Ready for some recipes that sound weird?!

I love new recipes and usually test out new desserts as often as I can. I’m definitely not above a cake recipe that asks for 3 cups of butter or a batch of cookies that has 14 different kinds of candy in them. But the ones that call for vegetables seem to always entice me. If you haven’t tried Red Velvet Cupcakes made with beets you are missing out. These are two of the recipes that are tried and true. I’ve made these brownies for several parties and they get gobbled up fast.

Black Bean Brownies adapted from Chocolate Covered Katie

You’ll need:

1 1/2 cups rinsed black beans (15 oz can)

2 tbsp. cocoa powder

1/2 cup oats

1/4 tsp. salt

1/3 cup honey

1/4 cup coconut oil or vegetable oil (coconut oil tastes much better in my opinion)

2 tsp. vanilla

1/2 tsp. baking powder

1/2-2/3 cup chocolate chips- your choice of dark, milk, semisweet

This is the easy part. Take all your ingredients, except the chocolate chips, and throw them in the blender. I melt my coconut oil a bit before hand so it all blends much easier.

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Sorry, should have told you that sooner.

Pour batter into greased 8×8 pan, I prefer to line my pan with tin foil, makes for easier removal and clean up. On top of your batter, sprinkle your chocolate and slightly push in.

Bake for 15-18 minutes. A toothpick wont come out clean because these are a fudgier brownie, but they will be somewhat firm to the touch.

While these are cooling, lets prepare the cookies.

Chickpea Chocolate Chip Cookies

1 1/4 cup rinsed chickpeas (15 oz can)

1/2 cup almond butter

1/4 cup coconut

1/4 cup pure maple syrup

dash of sea salt

1 tsp. of baking powder

1/2 cup chocolate chips

First off, shell your chickpeas. It isn’t a requirement but just like when you make hummus, shelled beans make the texture so much better. It’s somewhat time consuming but well worth it.

Just like with the brownies, blend all your ingredients except the chocolate chips. I scooped mine into a bowl to mix in the chocolate and for easier handling.

Your oven should still be set at 350 degrees. Spray a cookie sheet with non stick spray. Slightly wet your hands since the dough will be really sticky. Form into balls and flatten into a traditional cookie shape. These won’t rise so whatever shape you form them into, they will stay.

Bake for 15 minutes or slightly less if your oven runs hot like mine. Let cool along side your brownies.

Both recipes are refined sugar free, and gluten free, so they accommodate all sorts of people with food allergies or restrictions. And are super tasty at that!

Now to see if they make it long enough to share.