Black Bean Brownies

I felt like baking tonight. After reading a bunch of recipe ideas, I decided I wanted brownies. After reading several brownie recipes, I decided to make my riff on Chocolate Covered Katie's Black Bean Brownies. I've made them a couple of times before, and they are good!

Ingredients:

• 1 15-oz can black beans, drained and rinsed very well
• 2 tbsp cocoa powder 
• 1/2 cup quick oats (I used 1/2 cup plain cheerios, turned to dust in food processor)
• 1/4 tsp salt (not needed if using cheerios)
• 1/3 cup honey + 2 tbsp sugar  (I used 1/2 cup brown sugar)
• 1/4 cup coconut oil (or canola oil, but I prefer coconut oil)
• 2 tsp vanilla extract 
• 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1 egg (or  2 tablespoons flax meal)(I added the egg, and increased the baking time)
• (optional - 2 tablespoons PB2 powder or peanut butter)
• 2/3 cup mini chocolate chips (adds chocolate and sugar)
• Another small handful of chocolate chips, for sprinkling on top

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 F. 
2. Whir beans and cocoa powder in a food processor until smooth, scraping sides of bowl.
3. Whir in quick oats (or already-pulverized cheerios), scraping down sides of bowl
4. Whir in all the rest of the ingredients EXCEPT for the chocolate chips. (If you are using mix-ins, add them as well.)
5. Stir in the chips by hand, then pour/scrape into a greased 8x8 pan or 7x11 pan 
6. Sprinkle extra chocolate chips over the top. 
7. Cook the brownies for about 24 minutes, then let cool at least 10 minutes before cutting.
8. I like to put then in the refrigerator overni(ght to firm up.

Carole's Notes:

Depending on how you cut them, this makes about 10 to 12 brownies. Double the recipe for a 9 x 13 size pan, and triple it for a 11 x 17 pan.

This is a good gluten free dessert. I like using the coconut oil with the PB2.

I like these with Andies Candies pieces (mint!) and they are also good topped with caramel.

The recipe is lightly adapted from http://chocolatecoveredkatie.com/2012/09/06/no-flour-black-bean-brownies/