Gluten-free doesn’t have to be expensive.
I got an e-mail from a reader a couple of weeks ago about her journey as she begins to go gluten-free, but on a budget. I’d been to Whole Foods earlier that day and spent $32 on 2 bottles of agave, 3 bags of gluten-free flour, and about a pound of unsweetened carob chips. This reader’s e-mail really made me think about the cost of eating gluten-free. I don’t keep up with the price of flour and sugar but my best guess is that you could buy the the same amount for about $8, maybe less.
There was a time when I didn’t have $32 to spend on agave and gluten-free flours. Part of what I want to do is to give people budget-friendlier ideas for sugar-free, gluten-free cooking. So, after a little research, I decided to re-work a recipe that’s been around the block a few times. Black beans are much more accessible than gluten-free flours. And, it’s a little easier on the wallet, a little healthier, and absolutely delicious.
The total cost of making these brownies is just under $5, with the biggest expense being the unsweetened chocolate. Ghiradelli is $2 for 4 ounces – I’ve tried Baker’s Chocolate, which is about $2 for 8 ounces, but it doesn’t give me the deep chocolate flavor I want. If you make these using cocoa powder, let me know how it turns out. I haven’t tried that yet. Adding the banana not only reduced the fat but also increased the sweetness so the batter didn’t need as much agave.
I sent these moist, rich brownies to work with Joe and they ate them all. When I asked him if he told them they were made from black beans he just smiled and shook his head, “Absolutely not. No one even suspected it.” That’s my husband.
I’m going to keep playing around with similar concepts and see what I come up with.
How do you stretch your dollar in the kitchen?
Slightly Indulgent Mondays, my new blog carnival with prizes featuring fabulous food made a little bit healthier, starts on Monday, August 31st. McLinky will be up at 9 pm CST the Sunday night before. Please join in – you don’t have to post a sugar-free or gluten-free recipe – everyone is welcome to participate.
If you eat white sugar, check out Lucy’s Kitchen for her version. Or, stop by Have Cake, Will Travel for vegan black bean brownies.
Make sure to visit The Gluten-Free Homemaker for What Can I Eat That’s Gluten-Free? and Kelly the Kitchen Kop for Real Food Wednesday. If you’re frugal-minded, try Life As Mom’s Frugal Fridays.
Chocolate Walnut Flourless Brownies
makes 24 brownies4 ounces unsweetened chocolate (I used Ghiradelli)
1/2 cup unsalted butter
3 tablespoons instant decaffeinated coffee
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
2 cups cooked black beans, drained and rinsed well
1 very ripe frozen banana, thawed
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
4 extra large eggs
1/3 cup agave nectar
2 cups toasted walnuts, chopped and dividedPreheat oven to 325 degrees. Line the bottom of a 13 x 9 inch pan with parchment paper. Spray pan and paper with oil.
Put the chocolate and butter in a large, microwave safe bowl and microwave for 1 1/2 – 2 minutes and then stir t0 melt completely. Stir in instant coffee and salt. Mix well. Set aside.
Make sure that your black beans have been well-rinsed and drained. Fit a food processor with a steel blade, add beans, banana, vanilla extract and one egg. Process until completely smooth, about 2 – 3 minutes, scraping down bowl as needed. Add chocolate mixture and process again until smooth.
In a separate bowl, place remaining 3 eggs and beat with electric mixer until light and fluffy, 1 -2 minutes. Add agave and mix for another 1 -2 minutes, until light. Put bean mixture into bowl with eggs and mix on medium thoroughly incorporated. Mix in 1 cup of chopped walnuts. Pour batter into prepared pan. Top with remaining walnuts.
Bake for 25 – 35 minutes until a toothpick clears the center. Let brownies cool before cutting them. Store in refrigerator.
Maureen Jeanson
posted on August 19, 2009 at 8:45 am
I get a lot of organic products on Amazon–if you do the “subscribe and save” option with the sale items it saves you a lot more money than just running to the market to buy things.
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Amy Reply:
August 19th, 2009 at 11:06 am
I am going to have to try this…I love going to the market but if it saves $$ then I’d go for it.
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Cara Reply:
November 4th, 2011 at 11:09 am
@Maureen Jeanson, I eat and cook both gluten free and organic and use Amazon to buy so many items. If you get the Amazon Prime which is a very low yearly flat fee for shipping, then 2 day shipping is free on most items. With the amount I buy it’s a real money saver. Going to try the Brownies
Thanks for the wonderful recipes.
