Black Bean Brownies with Peanut Butter Swirl:

Prep time: 10 Minutes – Cook time: 30 Minutes – Total time: 40 Minutes

Yield: Makes 12-16 Brownies

Black Bean Brownie Ingredients:

• 1 Can Black Beans (540 mL)
• 1 Egg
• 1/4 Cup Eggwhites (or 3 Eggs in total)
• 1/3 Cup Pumpkin Puree (or unsweetened apple sauce)
• 1/2 Cup Natural Cocoa Powder
• 1/4 Tsp Sea Salt
• 2 Tsp Vanilla Extract
• 1/4 Cup All Natural Pure Coconut Sap Sugar (or 1/4 Cup Agave, Honey or Maple Syrup)
• 2 Tbsp Maple Syrup
• 1 1/2 Tsp Instant Coffee
• 1 Tsp Baking Powder
• 1/4 Cup Dark Chocolate Chips (more if you wish)

Peanut Butter Swirl Ingredients:

• 1/3 Cup Peanut Butter
• 1 Tbsp Agave (Maple Syrup, Stevia or Honey)
• Pinch of Salt
• Dash of Vanilla Extract

Directions:

1. Pre-heat your oven to 350 F.
2. Place all black bean brownie ingredients into your food processor and blend until smooth.
3. Spray an 8×8 baking dish with a healthy, non-stick cooking spray.
4. Evenly spread batter into baking dish.
5. On your stove-top melt peanut butter swirl ingredients and mix.
6. Dollop peanut butter swirl mixture with a spoon spaced out about an inch from each other onto the brownie batter.
7. Pull a knife back and forth through the batter creating your swirls.
8. Place in the oven and bake for 30-40 minutes.
9. *Ovens vary so your discretion is needed. You will know your brownies are baked when the top becomes firm and the brownies pull away from the sides of the dish.
10. Sticking a tooth pick in the middle and pulling it out clean will ensure your brownies are baked fully.
11. Remove from oven when baked and let set in the baking dish for about 10 minutes.
12. Gently cut brownies, serve and enjoy!
13. To store brownies it is best to first let them cool completely and then store them in a sealed tight container in the refrigerator.

Source:  http://www.damyhealth.com/2012/05/black-bean-brownies-with-peanut-butter-swirl/

Carrot Cake:

After searching for the perfect carrot cake, I tried this recipe and loved it. The amount of oil below is cut down a half cup from the original recipe, though, because it was a bit too greasy. But otherwise perfect.

Carrot Cake

INGREDIENTS

• 2 cups white sugar
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 cup vegetable oil
• 4 eggs
• 3 cups grated carrots
• 1 cup chopped walnuts
• 1 (3 ounce) package cream cheese
• 1/4 cup heavy whipping cream
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 1/2 cups sifted confectioners' sugar

DIRECTIONS
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease one 9 or 10 inch tube pan.
2. Combine the sugar, flour, salt, cinnamon, soda, oil. With an electric mixer beat in the eggs one at a time. Stir in the carrots and the walnuts. Pour the batter into the prepared baking pan.
3. Bake at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) for 1 hour 20 minutes. Note: this cake can be made in two 9 inch layer cake pans just change the baking time to 40 minutes.
4. To Make Frosting: With an electric mixer blend the cream cheese and cream. Add the vanilla and confectioners' sugar. Frosting can be spread and a still warm cake. 

Salt and Vinegar Kale Mashed Potatoes:

This was dinner tonight, paired with some great lemon pork from Jonas.  Good stuff, people!!!

