Tag: Recipes

Decadent Black Bean Brownies

A few years ago, I had black bean brownies at a potluck. I love brownies but they tend to be rich and heavy. I remember looking at the brownies on the table and wished I could have had one … and soon afterwards the woman who baked the brownies came to me and invited me to try it … I explained to her that I really wanted to have one but brownies were a bit rich for me. Then she assured me that these brownies were not the regular brownies but they were made with black beans. Hmm I thought this is an interesting take on brownies … I kind of hesitated but then I gave it a try… and I am so glad I did! These are absolutely delicious, decadent brownies even better than the original!

These are very tasty, chewy and chocolaty brownies, no one will guess they are made with black beans. Try to use the best quality chocolate that you can possibly get as the chocolate is still an important part of the recipe. This is definitely a very healthy alternative to the original brownie recipes.

So why use black beans? Well, they are actually sweet. They also add protein to the brownies. The protein in the black beans helps to curb the blood sugar spikes that you would see with regular desserts.

Try it and let me know in the comment section how you liked it!

RECIPE

Yields 12 slices

Ingredients
  1. 1 cup dried black beans or 1 can (15 oz) black beans, rinsed and drained
  2. 1/2 cup sugar
  3. 1 tsp baking powder
  4. 1/4 tsp salt
  5. 1 large egg, lightly beaten
  6. 1/4 cup coconut oil or unsalted butter, melted
  7. 1/2 cup cocoa powder
  8. 1 tsp vanilla extract
  9. 1 tbsp coffee liquor
  10. 1 cup chocolate chips, divided
  11. 1/2 cup walnuts, chopped

Directions
  • Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease an 8 x 8 x 2 inch baking pan or line it with parchment paper.
  • Clean and soak the beans for 8 hours. Remove the soaking liquid and discard. Cook the beans in fresh water for 2 hours. Strain. (Omit if using canned beans).
  • Add the black beans without its liquid to a food processor and chop until smooth. I don’t have a food processor, so I just mash the black beans with a potato masher. It works great.
  • In a bowl, mix the chopped black beans, egg, coconut oil, cocoa powder, sugar, baking powder, coffee liquor, vanilla extract and salt until the mixture is smooth and well combined.
  • Stir in the chocolate chips and the nuts. You can do 1/2 cup of chocolate chips and save the other half for the top.
  • Pour the batter into the prepared baking pan and spread it evenly.
  • You can put half the chocolate chips on the top.
  • Bake for 20 – 25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
  • Let the brownies cool completely in the pan before slicing.
  • Store in an air-tight container for 1 week.

enjoy!

Picture and text by twincitiesherbs.

Hungarian Lentil Soup with an Indian Flair

If you are like me and enjoy eating with the seasons, you might find it difficult to find dishes to make now. There are no local produce growing here, in fact we just got 5 inches of snow today. I would like to post my favorite recipe that I often turn to when I am out of ideas. This dish is my lentil soup.

This delicious lentil soup is super easy to make and is very filling. You most likely have all the ingredients in your kitchen. I just make a Hungarian soup base with root vegetables like carrots, celery and onions. I also add cabbage or green leafy vegetables like spinach, kale, chard and of course the lentils.

I use curry and paprika powders to spice the soup. When I was shopping at an Indian grocery store, the Indian shopkeeper told me that he often added Hungarian paprika to curry. Hmm interesting, so when I went home I gave it a try. I added curry powder along with paprika to this soup and the results were phenomenal. The Indian man gave me a great tip! I really like how the curry and the paprika work together in this soup.

That is it! It takes less than an hour to cook and it will never disappoint you. Try it and please let me know in the comment section what you think!

RECIPE

INGREDIENT
  • 4 cup Stock (chicken or vegetarian)
  • 1 cup dried French or brown lentils or 1 can of lentil (14 oz)
  • 1 medium sized onion, finally chopped
  • shortening (sunflower oil, lard)
  • 2 celery stalks, chopped
  • 1 large tomato or 1 can (14 oz)
  • 3 medium sized carrots, chopped and peeled
  • 1 cup green vegetables (cabbage, spinach, kale), chopped
  • 1 tsp curry powder
  • 1 tsp of sweet Hungarian paprika (make sure it is authentic)
  • 3 cloves of garlic
  • 2 bay leaves
  • salt and pepper to taste
METHOD
  • Preparing the lentils. Clean and soak the lentils for a 8 hours. (You can skip the soaking if you don’t have time). Discard the liquid. Add 3 cups of fresh water and bay leaves and bring to a boil. Cook covered on low heat for 1 hour. Turn burner off. Let the lentils soak up the let over cooking water for 15 minutes with the lid on. Set aside. (Omit this step if you are using canned lentils).
  • Meanwhile prepare the soup base. Sauté the onions for 5 minutes until translucent. Stir. Add chopped celery, continue sauteing for 5 more minutes. Keep stirring.
  • Add the curry, paprika and crushed garlic for 1 minute. Stir. (Make sure there is enough oil). Add the tomatoes. Cook for 10 minutes until the tomatoes break up. Stir.
  • Add the carrots, cabbage or spinach and the stock.
  • Bring to a boil. Turn down to low heat and continue cooking for 45 minutes
  • Add the cooked lentils along with its cooking liquid and salt to taste. Stir.
  • Serve hot with bread or biscuits.

Enjoy!

Recipe, photo and text by twincitiesherbs.com

Fusion style curry pumpkin soup

After the rich foods of the holidays, we often just want to eat something simple yet nourishing. It can get a bit tricky in January to do this as it is still cold here. To stay in tune with nature, I really enjoy eating some warming soups. This tasty soup is more of a fusion style pumpkin soup. Its main ingredient, the butternut squash is cooked in a coconut milk base with some warming spices from the East. This soup should feel refreshing after all the rich, heavy foods of the holidays. Oh and those warm aromas in your kitchen while the soup is cooking … enjoy!

RECIPE

Ingredients

  • 1 medium sized butternut squash, peeled and cubed
  • 1 small onion, chopped
  • 1 Tbsp coconut oil
  • 1 tsp curry powder
  • 1 Tbsp graded fresh ginger
  • 1-3 garlic cloves
  • 2 cans of coconut milk
  • 1 cup vegetable stock or water
  • 3 Tbs-whole bottle (to taste) of Thai Kitchen Roasted red chili paste, 4 oz
  • Nuts (pumpkin, almonds), slivered
  • Salt

Preparation

  • In a medium sized pot, heat coconut oil on medium high heat. Add onion and sauté for 5 minutes or until it is translucent.
  • Add ginger and cook for a few minutes until you smell its aroma. Add the powdered curry and garlic cloves and stir for 1 minute.
  • Pour in the coconut milk, vegetarian stock/water and the Thai Kitchen red chili paste. Stir and bring back to a boil. Reduce heat to a low medium heat and cover.
  • Cook for 30 minutes. Turn off heat and let the soup cool.
  • Add salt.
  • Use an immersion blender and puree until smooth.
  • Reheat before serving.
  • Serve with nuts, yogurt, bread.

Photo and text by twincitiesherbs.com.