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Linda
posted on August 19, 2009 at 9:58 am
I’ve never heard of the black bean trick. I don’t know how well it would go over here. I used to try using garfava flour, but my husband could taste the smallest amount, even when no one else could. My stomach and I are not big fans of beans either, but the idea is intriguing. Thanks for sharing!
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Amy Reply:
August 19th, 2009 at 11:27 am
We couldn’t taste the beans. Actually, no one could taste them. But, if you’re bean sensitive I’d skip it all together. Not worth the belly problems.
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Kim, The Food Allergy Coach
posted on August 19, 2009 at 10:05 am
I have done the black bean trick with great success, but didn’t add banana or coffee! Of course! What great ideas! I will try them next time.
I also love the Amazon subscribe and save discounts…
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Amy Reply:
August 19th, 2009 at 11:08 am
Almost everything chocolate needs just a little coffee to enhance the flavor. Bananas can cut down the fat without ruining the texture. Not sure it matters much with these, though, 2 cups of walnuts and a stick of butter. Guess it’s better than 2 sticks.
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Kelly the Kitchen Kop Reply:
August 20th, 2009 at 9:59 pm
Not necessarily – haven’t you heard that butter is a *healthy* fat?!! No kidding!
http://kellythekitchenkop.com/2009/05/20-health-benefits-of-real-butter-real-food-wednesday.html
Thanks for joining in on Real Food Wednesday! I sent this recipe to a friend who is avoiding grains, she’ll love it.
Kelly
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Amy Reply:
August 21st, 2009 at 6:13 am
I have no problems with butter. It’s a great flavor enhancer and some fat doesn’t bother me. I do believe in moderation, though, and I like the consistency that the banana adds. One stick of butter in these is enough for me!
You could always take the banana out and add another stick of butter.
Thanks for passing this along to your friend & for hosing Real Food Wednesdays. It’s a fabulous resource.
Zmama
posted on August 19, 2009 at 10:15 am
I am so, so making this. I lurve brownies!
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Lauren
posted on August 19, 2009 at 2:25 pm
I’ve never tried using black beans in baking. I’ve heard much about it, just never really gotten around to it. Everyone in my family likes beans, but we’re not too fond of the flour. This might be a good one to try =D.
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Jen
posted on August 19, 2009 at 9:34 pm
Hi there Amy! I posted a recipe for a chocolate cake that called for garbanzo beans a little while ago. I have never used black beans before. This recipe looks good and I will try it for sure.
As for saving money, that is a tough one on the GF diet for sure! Like Maureen, I used Amazon, I haven’t tried the subscribe and save, but have heard it’s a good thing to do. I’ve actually found that if I eat fewer baked goods, that seems to help, then I’m not buying so many ingredients (like flours), but where’s the fun in that?
Every once in a while I need a cookie or a muffin or some good banana bread.
Also, since being on this diet, going to a store like Whole Foods or PCC (a local co-op here in the Seattle Area) just makes me feel good because I get bummed out when I go places where there isn’t anything I can eat. Spending a little money at a store that caters to GF eaters is therapy for me.
Sorry for the book. You got me talking, I guess!
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Amy Reply:
August 19th, 2009 at 9:47 pm
I am going to look up your recipe. I’ve not tried garbanzo beans yet but I bet it’s good. I’m like you – what fun would it be without baking?? I think it’s worth the money, too.
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Amanda @ Panda Lunch
posted on August 19, 2009 at 9:59 pm
This recipe sounds amazing!! I hardly ever keep GF flours on hand just because I don’t have time to back as often as I’d like, but I ALWAYS have a can of black beans in the pantry, I would have never thought to try this, I am definitely going to give it a try though. Thanks for sharing!
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Amy Reply:
August 20th, 2009 at 9:08 am
Let me know what you think if you make these…I think they’re fabulous.
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Shirley Reply:
October 3rd, 2009 at 7:38 pm
I made these for the first time today. I wondered when making them if 1/3 c. agave was enough sweetner. I followed the directions exactly and they are not sweet enough. They also do not hold together like the ones in the picture. I tried cutting them after they were cool, but they fell apart. I put them in the refrigerator to get really cold before I finish cutting the rest. Hopefully that will help. What did I do wrong?
