Black Bean Cookies

Here is the story of when I actually tell my daughter the truth, and she doesn't believe me.

You see, for the longest time she hated black beans.  Because I'm a mean mom I would make them all the time and make her eat them.  I did this enough that now she likes them.  But before that happened I'd tell her that EVERYTHING had black beans in it.  Especially dessert.  (See?  Super mean mom!)  So when I told her that these Chocolate Brownie Cookies from Eliza's Edibles had black beans in them she thought I was yanking her chain.

Unlike these chickpea cookies, you could not taste the beans. 

Also, I've noticed that desserts with legumes can have an unusual texture. I made one key change to the recipe from Eliza's Edibles that masked the tell tale bean-i-ness.  OATS!  Oats totally save the day.  The texture of the oats covers up anything that might be confused for a bean.  Awesome!

Here's my adaptation of Eliza's Edibles' Secretly Healthy Black Bean Brownie Cookies
1 1/2 c cooked black beans (or use 1 can salt free black beans)
2 T milk
1 1/2 T peanut butter
2 T olive oil
1 t vanilla
3 T whole wheat flour
1/4 c cocoa powder
1/2c + 1 T sugar
1 t baking powder
1/2 t cinnamon
pinch of salt
1/2 c old fashioned oats
1/3 c dark chocolate chips plus extra for topping

Preheat oven to 375.  In food processor, blend beans until they get clumpy.  Add milk, peanut butter, oil and vanilla.  Blend and blend and blend until very very smooth, making sure to scrape the sides.  Meanwhile, in a small bowl combine flour, cocoa, baking powder, cinnamon and salt.  Add this to the bean mixture in 3-4 parts, scraping down the sides and blending smooth after each addition.  Pulse in the oats.  Your dough should be very light and fluffy at this time and fully pureed.  Do not over mix at this point or your oats will turn into oat flour.  Stir in chips by hand.  Using a small scoop place on parchment lined cookie sheets.  Gently flatten cookies with moistened fingertips.  (These cookies spread very little.) Gently press 3 or so chips into the top of the dough.  Bake for 10 min. Cool on sheet for 3 min, then cool on rack.  Store covered in fridge.