit for the strawberries including blueberries, peaches, kiwi and more!

2 cups fresh strawberries
¼ cup agave nectar (more or less as needed depending on sweetness of fruit)