Black Bean Brownies with Dark Chocolate Drizzle; Emma with the Hot Pants

Hi guys!  I've discovered I'm obsessed with Dark Chocolate Peanut Butter drizzles.  It's so simple: you take an already delicious dessert, melt some chocolate peanut butta, and voila!  You have an epiphany of the mouth.  Yup, it's a pretty grand thing.

Black Bean Brownies with Dark Chocolate Drizzle:
Soy Free, Egg Free, Gluten Free, Dairy Free
Adapted from:  Instagram

• 1 can black beans
• 1 cup oats 
• 2 Tbsp cocoa powder
• 3 Tbsp carob powder
• 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp sea salt
• 1/3 cup agave
• 1/3 cup maple syrup
• 1/2 cup almond milk
• 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/4 cup Dark Chocolate Dreams PB
• 2-4 Tbsp almond milk
• 1 Tbsp vegan butter (for greasing the pan)
• Vegan ice cream or coconut whipped cream, for serving

Directions:  Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.  Spread vegan butter around an oven safe baking dish.  Grind oats in a blender or food processor, then mix with cocoa, carob, and baking powders, plus salt salt.  Drain and rinse the black beans, then blend until completely smooth with sweeteners, almond milk, and vanilla.  Add your wet ingredients to the oat blend, and mix until there are no clumps left.  Pour into baking dish.  Place peanut butter and almond milk in a microwavable cup or bowl and mix.  Heat for thirty seconds to one minute, then drizzle over the top of your brownies.  Bake brownies for 15-20 minutes, then cool for an hour before eating.  Makes:  1 dozen brownies.

I have to admit, I was very skeptical of the beans in the brownies.  Before popping them in the oven, I stared at them for about three minutes and contemplated all of my life's decisions:

 

When they came out of the oven, I was too chicken to try them and I waited until my friend Emma was over.  Emma has some guts guys...  So we tried them!

And they were good!  Alex absolutely loved them- he even wants me to teach him how to make them.  That's the sign of a great recipe!

Emma and I actually tried them after a run on the Beltline.  It was so fun!  We went to Mellow Mushroom and got a gluten free mozzarelaflavoredglue vegan cheese pizza, then went window shopping!  This weekend we hung out again and went thrift shopping with Julia (my love).  Julia got a skirt and a rainbow belt, I bought a scarf and a skirt, and Emma got these hot pants:

You have to love Emma.  There's just not a choice.  She's funny, nice, super smart, and knows a lot about random things.  She's goofy but aware, and always happy to see you.  She's quick to joke, lighthearted, kindhearted, all the hearted's (except cold hearted ;).  Emma's the kind of girl that you're lucky to meet and become friends with.  

And she knows how to dance.

Do you remember a time when you took a risk and were rewarded for it?

Have a great week!