Fudgy Black Bean Brownies

The first time that I shared this recipe it was someone else's.   I decided that their recipe had way too much butter in it and was way too complicated. I  used salted butter and cut out the added salt.   I also cut the butter in half and simplified the directions, so now it's my recipe!  Enjoy!

  

Ingredients

4 ounces unsweetened chocolate (if you don't have the squares you can use the powder.  You would need 12 TBSP of unsweetened cocoa powder and 4 TBSP vegetable oil)
1/2 cup salted butter
2 cups soft-cooked black beans, rinsed and drained
1 cup walnuts, chopped
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
¼ cup instant coffee
4 large eggs
1½ cups light agave nectar or honey

non stick cooking spray

Directions

Preheat the oven to 325°F. Spray 11- by 18-inch pan lightly with cooking oil spray.

1.  Melt the chocolate and butter in a glass bowl in the microwave for 1 1/2 to 2 minutes on high. Stir and melt the chocolate completely.

2.  Mash the beans either with a potato masher or puree with a food processor.

3.  Add remaining ingredients except for the walnuts to the beans and mix well. Blend about 2 minutes, or until smooth. The batter should be thick and the beans smooth.  You can do this by hand or use a mixer!

4.  Stir in the walnuts. 

5.  Pour batter into pan.  Bake for 30 to 40 minutes, until the brownies are set. Check to see if they are done by poking a toothpick or fork in the middle.  Will come out clean if done.

Let cool in the pan completely before cutting into squares. (They will be soft until refrigerated.)

Makes 24 (2-inch) really thick brownies.  If you want thinner brownies, divide the batter between two pans.

Zucchini Pancakes

These delicious pancakes are more like mini omeletes but look like pancakes!  Enjoy!

Plain with salt and pepper.                  With shredded pepper jack cheese!

What they look like on the inside.                                       With salsa!

Ingredients
3 eggs
2 cups grated zucchini
1/2 cup flour - I used brown rice flour because it's gluten free
1-2 TBSP milk if you need to make it more like pancake consistency

note - if you add too much milk you can add more flour

Directions
Stir the eggs into the grated zucchini.
Mix in the flour until all of the lumps are gone.
Add milk if you need to.
Spray griddle or pan with non-stick cooking spray.
Heat griddle or pan.
Pour or use a scoop or spoon batter onto cooking surface.
Cook just like pancakes.
Wait for them to bubble.
Check to see if they are cooked underneath.
Flip over
Watch carefully!  The second side cooks fast!
Serve with salt and pepper, syrup, jelly, salsa, grated cheese, etc.  Whatever you like!

Zucchini Nut Bread

Yay!  It's zucchini season!  This is my mom's recipe but I modified it.  Original recipe:  2 c. white sugar, 1 cup oil, no flax seed, 2 1/2 cups flour, no protein powder.

Ingredients
3 eggs
1 c. brown sugar
3/4 c. Splenda
3/4 c cooking oil
2 TBSP ground flax seed
2 cups grated zucchini
2  cups brown rice flour
1/2 c soy protein powder
1 tsp. salt
2 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. baking powder
1 T. cinnamon
1 cup chopped nuts (I like walnuts)

Directions
Bake for 1 hr in a 350 degree oven.  Use greased and floured loaf pans.
Makes 3 small pans or 2 large bread pans

I used 1 muffin tin and a 7 1/2 x10 1/2 cake pan because that is all I have.  I baked those for 28 minutes at 350 degrees.