Brownies were always a staple in my house growing up. Whether it was after school, on a Saturday afternoon, or what we brought to the potluck parties at a sports banquet, we lived and thrived on those ooey, gooey, chocolatey brownies. As I got older, I realized that I couldn’t exactly eat brownies all the time, but I still did want them. Alas, I decided it was time to venture out and find a flourless black bean brownie recipe that tasted decadent but didn’t add the extra inches to my waistline and that my gluten-free friends could eat, too. Introducing, the best gluten-free black bean brownies recipe you’ll ever make.

Why Eat Black Bean Brownies

I get this question a lot - why eat a healthy brownie if you could just have a normal brownie? Does it taste like black beans? Honestly, in my dream world, yes I would eat brownies all the time, especially normal ones. However, after mastering this remarkable gluten-free black bean brownies recipe, sometimes I don’t want to go back to normal brownies. This naturally gluten-free black bean brownies recipe tastes just as good, if not I dare say better, than a traditional brownie dessert. What’s the secret? Beating the h-e-double-hockey-sticks out of the black beans before baking them. Nothing is worse than biting into the brownie and getting the shell of a bean, so make sure you take your time and really crush those little beans.

Benefits Of Black Beans

Are black beans healthy? You bet they are! Black beans are a great addition to your diet whether you put them on tacos, salads, mixed in with your meal-prepped rice, or in this case, in your gluten-free brownies recipe. They’re packed full of fiber, protein, and folate, and have been used for centuries in many cultures in Asia, South America, and Central America. Other notable micronutrients in black beans that you’re going to benefit from are:

• Iron: 20% RDI
• Maganese: 38% RDI
• Magnesium: 30% RDI
• Folate (vitamin B9): 64% RDI
• Thiamine (vitamin B1): 28% RDI

Other health benefits of black beans include assisting with achieving a healthy weight and reducing blood sugar spikes because of the quality carbohydrate and fiber content. They’re a low glycemic index (GI) food as compared to many other foods with equal or similar amounts of carbohydrates and some cultures believe that black beans can even reduce gray hair.  While we’re not exactly sure that is true, the fact of the matter is this - you’re going to reap the nutritional benefits from this gluten-free black bean brownies recipe without spiking your blood sugar or gaining extra weight as compared to traditional brownies. Now that’s a win!

How To Bake With Protein

Now typically, I don’t make this recipe with protein, but I have in the past and they turn out great. I’d recommend adding 1 scoop of the chocolate Whey Protein Isolate by Swolverine or adding 2-4 scoops of the Collagen Protein powder from Swolverine, but not both at the same time, as it will change the texture too much. They have a pretty great ingredient profile already though, especially if you use Truvia Natural Cane Sugar Blend as your sugar, and you can have a glass of ice-cold milk on the side.

RECOMMENDED: Swolverine Whey Protein Isolate (30 servings, 26g protein per scoop)

RECOMMENDED: Swolverine Collagen Protein Peptide Powder (35 servings, 10g protein per serving)

Flourless Gluten-Free Black Bean Brownies Recipe

Serves: 5

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 cup black beans
• 1/4 cup coconut oil
• 2 large egg
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 3 tbsp Truvia Sweetener
• 1/4 + 1/2 tbsp cocoa powder
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 1/4 cup dark chocolate chips

Optional: add 1 scoop Swolverine Whey Protein Isolate or 2 scoops Swolverine Collagen Protein Peptides

Directions:

• Preheat oven to 350°.
• Place beans in food processor and pulse (or beat with a mixer); add coconut oil, eggs, syrup, and vanilla and pulse to mix together.
• Add in sugar, cocoa, baking powder, and salt and pulse to combine. Remove blade from food processor and stir in chocolate chips by hand.
• Coat a 8x8 baking pan with coconut oil and then pour batter into pan, using a spatula to smooth and even it out.
• Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until edges have hardened. Allow AT LEAST 20 minutes for brownies to cool before cutting and removing from pan.
• Enjoy!

Nutrition Totals:

One Serving = Calories 272 Carbs 32g (41%) Protein 6g (8%) Fat 18g (51%)

Flourless Black Bean Brownies Recipe: Takeaway

Indulging in delicious desserts and foods doesn't have to break the calorie bank and can actually improve your overall health. When we restrict ourselves from things we love, we can often feel deprived and end up overeating them when we see them in front of us. Instead? We recommend including foods in moderation so that you don't unnecessarily cut out food groups or foods you enjoy altogether. In the case of this traditional dessert twist, we hope you enjoy our gluten-free black bean brownies recipe, and don't forget to beat the beans to a pulp - that's the 'secret'!

Need Help With Optimizing Your Diet And Nutrition Plan To Finally Get The Results You've Been Waiting For While Eating The Foods You Love?

The Swole Kitchen provides 1:1 nutrition coaching, macro coaching, and custom meal plans to help guide you to becoming the best version of yourself. We teach you how to enjoy the foods you love in the right amounts, so you can fit into your favorite pair of jeans, hit your health and fitness goals, and be healthy and happy. We guide you through making sound nutritional decisions and teach you along the way, so you can learn how to take control of your health, and discover what if feels like to live again.

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