Fudgy Black Bean Brownies

V-day has passed, but that doesn't mean that we can't indulge in a little bit of chocolate right? ;)

I'm not going to lie, if you really want the true brownie filled with butter and sugar, then you might want to try this recipe.  BUT if you're looking for a healthy alternative that can make you believe that you're biting into that sinful chocolate brownie, you've come to the right place.

This "brownie" recipe mainly uses blackbeans as its base and is sweetened with an apple and some honey.  I imagine that if you don't want to use honey, then you can replace it with some brown sugar, or a natural sugar alternative such as stevia.

Cy is not a big black bean fan, but this recipe passed his test.  You can't tell that it's made with black beans and it's nice and moist and chocolatey.  Perfect with a tall glass of milk...or if you can't do dairy, a glass of sugar-free coconut milk (my fav)!

Black Bean Brownies

adapted from The Best of Clean Eating

Ingredients:

Olive or Canola oil cooking spray

1oz...dark organic chocolate (70% cocoa or greater)

1.5c..soft-cooked black beans, rinsed and drained (can will also work)

2.......eggs

1.......egg white

2tbsp.olive oil

1/4c...unsweetened cocoa powder

1tsp...espresso powder(optional)

1c......baking powder

1tsp...pure vanilla extract

1/4c...unsweetened applesauce **I didn't have applesauce so I just threw a small apple in the processor

1/3c...raw organic honey

1/3c...chopped toasted unsalted walnut

Directions:

1) Preheat oven to 350.  Mist an 8inch square baking dish with cooking spray.

2)  Melt dark chocolate in a double broiler over low heat with one tablespoon of water mixed in. (Or if you're in a rush, you can zap in the microwave for about 20sec and stir)

3)  Combine all ingredients except for walnuts in a food processor and process until smooth.  Stir in walnuts.  (If you want to add some more chocolatey goodness, you can also stir in 1/4c of semi-sweet chocolate chips).  Pour mixture into baking dish.

 

4) Bake for about 30min, or until tops are dry and the edges start to pull away from the sides.  Let cool, and ENJOY :)   

**The texture gets even better if you leave it covered in the fridge for at least 30min before consuming.  I topped them with a little bit of non-fat greek yogurt and some pomegranate seeds

A Happy V-day with "Healthy" Strawberry and Banana Muffins

Happy Valentine's Day!  I definitely don't believe that we need a holiday to show the people we care about how special they are...but, the day is a good excuse to make cute heart shaped goodies.

I happen to think that one of the best features of the muffin is its consistency.  And sometimes, you just want to sink your teeth into that warm soft cake in all of its carbolicious glory.  He won't admit to it, but I know Cy has those moments too.  So as a compromise, I tried to make a "healthier" version so that Cy can indulge too...and I can enjoy them with less guilt ;)

"Healthy" Strawberry Banana Muffins

Ingredients:

2........eggs

1/4c...unsweetened applesauce

1/2c...plain yogurt

2tbsp..honey

1tsp....vanilla extract

2-3.....bananas (mashed)

1c......almond meal

1/2c...whole wheat flour

1/2c...oats

1tsp...baking soda

1tbsp..ground cinnamon

1c.......fresh strawberries (chopped)

Recipe:

1) Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Line 12 cup muffin tin with liners.

2) In a large bowl, mix together all wet ingredients (eggs, applesauce, yogurt, honey vanilla, and bananas).

3) In another bowl, mix together dry ingredients (almond meal, whole wheat flour, oats, baking soda, and cinnamon).

4) Add dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix until just combined.  It's important not to overmix since we are using some wheat flour - this is the secret to fluffy muffins! 

5) Stir in the strawberries, and fill the muffin liners evenly with the batter. 

6) Bake for about 20min or until the muffin tops spring back when pressed lightly.  Let muffins cool and 

    ENJOY!

*I decorated mine with strawberry slices cut out to look like a heart ;)

*Also, this is another very versatile recipe.  If you don't have almond meal, feel free to use all wheat flour.  Or you can even add maybe a 1/4c of flax seeds instead of oats for some extra fiber.

Roasted Pepper and Quinoa Verrines with Avocado Cream

This recipe comes from one of my favorite food blogs Tartelette.  Her site is beautiful and always inspires me to bake.  This particular dish is one of my favorites on her blog even though it is not one of her amazing desserts.  Though its not sweet, the dish LOOKS like dessert - so it's right up my alley ;)

There seems to be a misconception that quinoa is a grain, but it is actually a seed and what they call a pseudocereal.  Like a grain, the numbers read high in carbs, but it is a complex carb with a low glycemic index.  It's packed with enough essential amino acids and nutrients that will benefit diabetics, even with the high carb reading.  Just everything in moderation.

 In Cy's case, I feel that this makes for part of a great post work-out dinner.  He has a tendency to go very hypoglycemic after meals after his workouts, so quinoa is a good balance.

Not only that, but the dish is pretty enough to serve for company as a side or appetizer.  It's good for everyone!