Recipe of the Month: Black Bean Date Brownies

From GRP skier Adam Martin.

Rich and satiating, these no bake brownies will satisfy your chocolate craving and then some. Dates and almond butter provide sweet caramel flavor, ¾c cocoa powder asserts rich chocolate savor, and black beans complement these chocolate tones without tasting at all beany. This recipe makes about 9 servings, so it can easily be scaled down if any of the quantities appear intimidating.

Ingredients:
1¼c packed, pitted Medjool dates (about 13)
1c almond butter
1c cooked and drained black beans
½c plant milk + up to 3T extra
¾c cocoa powder
½t vanilla extract
¼t kosher salt
½c chopped dark chocolate or chips
1 batch of date caramel

I use dutch processed cocoa, which yields a darker brownie batter, but regular cocoa will also work.

I use dutch processed cocoa, which yields a darker brownie batter, but regular cocoa will also work.

Method
1. Process the dates in a food processor until they form a smooth paste. Stop and scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed.
The dates should be soft and plump. If they are dry or hard, add them to a bowl with boiling water, soak for 10 minutes, and drain before processing.

2. Add the black beans and almond butter, and process until smooth. If the food processor struggles with the thick batter, stop and add a few tablespoons of plant milk.

3. Add the plant milk, cocoa powder, salt, and vanilla. Process until smooth, and scrape down the bowl at least once to ensure everything is well combined.
This recipe tops the brownies with sweet date caramel. I highly recommend this final step, but if you decide to serve the brownie batter by itself, substitute maple syrup for 2T of the plant milk.

4. Add the chocolate bits to the batter.

5. Distribute the brownie mixture into serving vessels, top with the date caramel, and lightly swirl some of the caramel into the batter. (For reference, the bowl below contains ⅓ of the recipe.)

6. Grab your favorite spoon, and dig in!

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