You put what in your brownies?!

Do not be alarmed by the title of this post.  I am not doing anything illegal.  But I did see a weird/intriguing receipe on Lauren's blog and I really wanted to try it.

So, go to your cupboard/pantry/where ever you keep your food.  Do you have a brownie mix, chocolate chips, and a can of black beans?  Oh you do?  Ok good, that's what you need.  (Yes, you read right on the black beans.)

I know what you're probably thinking.  That the heat is getting to my head.  Or I've taken one to many phone calls at work, and I've been pushed over the edge, because who puts black beans in their brownies.  Just trust me.

So here is what you need:

1.  A box of brownie mix
2.  Chocolate chips
3.  A can of black beans
4.  1 cup of water

Here's what you do:

1. Open the can of black beans (hopefully your can opener will work better than mine did) and rinse them. 

2.  Add 1 cup of water to the beans and blend it together until it is smooth.  I used a mixer, but I think a blender would work better for it.  Do not be alarmed by the smell of the black beans and wonder how it will ever be masked even in a brownie.  It will be.

3.  Once you've gotten all the bean chunks out of it (I know, that sounds nasty.  Who wants to talk about bean chunks while making brownies?)  add the brownie mix to the beans.

4.  Blend the brownie mix and beans together.

5.  Add chocolate chips.  You techincally don't have to add the chocolate chips, but who doesn't like extra chocolate in their brownies?

6.  Pour into the pan and bake at the recommended time on the box.  I used a 6"X9" pan and baked it for 35ish minutes.

7.  Ta da! It's done.  Like all the knife marks to see if it's done :)

Believe me, I was hoping I didn't just waste a perfectly good box of brownie mix.  The verdict?  It was actually really good.  You can't taste the black beans.  At all.  For real.  And it was the moistest (most moist?) brownie I have ever had.  It didn't have quite as much flavor as a regular brownie, but it was still really good. 

I even took a picture of me eating it to prove that #1: It is edible, and #2: that this isn't just a mean joke to get you to eat something weird.  And they're a lot better for you because of the beans, so you get some fiber and less fat.

I definitely think I'll be making this again.