AND ON THE SECOND WEEK OF CHRISTMAS, AHTK SENT TO ME…

LITERALLY the most addictive brownie recipe EVER.

This recipe is my pride and joy because I spent SO much time and research behind it.

I wanted to create a healthy brownie recipe; I wanted to make it with a base of black beans. It’s a thing – trust me. Black beans provide a base for the recipe that resembles the texture of fudge.. uhmm yes please!

I couldn’t stop there. I wanted to make a brownie recipe with the taste of Christmas, so peppermint was a necessity. And while we are at it, why not add some instant coffee to it?! I’ve been drowning my body caffeine ( it’s finals szn ), so it only made sense to add WAKA instant coffee to the recipe. WHO DOESN’T LOVE A LITTLE EXTRA CAFFEINE?!! 😉

These aren’t regular brownies, they are brownies with a twist! Not the kind that will leave you with the munchies ( hehe ). These brownies will actually keep you full and energized because they are PACKED with protein, fiber and caffeine!

I tested four recipes before I perfected the final one and I was pleasantly surprised how well the black beans hide in the recipe! It isn’t a sweet/savory recipe; it’s sweet and tastes sinfully delish.

I had to outsource my tastebuds, so I asked my professional taste tester ( AKA, my roommate Mary ) who isn’t afraid to state her opinion. We all need a friend who will keep things real. She couldn’t believe that black beans were in there.

SUCCESS !!

The black beans were added because they provide structure and texture to the brownies. These beans are also packed with benefits. 

According to this study from University of California Davis, including black beans in a typical Western-style meal increases content of protein, dietary fiber, in addition to micronutrient and phytochemical components. The meal in this study that included black beans resulted in a reduced postprandial ( after a meal ) concentration of insulin which suggests an enhanced insulin sensitivity in adults with metabolic syndrome. The results of this study support the regular consumption of black beans with meals to manage the postprandial ( post-meal ) metabolic responses.

The ingredients do a fabulous job of eliminating the taste of black beans and the ingredients and also REAP many benefits.

I was ecstatic to hear of all the benefits of coffee. I love coffee SO MUCH that I would get a tatt of its chemical structure. Don’t tell my mom 😉  

Coffee is the #1 diet source of antioxidants in many countries including the US, Italy, Spain, and Norway. ( I’m sure my dad and his daily trenta iced coffee may have some influence on that data… ) Coffee beans contain phenolic antioxidant compounds with the major antioxidant being chlorogenic acid. Antioxidant activity can vary according to degree of roasting with a maximum activity for medium-roasted coffee. 

Long term coffee consumption has been associated with significant dose-dependent reductions in developing Type 2 Diabetes. Also, coffee intake is inversely associated with the risk of Parkinson’s disease and reduces risk of Alzheimer’s disease.

Now the question is, how can you reap the benefits of these fabulous ingredients?!!

Recipe

• 1 can black beans
• 1/4 cup cocoa
• 3/4 cup coconut sugar
• 1/4 cup almond butter
• 2 eggs
• pinch sea salt
• 2 tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• ½ tsp peppermint extract
• 3 packets of WAKA instant coffee
• 1 cup chocolate chips

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350°F. 

In a food processor, blend all ingredients except the chocolate chips. When the batter blends smooth and consistent, transfer to a medium-large bowl. Fold in chocolate chips. Pour the batter into a greased 8×8 baking pan and bake or 25-25 minutes.

HUGE thanks to WAKA coffee for helping me prepare this recipe!

I hope you enjoy your caffeine brownies! It’s the perfect pick-me-up between holiday shopping and studying for finals!

References:

Bae, J. H., Park, J. H., Im, S. S., & Song, D. K. (2014). Coffee and health. Integrative medicine research, 3(4), 189-191.