Ooey Gooey Brownies (with 1/10 the fat!)

So, I have been having a major chocolate attack these last few days.  I really wanted a nice chocolaty dessert the other night, so I thought I would make some brownies. After my semi-success in tricking my taste buds with the Guilt Free Pizza earlier this week, I googled "Healthy Brownie Recipes" or something of the sort, thinking that google would say "Ha!  Try Again, Stupid!", but lo and behold we got results! (Thanks to Skinny Taste....check it out!)

Now, these brownies still aren't technically "healthy" , but they are gooey, delicious, and have no added oil or eggs.  All you need is a box of Betty Crocker Brownie Mix, and the secret ingredient.  What then, you say, is the secret ingredient?  Are you guessing......?

Nope, that's not it.

That either.

Or that.. 

Okay, okay.  I'll just tell you, because you will never guess. The secret ingredient is......(imagine a drum roll here):

An entire can of black beans.

Would you ever have guessed? It sounds weird and gross...I was VERY sceptical! (I even bought a pack of "backup" treats, since I had friends coming over....we didn't need them!) Honestly though, you can't tell.  If you like your brownies light and fluffy, then this recipe isn't for you.  But, if you like to take your brownies out of the oven a little early so that they are a nice and soft and chewy, then you are going to love this recipe.

Ingredients:
1 Box Betty Crocker (or your favorite brand) Brownie Mix
1 Can Black Beans in Water

Method:
1. Drain the beans and rinse them well.
2. Add the beans back to the empty can and fill with water
3. Blend the bean/water mixture in a blender until smooth
4. In a large bowl, combine bean puree with brownie mixture until smooth.
5. Bake according to package instructions
6. Allow to cool, and enjoy!*

I cut my brownies into about 20 little brownie bites.  If I had made them according to the package instructions (using an egg, water, and 30ml of vegetable oil), the entire recipe would have contained about 33g of fat (About 1.5g fat per individual brownie bite).  Subbing the black beans meant that the entire recipe contained less than 3g fat.  (About 0.1g fat per brownie bite).  So, even though there is still plenty of sugar, you've saved a lot of fat by subbing the beans. You get the extra bonus of some daily fibre, and you can still satisfy that craving for chocolate!

*Please enjoy in moderation. Consuming large amounts of black bean brownies may result in public flatulance, frequent lavatory visits, and general embarrassment for everyone involved.