Black Bean Brownies

In my last year working at Mariposa School, I received a bag of Black Bean Brownies  as a holiday gift from one of our lovely families.  My initial thought was, "ugh", but they were so tasty and that I tried to get the recipe but somehow we never connected. So, I went to the internet and found this one on the No Meat Athlete website. One of the essentials I was looking for, in deference to my significant other, was the absence of animal fat. This one fits the bill. At first, I was skeptical because I think my standard  brownie recipe, with its butter and eggs, is non pareil! Truth be told, I still prefer them, but I think you should try these out. They are rich, dense and surprisingly fudgy. 

Vegan Black Bean Brownies
Adapted from No Meat Athlete
nomeatathlete.com

1               15-ounce can black beans
                 Water
1 1/2         Cups flour (white or whole wheat)
1                t Salt
1                t  Baking powder
2 1/4         Cups sugar
1 1/4         Cups cocoa powder
1                t vanilla extract
1 1/2         Cups chopped nuts (optional)
1               Cup dark chocolate morsels (optional)

Set the temperature of your oven to 350 degrees and place the rack in the middle. Drain and rinse the can of black beans in clear water. Return the beans to the empty can and re-fill with clear water. Puree the contents in a blender or food processor. Combine the flour, salt, baking powder, sugar, and cocoa powder in a medium mixing bowl. Add the pureed beans, one additional cup of water and vanilla extract. Gently stir until batter is thoroughly combined. Stir in the optional nuts and/or chocolate morsels. Pour mixture into a greased 9X9 or 9X13 baking pan. Bake for 30 to 45 minutes. Check the brownies after 20 minutes, turning the pan 180 degrees to ensure even baking. Keep checking for doneness every five minutes or so. Brownies are done when a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean. When done, let the brownies cool in the pan on a rack; then, cut into squares or bars.

Bumper Crop of Tangerines

What do you do with a bumper crop of sweet and juicy tangerines? I love to simply peel and devour them au naturelle. Eating fresh fruit in its simplest form is so rewarding, however a little creativity can enliven even the finest produce. The other morning I felt like having a light breakfast and glanced at the bowl of tangerines sitting on the butcher block. And, I remembered the "boat" of delectable strawberries from the farmer's market stowed in the refrigerator. The prospect of making a simple ambrosia came to mind. So, I got to work slicing the strawberries along with a banana and peeling and sectioning a couple of tangerines. After putting the fruit in a  bowl and I sprinkled the melange with unsweetened coconut flakes. It was the perfect way to get the day started, both tasty and satisfying. 

Vegan Experiment

Dear Friends,

It has been quite some time, hasn't it?! The Kitchen has been undergoing some revisions since entering into my current domestic partnership. That will be food for future posts. 

Today is Day Two of my post-vegan experiment. I was inspired by two books I read recently about Ultra Running culture, Born to Run and Eat/Run, that promoted plant-based diets as instrumental in high performance. I am merely a casual runner (no fifty-milers for me!) but I thought I would try out veganism for the month of January. I didn't notice any beneficial effect to my performance from eliminating all animal products from my diet, but I didn't notice any adverse effect, either. Although I missed Greek yogurt, feta cheese, honey, and the occasional fried egg the most, I felt satisfied and content being an herbivore. I enjoyed the vegan recipes I prepared and will continue to seek out more, even though I have returned to being a mostly plant-based omnivore. The illustrious ultra-runner, Scott Jurek, who authored Eat/Run ends each inspiring chapter of his memoir with one of his recipes. My favorite just might be his Lentil-Mushroom Burgers. They look just like beef burgers while sautéing in the old cast-iron skillet and are rather satisfying in taste and texture. Check out his book for this recipe and more. Even if you aren't interested in eating just plants, Jurek's personal journey is quite a good read!

My intention is to return to the Diary more frequently. Daily is asking too much of me, but I still love cooking and would love to share my adventures in the kitchen with you! 

Keep cooking it up!