Black Bean Brownies. Believe It.

If you ate these, you wouldnt know you were eating sugar-free and gluten-free brownies. But, if you had gestational diabetes, you'd get down on your knees and thank god for the miracle of agave nectar.

When Karen picked up the Baking with Agave Nectar cookbook, I didn't expect a black bean and chocolate combination. But, Karen attacked the recipe with high hopes for a sweet payoff. Agave nectar, is a naturally occuring sugar substitute. It does contain carbs, and those are in the form of sugars, but there's something about the stuff that prevents a spike in blood sugar. They call it a "low glycemic" food. The label says danger, but the body assimilates the sugars at a slower rate, making it safe for those who are sensitive to carbs.

The verdict: The brownies taste like brownies without a hint of beaniness. They're gooey, but without the glue that binds sweet flour products. Thats' why, you have to refridgerate them to get them to really set up and solidify.

Another issue is the price. The recipe calls for two bottles of agave nectar. At $4-5 per bottle, that's a high price to pay for a 9x13 tray of sweetness (unless you go with this deal right here). Of course, beans are cheap. The're boiled forever and pureed along with the other ingredients. And the batter isn't bad for spoon licking either. Again, no beaniness.

Now, I was hoping to be the news leader in black bean brownies, but it seems that everybody's favorite health-conscious food blogger beat me to the punch (with recipe included). Heidi has saved me the trouble by posting the recipe. And, she's amassing hundreds of comments. I'm so jealous.

For those interested in reducing the fat/cholesterol in their brownies (but not the carbs), here's a recipe that basically says to add an undrained can of black beans to a package of brownie mix, stir it up and bake it.

Any takers for this cooking challenge?