Black Bean Brownies [VEGAN/FLOURLESS]

These brownies were surprisingly good for a brownie made with black beans and no flour, eggs, or butter. They were fudgy and delicious right out of the oven and were pretty filling as well (stopping me from eating the whole pan). 

I love this recipe also partly because of how easy it is. The batter is made in a blender or food processor, making preparation and cleanup effortless. However, do make sure that all your ingredients are warm (or at least room temperature) to make sure that it blends as smoothly as possible. 

The brownies are also egg-free, made instead with a chia egg. If you don't have chia seeds, flax seeds also work (use 2 tbsp instead). If you only have regular eggs on hand, two large eggs also work in this recipe. To make two chia eggs, just add 1 tbsp of chia seeds and 6 tbsp of water to a bowl and let it sit to gel up. This is necessary in order to bind the batter together (just like a normal egg would). 

Black Bean Brownies
Makes one 8 inch pan

Ingredients:
- 1 tbsp chia seeds
- 6 tbsp water
- 1.5 cups cooked black beans (or 15oz canned beans)
- 1/4 cup sugar
- 1/3 cup coconut oil; melted
- 1/4 cup cocoa powder
- 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 1/4 tsp sea salt
- optional: 1/2 cup chocolate chips


Directions:
1. Preheat the oven to 350F, and prepare an 8-inch pan. 

2. First, to make the chia egg, combine 1 tbsp chia seeds with 6 tbsp water in a small bowl, and let sit while combining the rest of the ingredients. 

3. Add the beans, sugar, and coconut oil to the blender and blend until very well combined, scraping down the sides of the blender as needed. 

4. Next, add the cocoa powder, baking powder, and sea salt blend until the mixture is even. 

5. By now, your chia egg should be gelled, and much thicker than it was before. Add the chia egg to the blender, and blend until well combined. 

6. If adding chocolate chips, add them to the blender and mix by hand. 

7. Pour into prepared pan, and bake for 25-30 minutes. 

Enjoy:))