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Amy Reply:
October 3rd, 2009 at 8:04 pm
I am so sorry that you had some problems with these. I don’t have to put my brownies in the fridge when I make them – they slice just fine. It’s hard to tell – I’ve made these several times and never had any problems. They are sweet enough for me and my sweet-tooth husband and his office mates…maybe increase the agave to 1/2 cup. When you measure your wet ingredients what kind of measure did you use? I use a wet measure for everything that is liquid – agave – and dry measures for the beans.
Let me know how they are once you slice them – I will see if I can make them again this week, too.
gfe--gluten free easily
posted on August 19, 2009 at 10:14 pm
Amy, these brownies look wonderful! I make some brownies that use black beans and I also do a chocolate cake that is made from chickpeas–both recipes I got off the celiac listserv years ago. Easy to make, so full of protein, and delicious. For cost savings and ease of having ingredients on hand all the time, I like to make chocolate cakes and brownies that call for cocoa versus chocolate squares. I like using bananas a lot and keeping bees, of course, I am trying to use honey more and more.
Welcome to your cool new blog carnival! And, thanks for sharing the others.
So much good stuff to check out!
Thanks,
Shirley
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Amy Reply:
August 20th, 2009 at 9:07 am
I understand the cocoa vs. chocolate squares – it can get costly using chocolate. I like using a little of both. I didn’t mess around with it in this recipe. Thanks for the blog carnival welcome. I am excited and hope to learn some new tricks.
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Gina (Gluten-free Gourmand)
posted on August 20, 2009 at 2:46 am
I never thought of using black beans, either! I’ve had problems using bean flours, but something tells me this one might be okay. I’ll try it.
I’m with Jen – I like to shop local. I save money by making my own flour mixes, but mostly I save money by not buying as many clothes and spending the money on good food instead!
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Amy Reply:
August 20th, 2009 at 9:05 am
I’m with you Gina. I know some people like the pre-mixed flours but I like mixing my own – not only for the $$ end but because I get better results. As far as clothes go, I loathe clothes shopping. I like to go twice a year, buy tons of stuff, and never go back.
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Kim, The Food Allergy Coach
posted on August 20, 2009 at 7:13 am
I’m all about buying local, too – especially veggies, fruit, meats, and dairy. For the few packaged goodies I use, subscribe and save has been a life saver! It saves some serious cash. Here’s some info: http://thefoodallergycoach.blogspot.com/2009/06/allergy-friendly-products-on-budget-is.html
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WendyGK
posted on August 20, 2009 at 1:45 pm
The kids love black beans. We go through so many of them each week. I bet the brownies would be a hit. I guess I haven’t been paying attention cuz I’ve never seen black bean brownies before. Thanks for posting it. I do the Amazon subscription and eat lots of local, unprocessed, naturally GF foods to keep the budget under control.
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Amy Reply:
August 20th, 2009 at 1:54 pm
I eat lots of local, unprocessed, naturally GF foods, too. My body is happiest when most of my food is unprocessed anyway.
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Jenn AKA The Leftover Queen
posted on August 20, 2009 at 1:46 pm
This is awesome! I am so making these brownies. I love legumes and so I know this is something that would work well me me…the banana not so much…maybe I could sub in some yogurt instead.
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Amy Reply:
August 20th, 2009 at 1:50 pm
If you do let me know how it works. I added the banana to cut out some butter so anything that you could normally use to reduce fat should replace the banana without any problems.
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Rachel
posted on August 23, 2009 at 5:23 am
Oooh. I’ve seen bean brownie variations before, but none flourless. This looks like a real winner recipe. When the weather gets less hazy, hot and humid, I’m gonna bake these babies up. That way my teens will eat beans and bananas as an added bonus!
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Amy Reply:
August 23rd, 2009 at 6:15 am
It’s fun getting those good-for-you-foods in disguise!
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angie
posted on September 11, 2009 at 10:07 am
thanks for this great recipe
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Amy
posted on September 11, 2009 at 12:24 pm
Sounds interesting… Ill have to try it.
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Miriam/The Winter Guest
posted on September 27, 2009 at 1:22 pm
Hi Amy!
I just discovered your site by chance and I’m delighted. I’ve also come to avoid gluten and sugar in my diet for weight/health reasons (maybe some time I’ll tell you my story
) although I’m not a celiac and I think you have absolutely brilliant and interesting recipes here. I will definitely try this brownie, because any kind of bean is healthier than plain flour. I’ve had some cakes made with chickpea flour and they worked out fine.