Salt + Vinegar Kale Mashed Potatoes [yields 24-30 2-bite balls]

• 5c fingerling potatoes, cubed
• 4c kale, thinly sliced
• 1.5t garlic, minced
• 6T apple cider vinegar
• 2T unsweetened almond milk
• 1.5T ghee/butter
• 1/2-3/4t fine grain salt
• toppings: apple cider vinegar, coarse sea salt, parmesan cheese [opt]

1. Steam the washed + cubed potatoes for about 10-15min until creamy + tender. 
2. Mash together in a large bowl with the 1/2T ghee, vinegar, and 1/2t salt.
3. Add the milk and continue to mash until desired consistency is reached.
4. In a large pan, heat 1/2-1T ghee over medium heat and add the sliced kale once hot.
5. Stir frequently for 2-3min until just wilted and stir in the garlic for 30sec.
6. Immediately add to potato mixture and mash to combine.
7. Taste and add 1/4t more salt if desired.  Remember you will be topping with more salt before baking.
8. Set your oven to broil on low with a rack at the top position.
9. Place about a 2-3T sized scoop of the mixture into a mini muffin pan mold.  Loosely shaping into a ball.
10. Repeat until all are filled, or place on a large baking sheet.
11. Pour 1/4-1/2t vinegar over the top of each ball and sprinkle with sea salt.  Sprinkle on cheese if desired.
12. Broil on low for 10-15min until golden brown. Watch your oven closely as all broilers are very different.  Broil over high for the last 1-3min if necessary.
13. Balls should easily remove from the pan with the help of a spoon or fork.

notes:  Malt vinegar should also work for this recipe.  If you can’t find fingerling, sub another creamy potato.  Can easily be made vegan with Earth Balance.

These are really, truly fantastic.  A few thoughts from me:
1.  Go heavy on the vinegar, if you like that flavor at all.  I loved it, and I for sure went more 1/2 a tsp or more of it.
2.  I didn't use the milk for dairy-free reasons.  I just added a bit of olive oil to the potatoes as I was blending and let them be a bit more "chunky" because I knew I was going to broil them in a ball.
3.  I softened the kale in coconut oil, not butter, again for dairy-free reasons.
4.  I used more kale than called for, and cut it a bit smaller than suggested so it would soften enough.
5.  I broiled it longer than suggested as well.

Source:  http://www.thenovicechefblog.com/2011/07/banana-fana-fo-fana/

Wild Rice Black Bean Salad: (Alternately titled "Creative Use for Black Beans #4)

My friend Amy gave me this recipe on Facebook, and it's a winner!  Incredibly easy, very tasty, and very healthy.  I found that I might want to add a bit more dressing next time (maybe especially the vinegar?), and more jalapeno as well.  I also needed to cook the wild rice about 10 minutes longer than stated in the recipe, but that could be because of the brand/type of rice I used.

Wild Rice Black Bean Salad:

One of my favorite summer salads to make!  This is a great gluten free dish to prepare if you or a friend needs that!

1 cup uncooked wild rice

2 3/4 cup chicken broth

2 shallots, diced (I have used a few Tbsp diced onions if I don't have shollots)

Combine ingredients, bring to a boil, cover and reduce to simmer about 45 minutes.  Drain any excess liquid

Salad:

Prepared wild rice

3 peppers diced (I use 1 of each  red, yellow, and oragne)

1 jalapeno, chopped (I rarely put this in since I don't usually have any on hand)

1 can black beans, drained and rinsed

5 green onions, sliced

2 Tbsp fresh cilantro or parsley 

Dressing:

1 Tbsp Dijon Mustard

1/4 cup white wine vinegar

1/4 cup olive oil

1 tsp chili powder

4 drops tobasco sauce

1 clove garlic, minced

1 Tbsp sugar

1 tsp dried thyme leaves

pepper, to taste

Combine salad ingredients, mix dressing ingredients together and pour on top and mix together.  Enjoy!

