So I’ve been trying to make vegan and gluten-free brownies for a while now. There are A LOT of recipes out there and I’ve tried quite a few. However, what I’ve found is that most do taste different, as in not as sweet or chocolatey as regular brownies. And as my main audience for these brownies are my kids, that is a problem.

Saying that, I may have cracked it with this vegan and gluten-free recipe, courtesy of the excellent food blog Minimalist Baker. The recipe advocate flax eggs – ground flax seed or chia seeds mixed with water – that will bind the ingredients together in place of egg. Follow the link to their very informative website for more info on how to make flax eggs instead of using real eggs.

In our family we normally experiment with a sweet recipe on Sundays as everyone is tired and slow – baking together is doing something without the commitment of leaving the house.  Just the way we like it. Which is why I was extra excited when the brownies were a hit. They came out goey and very chocolately. My daughter loved them, especially with a dollop of coconut ice cream. Top tip! Add the black beans into the food processor when children are looking away – sometimes the knowledge of an ingredient can be offputting, no matter how delicious the final outcome may be.

The brownies are baked in a muffin tin so it is easy peasy to make and clean after. The good news is that black beans, raw cacao,  flax seeds and chia seeds are loaded with anti-oxidants and protein. So dig in! These brownies are positively healthy without compromising on flavour. Add your own toppings, such as nuts, coconut, berries and serve with coconut ice cream or yoghurt. We used desiccated coconut and blueberries for our topping but the world is your oyster.  Here is how we did them:

 Vegan Gluten Free Black Bean Brownies (by Minimalist Baker)