I like my savory dishes with a hint of sweetness and my desserts to have a little something salty going on. Last week I was in the mood for something a little chocolatey but not too desserty (anyone else feel me?) and these Black Bean and Oatmeal Brownies were born!

I ended up eating the brownies for breakfast and mid-morning snacks. They are full of protein and fiber so they are actually perfect for the morning! You could easily add a handful of chocolate chips to make them more decadent.

Black Bean and Oatmeal Brownies

makes 8 brownies

What you’ll need:

1.5 cups cooked or 1 can black beans (drained)

1/3 cup quick-cooking oats

1/4 cup cocoa powder

2 tbs coconut oil, softened +extra for greasing baking dish

2 tbs agave

1 tsp vanilla

1 tsp baking powder

1/8 tsp salt

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350°. Grease an 8″x 8″ baking dish. In a medium bowl, use an immersion blender or potato masher to blend black beans until mostly smooth. Add remaining ingredients and stir until thoroughly combined. Transfer to baking dish and spread out evenly. Bake for 22-25 minutes, until top and edges are crisp. Let baking dish cool completely (you can pop them in the refrigerator to speed this us) then slice into bars. Enjoy right away or store in refrigerator.

Topped with a little coconut butter and shredded coconut… Anyone else a fan of the borderline dessert? I would love to hear what your favorite not-so-sweet dessert is!