Chocolate Peanut Butter Black Bean Brownies

I wanted a healthy-ish dessert, so I decided to try Chocolate Peanut Butter (Black Bean) Brownies.

Ingredients:

• 1 can black beans, very well rinsed and drained
• 3 tbsps cocoa powder
• 1/2 cup quick oats
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/2 cup honey (I used 3/8 cup honey, 1/8 cup sugar)
• 1/3 cup peanut butter
  (if you use natural, you may need to add a tablespoon more sugar or honey)
• 2 tsp pure vanilla extract
• 1/2 tsp baking powder
• optional - 1 tablespoon PB2 (powdered peanut butter)
• 2/3 cup chocolate chips (I used 1/2 cup in the body, and a handful on top)
• 1/4 cup peanut butter for topping
  (if you use natural peanut butter, you may need to add 1 tablespoon of honey to melt peanut butter)

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 F. 
2. Spray an 7 x 11 pan well with cooking spray. (It's ok to use an 8 x 8 pan instead.)
3. Rinse the beans well, then drain. Pat dry with a kitchen towel.
4. Whir the beans in the food processor.
5. Add in the rest of ingredients (up to and including the baking powder) to the food processor, and process until completely smooth. 
6. Briefly whir in 1/2 cup of chocolate chips.
7. Pour or pat batter into the greased pan.
8. Gently microwave the peanut butter until it is very stir-able.
   (I had to add a tablespoon of honey to my natural peanut butter.)
9. Drop spoonfuls or pour onto the batter. As possible, swirl through peanut butter with a spoon.
10. Sprinkle another handful of chocolate chips on top.
11. Bake on the center rack of oven for 14 minutes - they may seem under cooked.
12. Let the brownies cool at least 10 minutes out of the oven on a rack.
13. As needed, refrigerate brownies overnight - they are supposed to taste better the next day.

Carole's Notes:

These make a fudgy brownie. They were yummy, and you would not know they included black beans.  For celiac friends, use gluten free oats.

The recipe is lightly adapted from http://chocolatecoveredkatie.com/2017/01/30/peanut-butter-brownies-swirl/