Christmas Brownies with Black Beans

In anticipation of the festive season, many people are firing up the stove to prepare delicious Christmas desserts. What could be more magical, at this festive time of year, than to offer our loved ones sweets cooked with love?

Here's a chocolatey Christmas dessert recipe in which Christmas spices and fir tree shapes make these brownies the perfect dessert to whip up. What's more, our Christmas brownies are gluten-free, flour-free and dairy-free, and contain high-quality, wholesome ingredients.

There's also an alternative version for those wishing to reduce their sugar intake or following the keto diet.

Preparation time: 15 minutes.

Cooking time: 25 minutes.

Decoration: 10 minutes.

Ingredients for Black Bean Christmas Brownies

Brownies 

• 1 can black beans, rinsed and drained (398 ml)
• ¼ cup cocoa powder
• ½ gutted avocado
• 3 free-range eggs
• ½ cup of whole cane sugar orsweetener with Lakanto golden monk fruit for a sugar-free version
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoonvanilla extract
• ½ tsp. ground cinnamon
• ¼ tsp. ground nutmeg
• 1/8 teaspoon ground cardamom
• 1/8 teaspoon ground cloves

Glaze

• ½ gutted avocado
• ¼ cup of maple syrup or d'sweetener with golden monk fruit from Lakanto for a sugar-free version (dissolve sweetener in ¼ cup hot water and cool)
• ½ teaspoon ofvanilla essence
• 2 tablespoons cocoa powder

Topping

A few pomegranate seeds

Procedure and preparation from Christmas Brownies with Black Beans

1. Preheat oven to 350 ^oF then place the grid in the center.
2. Grease a 9" x 9" square pan.
3. In a food processor, combine all brownie ingredients, from black beans to spices, and process until smooth and runny.
4. Pour the brownie mixture into the greased pan.
5. Bake for 25 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center of the brownies comes out dry.
6. During baking: Rinse your food processor and use it again to mix the glaze ingredients. Set aside.
7. Remove the brownies from the oven and leave to cool for 10 minutes before unmolding. Cut the brownies into 9 equal-sized triangles.
8. Leave the brownies to cool for an hour, or until warm enough to frost.
9. Using a piping bag and icing tip, decorate the triangles with chocolate icing and top with a few pomegranate seeds.

The team at La Boite à Grains

team wishes you Happy Holidays!

About the author

Naturopaths of La Boite à Grains

Team of licensed and certified naturopaths (ND) in Gatineau, Outaouais.

Original article written by Véronique Cousineau, Naturopath