Chocolate Banana Cake

This cake really is delightful!  It's incredibly most and has the perfect combination of chocolate and banana flavor.  I love the ganache topping instead of frosting--perfect.  I used half and half rather than heavy whipping cream, so it turned out a little more thin and runny than in this picture, but otherwise it tasted divine!   Again...it's SO moist!  Love it!  Very easy to make, very no-frills.  The cake itself is also dairy-free, although the ganache is NOT. ;) Chocolate Banana Cake: Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (180 degrees C) and place rack in the center of the oven. Butter, or spray with a non stick vegetable spray, a 9 x 13 inch (23 x 33 cm) pan. Set aside.  In a large bowl whisk together the sugar, flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside. In another large bowl, whisk together the eggs, mashed bananas, water, milk, oil, and vanilla extract. Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and stir, or whisk, until combined. You will notice that the batter is quite thin. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake for about 35 to 40 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean.   Remove from oven and let cool on a wire rack. When completely cooled, frost with the Ganache. Ganache: Place the chopped chocolate in a medium sized stainless steel, or heatproof bowl. Set aside. Heat the cream and butter in a medium sized saucepan over medium heat (can also be heated in the microwave). Bring just to a boil. Immediately pour the boiling cream over the chocolate and allow to stand for 5 minutes. Stir until smooth. When Ganache has completely cooled, beat until soft and fluffy (I use a wire whisk). Then spread the frosting on top of the cake. Can garnish with dried banana chips. Serves 16 people.

Chocolate Banana Cake:

2 cups (400 grams) granulated white sugar

1 3/4 cups (245 grams) all-purpose flour

3/4 cup (75 grams) unsweetened cocoa powder (regular or Dutch-processed)

1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 large eggs

1 cup mashed ripe bananas (about 2 medium sized bananas)

1 cup (240 ml) warm water

1/2 cup (120 ml) milk

1/2 cup (120 ml) corn, safflower or canola oil (or other flavorless oil)

1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

Chocolate Ganache Frosting:

8 ounces (227 grams) semisweet or bittersweet chocolate, cut into small pieces

3/4 cup (180 ml) heavy whipping cream

1 tablespoon (14 grams) unsalted butter

Read more:http://www.joyofbaking.com/ChocolateBananaCake.html#ixzz1ucgbrKra

Source:  http://www.joyofbaking.com/ChocolateBananaCake.html

Tres Leches cake for Cinco de Mayo:

My recipe came from the one and only Pioneer Woman.  It's MUCH easier than it looks, even, and it's really very easy.  I'd do this one again in a heartbeat.  :)

From: http://thepioneerwoman.com/cooking/2009/09/tres-leches-cake/

Recipe: Tres Leches Cake

Prep Time: 45 Minutes  |  Cook Time: 1 Hour  |  Difficulty: Easy  |  Servings: 12

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Ingredients

• 1 cup All-purpose Flour
• 1-1/2 teaspoon Baking Powder
• 1/4 teaspoon Salt
• 5 whole Eggs
• 1 cup Sugar, Divided
• 1 teaspoon Vanilla
• 1/3 cup Milk
• 1 can Evaporated Milk
• 1 can Sweetened, Condensed Milk
• 1/4 cup Heavy Cream
• _____
• FOR THE ICING:
• 1 pint Heavy Cream, For Whipping
• 3 Tablespoons Sugar

Preparation Instructions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a 9 x 13 inch pan liberally until coated.

Combine flour, baking powder, and salt in a large bowl. Separate eggs.

Beat egg yolks with 3/4 cup sugar on high speed until yolks are pale yellow. Stir in milk and vanilla. Pour egg yolk mixture over the flour mixture and stir very gently until combined.

Beat egg whites on high speed until soft peaks form. With the mixer on, pour in remaining 1/4 cup sugar and beat until egg whites are stiff but not dry.

Fold egg white mixture into the batter very gently until just combined. Pour into prepared pan and spread to even out the surface.

Bake for 35 to 45 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Turn cake out onto a rimmed platter and allow to cool.

Combine condensed milk, evaporated milk, and heavy cream in a small pitcher. When cake is cool, pierce the surface with a fork several times. Slowly drizzle all but about 1 cup of the milk mixture—try to get as much around the edges of the cake as you can.

Allow the cake to absorb the milk mixture for 30 minutes. To ice the cake, whip 1 pint heavy cream with 3 tablespoons of sugar until thick and spreadable.
Spread over the surface of the cake. Decorate cake with whole or chopped maraschino cherries. Cut into squares and serve.