eclaire (what’s in a) name?

what do you do when someone you love is having a birthday, but can’t eat much sugar? find a dessert that’s low on the glycemic index!

for my dad’s birthday this year, we planned to celebrate by eating at the amazing vik’s chaat corner, then taking a walk around alameda’s crown beach and packing a dessert to enjoy on the beach.

so i began searching for low sugar desserts that would be conducive to packing in a backpack on one of my favorite websites – 101 cookbooks. i stumbled across this brownie recipe, and was excited to try it out.

the ingredients are surprising – a combination of traditional chocolate, butter, and eggs, plus the unusual addition of black beans, ground walnuts, and agave nectar to sweeten the dessert.

for those of you who haven’t used agave nectar before – it’s much like honey, but sweeter, a bit runnier, and derived from cactus. i’m not a food chemist, but i do understand that agave nectar is low on the glycemic index because it’s high in fructose (rather than glucose), so it’s sweet without impacting a body’s blood sugar levels. i’m not the hugest fan of agave nectar usually, but i think the chocolate and coffee flavor made the agave taste all but disappear, and we all enjoyed these thin, crumbly, but rich and soft brownies immensely!

one year ago: thai “chicken” pizza

low sugar black bean brownies

yields approx 15 big but thin brownies
borrowed from 101 cookbooks

• 4oz unsweetened chocolate
• 1c unsalted butter
• 2c black beans, drained and rinsed (i used canned)
• 1/2 cup walnuts
• 1T vanilla
• 1/2c walnuts, broken into pieces
• ¼c instant coffee
• ¼t sea salt
• 4 eggs
• 1½c light agave nectar
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1. turn the oven on to 325°
2. grease a large baking pan (mine was approx 11 x 18″)
3. melt the chocolate and butter in a microwavable bowl by placing into the microwave for about 2 minutes
4. pour the beans, walnuts, vanilla, and two spoonfuls of the chocolate butter mixture into a food processor
5. process the bean mixture for 2-3 minutes, or until smooth
6. in a large bowl, mix together the broken walnuts, chocolate/butter mixture, instant coffee, and salt
7. in yet another bowl, beat the eggs until they are light yellow and fluffy, then add the agave and beat for another minute
8. stir the bean mixture into the walnut/chocolate/butter mixture, then add the egg/agave mixture, and stir until combined
9. pour into the greased baking pan and bake for 30-40 minutes, or until the brownies are set
10. refrigerate overnight, then cut and serve cold