Chocolate Black Bean Bars

When I first saw mention of these bars, I thought “black beans and chocolate?! ugh.” I love both, but I wasn’t sure I’d like them together. I was pleasantly surprised. They have a nice chocolaty flavor that is slightly sweet thanks to the dates. The texture is somewhere between brownies and fudge. A great healthy snack.

I modified the original recipe to include more cocoa powder; I wanted a stronger chocolate flavor. I also replaced the original banana with chia seeds and water and almond butter with peanut butter. The batter was quite thick, but my vita-mix did the job. It was also very sticky which made spreading it onto the parchment paper interesting. The flavor is great, and they were very popular with my friends. Give them a try!

Ingredients

• 1 cup cooked black beans
• 1/4 cup cocoa powder
• 6 Medjool Dates (8 for sweeter)
• 1/2 cup peanut butter
• 2 Tablespoons chia seeds
• 1/2 cup water

Method

1. Add ingredients into a high powered blender such as a vita-mix and blend until creamy
2. Spread onto a baking sheet
3. Bake at 200F for 2-2.5 hours or until dehydrated
4. Slice into bars for serving

Makes: 8 bars

Chocolate Black Bean Bars by

Chris Luhman @EverydayTasty

Modified from Dr Fuhrman’s Healthy Times #44