Healthy Black Bean Brownies

Preheat oven to 350-degrees. Line an 8-inch x 8-inch baking pan with parchment paper and spray with baking spray. Set aside.

Open your can of beans and pour the beans into a mesh strainer, dumping out the liquid from the can but retaining the beans. Run the beans under cold water for several minutes to thoroughly rinse them. Fill a large bowl with water and set the beans (still in the strainer) in the bowl of water while you assemble your blender or food processor.

In a microwave safe bowl, melt the half cup of semi sweet chocolate chips (this should only take a minute or less depending on your microwave---stop and stir every 15-seconds to prevent scorching). Rinse the beans and shake the strainer a few times to try to get as much excess water off of them as possible.

Put your rinsed beans, eggs, canola oil, coffee, cocoa powder, salt, baking soda, vanilla extract, sugar replacement and melted chocolate chips all in the food processor. Blend until completely smooth and there are no chunks of beans (approximately 5-7 minutes but I was REALLY not taking any chances for chunks in mine). Stop mid way through and scrape down the side of the food processor to make sure all the ingredients are incorporated.

Once your mixture is nice and smooth, remove the bowl from the food processor and add the mini chocolate chips to the batter and stir to combine. Scoop the batter into the prepared pan. Bake in a 350-degree oven for 17-20-minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out without raw batter on it.

Remove the brownies from the oven and and place on wire rack to cool.