Black Bean Brownies - yes, I said black beans....

So I saw this article on Fooducate's Facebook page and I thought brownies with no guilt? uhhh ok! I did not add the chocolate chips partially because I wanted to lower the sugar content and partially because I did not have any :)

If you are not aware of Fooducate here is your chance to learn! I don't always agree with their opinions but I think they have a good handle on presenting the truth about everything that they review. So check them out at http://www.fooducate.com/ or on Facebook, or if you are really cool, download the app for your phone!

Here is the recipe:

Black Bean Brownies
http://www.fooducate.com/blog/2011/02/14/show-your-valentine-some-love-with-beans/

Ingredients:

1 15-oz can black beans, rinsed and drained very well
3 eggs
3 Tbsp canola oil
½ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
Pinch of salt
½ tsp baking powder
1 tsp vanilla extract
2/3 cup brown sugar, packed or ¾ cup white granulated sugar
½ cup semi-sweet chocolate chips, divided (I did not add)



Instructions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Spray an 8” x 8” baking pan with cooking spray.
In food processor, process black beans until smooth.
Add the eggs, oil, cocoa powder, salt, baking powder, vanilla extract, and sugar, and process until smooth.
Add ½ of the chocolate chips, and pulse a few times or stir, so that the chips are mixed in.
Transfer the batter to the baking pan, and sprinkle the remaining chips on top of the brownies.
Bake for 30-35 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted at the center comes out clean.
Enjoy with a small scoop of vanilla bean ice cream!

Without the chocolate chips...


Go cook something!

Cooking for the future.....

Cooking for the future...

Sounds pretty cool right? Nah... I am just talking about cooking a big recipe and then freezing it for later. You can find all types of recipes on the web for all types of food. You can cook hamburger in advance and freeze it in whatever portion size you would prefer, need a quick meal (spaghetti, tacos, chili, etc.) just pull out a bag of frozen but already cooked meat. You can make whole lasagnas, casseroles, or even cakes (unfrosted) and freeze for a later date. Whether you need a quick meal or want to take a meal to sick friend, the freezer is your friend.

With that mind now let's talk waffles! I made a double batch of waffles this weekend and was able to freeze a gallon size zipper bag with waffley goodness! What do you do with waffles from the freezer? Pop them into a toaster or the oven and then you can top them with anything. Yes Virginia you can make your own frozen waffles!

Here is a recipe I adapted from www.allrecipes.com

Easy Waffles

Ingredients

2 eggs
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 3/4 cups milk
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1 tablespoon white sugar
4 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
Directions

Preheat waffle iron. Beat eggs in large bowl with hand beater until fluffy (I used a whisk). Beat in flour, milk, vegetable oil, sugar, baking powder, salt and vanilla, just until smooth.

**I thought the batter was too runny, so I added about ½ cup of flour more, you could substitute maple syrup for the sugar or for a lower calorie count use splenda. There are other flavored extracts, lemon, almond, even peanut butter extract, the point is make it fun and make it yours.**

Spray preheated waffle iron with non-stick cooking spray. Pour ½ cup to ¾ cup of the mix onto hot waffle iron, depending on the size. This is the time to add nuts, or chocolate chips, bacon, etc. Close the waffle iron and cook until golden brown. The trick to knowing when they are done is to wait until there is no more steam coming out of the waffle, but your machine may vary. Serve the waffles hot, with butter, syrup, fresh fruit, whipped cream, or all of the above!



So make a double batch and then you can do this with the leftovers:
waffle breakfast sandwiches, spread peanut butter & sprinkle cinnamon, cream cheese and a dash of homemade jam, make a waffle grilled cheese. The possibilities are endless.

As a last note, check out www.waffleizer.com/ for out of the box ideas for your new friend the waffle iron.

Go cook something!
Trace



www.cookingwithtrace.com