Now that our kitchen is up and running I’ve been playing catch up with my cooking course. The current lesson is on batch cooking and I was challenged to make two very different dishes with one batch of beans. I chose black beans. Their dark color means they are rich in phytonutrients. They are also rich in fiber, potassium, folate, and vitamin B6. Plus, you can make brownies out of them!
Black Beans Two Ways:
Start by cooking up 1 pound of black beans. I used the Instant Pot but you can use any method you choose or opt for canned. Mine came out to about 6 cups worth once cooked.
Refried Black Beans:
-Dry saute or oil saute 1/2 cup white onions until onions are golden
-Add 3 cloves chopped garlic, 1/2 a jalapeno, and 1/2 tablespoon ground cumin and saute until fragrant
-Add 2.5 cups black beans and 3 cups vegetable stock. Simmer until liquid has mostly evaporated
-Mash with potato masher or large spoon. Serve immediately or store in a sealed container for an easy weeknight dinner later in the week.
Recipe adapted from Rouxbe Forks Over Knives cooking course
Black Bean Brownies:
-Blend 3 cups black beans, 2 tablespoons nut or seed butter of choice, and 2 teaspoons vanilla extract in food processor until smooth.
-Pit 3 cups medjool dates and add little by little to food processor, blending until completely smooth.
-Add 3/4 cup cocoa powder or raw cacao, 1/4 teaspoon sea salt, and 1 teaspoon baking powder to food processor until completely blended. Leave batter as is or sweeten to taste.
-Line 8×8 pan with parchment paper and spread batter evenly.
-Bake at 225 for 90 minutes. Cool on counter for 30 min. Let set in fridge for 60 minutes for optimum results.
-Slice and enjoy! These are perfect to slice into squares and make brownie bites for daycare or school snack time (just make sure to use seed butter instead of nut butter since most institutions have a no nut policy).
Recipe adapted from Zain’s Black Bean Brownies
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