Thanks a lot for your fine work!
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Amy Reply:
September 27th, 2009 at 6:35 pm
So glad you found me too and would love to hear your story sometime. I love chickpea flour and use it quite often – I just found a higher protien flour blend that I love. Thanks so much for stopping by.
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Tammy
posted on January 17, 2010 at 5:08 pm
Hi Amy,
I would like to try these but I am also dairy free-Any idea what I could use?
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Amy Reply:
January 17th, 2010 at 6:44 pm
@Tammy, I’m not dairy-free, so I can’t answer for certain. Instead of butter what about palm shortening or coconut oil instead of butter? I bet that would be great. Is there dairy in the unsweetened chocolate? I would bet there is…if so use unsweetened cocoa powder and some extra oil for moistness.
If you make these dairy free I’d love to see your recipe and hear the results.
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Tammy
posted on January 18, 2010 at 9:32 am
Thanks Amy I will let you know when I try it.
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Tammy
posted on January 20, 2010 at 2:22 pm
Amy,
I followed your recipe above EXCEPT-I used 1/4 olive oil and 1/4 cup applesauce. I added 2 tbsp of unsweetened cocoa,extra vanilla and extra sweetener to make up for adding the extra cocoa.
They turned out just fine. I also ended up not putting in the walnuts (or using them at all) instead I used chopped pecans on the top. My daughter really liked them and so did I.
By the way Ghirdelli baking bar only list the cocoa and no dairy in it.
So unless I missed something along the way this would be dairy free as well.
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Amy Reply:
January 20th, 2010 at 5:29 pm
@Tammy, Thanks for letting me know about your modifications. I’m so glad you enjoyed this – it’s a favorite of mine.
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Tammy
posted on January 20, 2010 at 2:23 pm
I used the 2 tbsp of cocoa in addition to the 4 oz of baking chocolate.
Thanks for the great recipe.
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Anne
posted on February 23, 2010 at 2:33 pm
was curious if the coffee is essential….??
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Amy Reply:
February 23rd, 2010 at 6:15 pm
@Anne, No, not at all. It just enhances the flavor of the chocolate.
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Caroline
posted on June 27, 2010 at 5:46 am
Hi, I’m really curious to try these as I’ve started to make sugar free cakes for my gluten free customers. Can you tell me what the shelf life is please and if it’s necessary to keep in the fridge. We don’t have Ghiradelli here in London so I’m probably going to substitute for a 74% Venezuelan (which unfortunately has some sugar!) Thanks
Caroline
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Amy Reply:
June 30th, 2010 at 10:23 am
@Caroline, I don’t have a shelf life on these and I don’t know if it’s necessary to keep them in the refrigerator but I do.
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Angie
posted on September 5, 2010 at 8:33 pm
Do you have any recommendations for a substitute for the coffee?
Thanks!
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Amy Reply:
September 6th, 2010 at 9:46 am
@Angie, The coffee is just enhances the chocolate flavor so it’s a subtle flavor. You can omit it if you don’t like the coffee. You can also cut it in half of by 75%.
Hugs,
Amy
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Tawra Kellam
posted on September 17, 2010 at 1:48 pm
Hi, I just tried these today. While they were like fudge I didn’t like them at all. It tasted like there was no sugar in them.
I did forget the coffee but I don’t think that was the problem.
If I add more agave how much would be too much? I found another recipe that was very close to this (no banana) and it said to use 1 1/4 cups of agave.
If that’s the case I probably wouldn’t make then because the expense would just not be worth it (I’m having a VERY hard time finding inexpensive gluten free deserts.)but I would love to know what you think.
Thanks! Tawra
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Tawra Kellam Reply:
September 17th, 2010 at 1:53 pm
@Tawra Kellam, Oops, sorry for the typos! Not feeling too good today!
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Amy Reply:
September 18th, 2010 at 12:18 pm
@Tawra Kellam, I’ve served these brownies to so many people and they always love them. I use this in my cooking classes, too, and they get gobbled up. I could be that you like your desserts sweeter.
And, did you use a really ripe banana? I use frozen bananas because they get sweeter as they sit in the freezer.
