Flourless Brownies: Big Hit at School

A healthy, protein-rich desert recommended for people with Celiac Disease

Click on the individual pictures above to view fully.

There was a week left in third grade and Elisabeth had to bring brownies to school. Me, not being a baker, and having no forewarning of this event—(to pass it off on Michelle) remembered this recipe and decided it might be a great idea to provide a snack with some protein. After all, these kids probably will be suffering from a sugar overload anyhow.

These brownies do not require many ingredients, are quick to make, very moist and fudgey. You will only need an oven, baking dish and a food processor.

These brownies use NO FLOUR! The batter is made from black beans! This is pretty cool and no one will notice if you don’t tell them!

We’ve made this recipe many times and it has always been a hit.

If you are concerned about gluten-free eating follow the recipe closely and use gluten free chocolate chips too. A couple of other things; you can mix the chips using both semi-sweet to bittersweet in any combination. A drizzle of chocolate on top of the brownies makes a nice presentation too.

Ingredients:
Since the list is very simple, I recommend getting the highest quality cocoa powder and vanilla extract you can find.

• 1 (15 ounce) Can No-Salt or Low Sodium Black Beans, drained & rinsed
• 3 Large Eggs
• 1/3 Cup melted butter, (and enough to coat baking dish)
• ½ Cup high quality Cocoa Powder
• 1/8 Teaspoon salt (use only if using no-salt black beans, otherwise eliminate)
• 2 Teaspoons gluten-free Real Vanilla Extract
• ½ Cup plus 2 tablespoons Cane Sugar (also called Florida Crystals)
• 1 Cup Gluten-Free Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips
• 1/3 Cup finely chopped Walnuts (optional)

Procedure:

1. Butter an 8-inch baking pan and preheat oven to 350 degrees F. In this case we’ve used a specially designed brownie pan — just or fun.
2. To get the consistency right you will need a food processor for this recipe. Combine all the ingredients — except the chocolate chips and nuts — in the food processor bowl.
3. Blend into a smooth consistency. Remove the blade and carefully fold in the chocolate chips (and the walnuts — which I omitted because the brownies were going to a grade school party. (We’ve included a picture of the batter in a stainless bowl just for your visualization.)
4. Pour mixture in the buttered baking dish. You will need to bake the brownies for 30 to 35 minutes or until a toothpick comes clean from the center.
5. Let cool before serving.

Nutritional Information:
1 Brownie (Per serving about 2 oz) 160 calories (80 from fat) 9g total fat, 4g saturated fat, 50mg cholesterol, 35 mg sodium, 17g total carbohydrate (2g dietary fiber, 12g sugar) 4g protein.