Makes 24 brownies (4cm x 4cm)

    • 1  tin white beans (410g), drained OR 250g cooked dry white beans (1c)
    • 60-75 ml skimmed milk (4T– 5T)
    • 250 ml pie apples, unsweetened (1c)
    • 200 ml cake flour (4/5c)
    • 10 ml baking powder (2t)
    • 2,5 ml salt (½t)
    • 125 ml cocoa powder (½c)
    • 3 eggs, preferably omega-3 rich
    • 250 ml sugar (1c)
    • 5 ml vanilla essence (1t)
    • optional 16 pecan nut halves, chopped

 

Preheat oven to 180°C.

 

    1. Lightly grease a medium-sized rectangular baking pan or lasagna dish (18cm x 26cm) with a paper towel dipped in oil or spray with non-stick spray.
    2. Place the drained beans and half the milk in a food processor or liquidizer and process until smooth and the consistency of mashed potato. Add more milk as needed.
    3. Add the pie apples and process again for 1 minute, until well mixed and smooth.
    4. In a medium bowl, sift the flour, baking powder, salt and cocoa powder together.
    5. Beat the eggs in a separate large bowl. Add the sugar in three batches, beating for one minute after each addition, using an electric beater.
    6. Add one third of the bean and apple liquid mixture to the egg and sugar mixture, together with one third of the sifted dry ingredients. Fold in carefully. Repeat with the rest of the liquid and dry ingredients. Take care that all the “wet” ingredients do not lie at the bottom of the bowl.
    7. Add the vanilla essence and mix through.
    8. Lastly, fold in the chopped nuts.

Pour the batter into the greased baking pan and spread it out evenly.

Bake for approx. 40 – 45 minutes, until well risen. Before removing from the oven, insert a skewer into the middle of the “cake”. If the skewer comes out clean, remove the cake from the oven and cool it for 5 minutes in the pan. If not, bake for another 5 – 10 minutes. 12. Cut into 24 squares (4cm x 4cm) while warm and cool brownies on a cooling rack.

Any cooked or canned white beans can be used, butter beans, small white beans, Cannellini beans or kidney beans and even rinsed baked beans.

Nutrients per brownie

    • Glycemic Index lower (58)
    • Carbohydrates 15g
    • Protein 3g
    • Fat 2g
    • Fibre 1g kJ 364
    • Glycemic Load 8

 

One brownie is equivalent to: 1 starch and ½ fat

Allergens: milk, wheat, egg

This recipe is compliments of Snacks And Treats For Sustained Energy by Gabi Steenkamp and Jekse Wellmann (Tafelberg, 2007), available from most bookstores, your local dietitian, pharmacy or www.gabisteenkamp.co.za