I’ve never tried this recipe with more agave so I can’t say for sure. You could try go up to 1/2 cup – that’s only 2 2/3 tablespoons more or add some stevia. In fact, I have a different version of this recipe that will be in my cookbook that uses stevia.
And, I’d never put 1 1/4 cups of agave in anything either unless it was a HUGE recipe. It’s way too much for me.
Gluten-free isn’t inexpensive. I wish it was but at $3 – $5 for a 2 pound bag of flour it’s just not cheap.
Hugs…and hope you’re feeling better.
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Tawra@Living On A Dime Reply:
September 18th, 2010 at 7:52 pm
@Amy, Maybe my banana wasn’t ripe enough. It wasn’t green but it wasn’t “really” ripe either. I have one that I will let ripen really well and try it again.
The funny thing is I LOVED them in one way. That was the first time I actually felt satisfied after I ate a dessert. I also loved the fudgy texture! I was just going to put some more agave on them and eat them anyway!
I let hubby and DS try them and they both said “oh gross!”. So something was wrong. Being a cookbook author myself I totally understand what a pain it is trying to help people figure out what went wrong so THANK YOU so much for trying to help.
I am going to give the riper banana a try because I can see how these would be good! Tawra
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Amy Reply:
September 20th, 2010 at 1:32 pm
@Tawra@Living On A Dime, Yes….the banana adds sweetness, which is why I specified frozen in the recipe. My frozen bananas are great when I just cut a chunk off and eat one…like ice cream. Freeze the banana once it’s really ripe, then use it a week or so later. Hugs!!
Kathleen
posted on January 3, 2011 at 1:49 pm
This recipe sounds delicious! I’ve been wanting to try chocolate desserts made with beans and fruits, and this may just have to be my first one. I’m also trying not to consume refined sugar and, with the holidays, fell off the wagon a bit but need to get back on. Thank you for sharing this recipe!
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Karen Slegers
posted on February 23, 2011 at 11:18 am
Love the recipe! Used pecans in place of walnuts. Delish! Not quite sweet enough for me, so I would be tempted to throw in some pureed figs, dates or apricots to sweeten them up a wee bit. I’m wondering if anyone knows how many calories are in each brownie when you follow the recipe as written. Thanks!
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Amy Reply:
March 2nd, 2011 at 10:53 pm
@Karen Slegers, I don’t count calories…I gave it up years ago. It made me crazy. Now I eat until I’m full and then I stop eating.
Hugs,
Amy
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Karen Slegers
posted on March 3, 2011 at 4:30 am
I still wonder if maybe a calorie-counter would fill me in. I’m not usually that interested in calorie-counting, myself, either, but I’m trying to be more aware for one month and it would be useful for me to have a better idea. By the way, these brownies last and last covered in the fridge. Awesome!
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Amy Reply:
March 3rd, 2011 at 6:22 am
@Karen Slegers, I’ve gotten lots of requests for this and at even bought a program that would calculate nutritional values. The problem, though, is that I have to add the nutritional data for most of the products I use. In the end it would take more time than I’m able to put into it. I blog for fun and for free…and there’s a limit to what I am able to do.
I know, these brownies are a keeper. I love them. Glad you agree!
Hugs,
Amy
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Paula
posted on April 21, 2011 at 3:24 pm
Just made these brownies! I can’t wait to try them—house smells delicious!!!!!
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Paula Reply:
April 22nd, 2011 at 7:06 pm
1-day later: Delicious especially when chilled. I used Ghiradelli dark unsweetened chocolate–next time I’m going to try a milk chocolate. It was very rich and strong tasting BUT good. My son tried it—never told him about the black beans, LOL!! He liked them considering they were ‘fake’ brownies but I enjoyed them and will make again. THANKS AGAIN FOR YOUR BLOG.
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Randa Dahr
posted on May 28, 2011 at 6:48 pm
Hi Amy,
I am vegan and was wondering if flax gel would be a good substitute for the eggs in this recipe?
Thanks
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Amy Reply:
June 2nd, 2011 at 8:25 am
@Randa Dahr, It might but I’m not sure…that’s a lot of eggs. You can always try it and see what happens. If you do, let me know.
Hugs,
Amy
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Loreen
posted on October 7, 2011 at 7:45 pm
Could you use Coconut Oil instead of the butter?
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Amy Reply:
October 10th, 2011 at 7:43 am
@Loreen, Yes, just use the same amount.
Hugs,
Amy
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