Okay, so I know there's a fantastic recipe out there for black bean brownies, but I made up my own, because I like to do that! These brownies use whole wheat flour and black beans, so we're adding lots of nutrients, protein, and fiber to a tasty, VERY chocolate treat. These brownies are so rich and chocolaty, you'd never know my secret ingredients - my kids gobbled them down and asked me to "save" this recipe. It's still a dessert, so they're still something to eat in moderation, but anywhere you can get a little extra nutrition, I say, go for it.

Mix the following together and pour into mixing bowl.

1/4 cup hot water
1 T instant coffee or espresso powder

Add the following & mix well:

1/3 cup butter, softened (use organic if available)
3 eggs
1 t vanilla extract
1 can of black beans (organic, drained, rinsed, & mashed in a zip-top baggie with your hands)
1/3 cup agave nectar or honey
3/4 cup raw demura sugar (or brown sugar)

Add the following & mix well:

1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour
about 1 cup of unsweetened cocoa powder (I was only going to use 3/4 c., but the container was nearly empty so I threw the rest in too. This made them ultra dark chocolate brownies)
1 t baking powder
1/2 t salt (sea salt, if possible)

Mix in about 1 cup of chocolate chips.

Bake at 350 degrees in an 8x8 or 9x9 pan lined with parchment paper for about 40 minutes. Cool, cut & enjoy. We enjoyed ours with a scoop of organic vanilla ice cream. Yummy!