Protein Packed Fudge Brownies

I decided to try something new the other day, and OH MY GOODNESS did this recipe turn out amazing!  I don’t mean to brag, but it might be one of my greatest kitchen success stories.  They turned out absolutely perfect: extra fudgy, gooey, and chocolatey.  Plus, they are secretly full of protein (smirk).

A quick confession:  I went back for thirds after baking these.  I think it was the first time in years I have done something like that!  Ok, back to the point.

What makes these so nutritionally dense?  Well, there is a secret ingredient of course!  Drum roll please… black beans!  Don’t freak out and cringe… just keep reading.

Black beans are an antioxidant rich, fiber filled, vitamin B stocked source of plant based protein, and they are great in a variety of dishes.  Whether you like them or not, however, you will probably still love these brownies!  That’s how discrete the black beans are.

I absolutely guarantee you would never guess there are legumes inside unless you already know, and this has been “scientifically” proven.  After serving several satisfied friends and family members, none of them could guess what the secret ingredient was (even with hints!).  To be completely honest, I tried thinking “beans, beans, beans” while enjoying a brownie to identify the flavor, but I just couldn’t taste them!

Nevertheless, I am always skeptical of putting non-dessert ingredients inside desserts in fear of ruining them.  I mean, everything in moderation, right?  Sometimes it doesn’t seem worth the risk of sacrificing flavor to get a little healthier version.  However, these brownies bring the best of both worlds (delicious AND nutritious), and I think the beans might actually enhance the recipe!  Overall, just make them…ASAP!  You don’t know you need black bean brownies until you try them!

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