Banana Black Bean Brownies – High Protein, Vegan & Sugar Free

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If you are looking for a guilt-free sweet treat that’s as wholesome and delicious, you will love these high protein black bean banana brownies that are refined sugar-free and low in fat. The black bean brownies with banana are packed with nutritious ingredients and bursting with a chocolatey flavor with a perfect fudgy texture. Plus, they’re gluten-free, dairy-free, vegan and loaded with plant-based protein.

The vegan brownies are made with real food ingredients and free of high calorie and nutrient-deficient oils and sugar, including regular sugar, coconut sugar, brown sugar, and all types of oils. While traditional brownies taste amazing, they are chalked full of oil and sugar, which are among the worst foods for overall health especially for people with diabetes. 

But just because these healthy black bean brownies are free of oil and white sugar does not mean that they are not tasty and just as delicious! I love to indulge in sweet treats every once in a while and feel so much better about it when I know they are made with healthy ingredients. 

If you have a sweet tooth but want to avoid highly processed sugars and oils found in so many baked foods, these brownies are for you! They are perfectly moist, naturally sweet and healthy!

I formulated these black bean brownies for people with diabetes; thus, they are free of both processed sugar and oils. Instead, the banana black bean brownies are sweetened with dates and bananas. Almond butter helps to yield the perfect fudgy brownie and moist texture when blended with black beans. 

To make these high protein black bean brownies I added 4 tbsp of rice protein powder to amp up the protein content. Black beans are naturally high in protein and are a great source of protein for vegetarians and vegans. 

Nutritional Benefits of the Black Bean Banana Brownies

In this study, the consumption of beans and legumes was associated with a reduced risk of developing fatty liver and diabetes. 

Beans are also fantastic for helping to regulate blood sugar levels. In a study with type 2 diabetics, beans eaten alongside rice reduced blood glucose levels post meals significantly compared to rice eaten alone. 

Many brownie recipes contain refined sugar and coconut oil that is high in saturated fats, which are among the worst foods for people with diabetes and anyone wanting to lose weight and reverse insulin resistance. These healthy brownies have minimal saturated fats yet ample amounts of essential fatty acids. A single serving of the vegan black bean brownies contains:

• 71 calories per serve
• 4 grams of protein
• 8 grams of carbohydrates
• 2 grams of fat

The black bean banana brownies are packed full of micronutrients including B vitamins, vitamin E, copper, iron, magnesium, manganese, phosporus, potassium, sodium and zinc.

Black beans are an excellent source of magnesium and folate. Obtaining natural folate from the diet is extra important for anyone with an MTHFR gene mutation. Magnesium is one of the most common nutritional deficiencies and is essential for glucose metabolism. Studies show that magnesium has been found to be low in many people with diabetes and obese individuals.

Ingredients for the Banana Black Bean Brownies:

• 1/2 cup pitted dates, soaked in warm water for 10 minutes
• 1/4 cup water
• 5 tbsp cocoa powder
• 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 tsp balsamic vinegar
• Dash of salt
• 2 tbsp almond butter
• 1 medium ripe banana
• 1/2 cup cooked black beans (rinsed and drained)
• 4 tbsp unflavored brown rice protein powder

How to Make the High Protein Black Bean Brownies:

1. Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) and prepare mini cupcake holders on a baking sheet.
2. Process Dates: Combine the dates and 1/4 cup water in a food processor. Blend until smooth to create a date paste.
3. Add Remaining Ingredients: To the date paste, add cocoa powder, baking powder, vanilla extract, balsamic vinegar, salt, almond butter, banana, black beans, and brown rice protein powder.
4. Blend Until Smooth: Blend all ingredients until smooth and well combined, scraping down the sides of the processor as needed.
5. Fill Cupcake Holders: Spoon the brownie batter into the mini cupcake holders, filling each to the top of the cupcake holders.
6. Bake: Place the baking sheet in the oven and bake for approximately 25 minutes, or until the brownie bites are set and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out mostly clean.
7. Cool and Enjoy: Allow the brownie bites to cool completely at room temperature. Once cooled, they’re ready to enjoy!

Tips and Substitutions

I used a plain rice protein powder to thicken the batter and add more protein to these fudgy black bean brownies. If you don’t care about these brownies’ protein content, you can use oat flour instead.

This recipe yields 12-14 mini cupcake brownie bites. If you love the recipe, double it next time, as they are so good and don’t last long. 

For best results, use a muffin tin with cupcake holders to ensure that the brownies cook all the way through. 

If your dates are hard, presoak them in hot water for 10 minutes before blending them in the food processor.

Using a ripe or overripe banana will result in a sweeter and more hints of underlying banana flavor in the brownie. I used a banana that was just starting to get brown spots on it so it was sweet but not over ripe and tasted great in the black bean brownie recipe. 

Store the black bean and banana brownies in an airtight container in the fridge and pull out to enjoy for a healthy dessert that satisfies a chocolate brownie craving while still providing a nutritional boost to your diet! 

Savor the brownies without guilt, knowing they are low in saturated fats and contain whole food ingredients, including bananas, cocoa, and black beans, which have ample amounts of magnesium that most people need more of!

Also be sure to check out these no bake black bean bliss balls that are super yummy and easy to make!

Banana Black Bean Brownies – High Protein, Oil Free & Moist

These healthy and high protein banana and black bean brownies are vegan, moist and yummy. The black bean brownies with banana are naturally sweetened with dates and have the perfect fudgy texture thanks to creamy almond butter and black beans.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 10 minutes mins

Cook Time 25 minutes mins

Total Time 35 minutes mins

Course brownies

Cuisine American

Servings 12 mini cupcake brownies

Equipment

• 1 food processor
• 1 mini muffin baking pan
• 12 mini paper muffin holders

Ingredients

  

1x2x3x

• ½ cup dates
• ¼ cup water
• 5 tbsp cocoa powder
• ½ tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 tsp balsamic vinegar
• dash salt
• 2 tbsp almond butter
• 1 medium ripe banana
• ½ cup cooked black beans
• 4 tbsp unflavored brown rice protein powder

Instructions

 

• Preheat the oven to 350℉.
• Place the dates and water in a food processor then process into a paste.
• Measure the remaining ingredients into the food processor and blend until well mixed into a batter.
• Line a mini muffin tray with paper cupcake holders then spoon the black bean brownie batter into the paper cups until full.
• Bake the muffins at 350℉ for 25 minutes.

Keyword banana black bean brownies, black bean banana brownies, high protein black bean brownies

Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

References:

Anthocyanin-rich extract from black beans exerts anti-diabetic effects in rats through a multi-genomic mode of action in adipose tissue – PubMed (nih.gov)

Bean and rice meals reduce postprandial glycemic response in adults with type 2 diabetes: a cross-over study – PubMed (nih.gov)

Legume intake and risk of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease – PubMed (nih.gov)

Black bean protein concentrate ameliorates hepatic steatosis by decreasing lipogenesis and increasing fatty acid oxidation in rats fed a high fat-sucrose diet – PubMed (nih.gov)