FAIL. I just realized the black bean brownies I made have as many calories as the regular.

abbynormalartist
abbynormalartist Posts: 318 Member
edited November 19 in Recipes
I made black bean brownies for the first time ever tonight and, while they were delicious, I just realized that they have as many calories in them as the regular. Now, my "recipie" is a major cheat. I just took a box mix and replaced the egg and oil with black beans. I don't know why but I still expected they'd be a bit lower cal. I need a real recipe for lower cal black bean brownies. Suggestions?

Replies

  • anaxmann
    anaxmann Posts: 103 Member
    I have used this recipe before, with success. You could lower the calories by leaving out the chocolate chips and/or replacing some/all of the sugar with a sugar substitute. If you play around with the sugar, though stick with granular sugar substitutes because the recipe needs the bulk that the sugar provides. I like to use erythritol (which I powder in my NutriBullet to avoid graininess) in baked goods with a few drops of stevia to balance out the flavor.
  • estherdragonbat
    estherdragonbat Posts: 5,283 Member
    Try this: https://www.vegetariantimes.com/recipes/decadent-brownies

    Keep in mind that you're getting 16 servings from an 8x8 pan... but they are GOOD!
  • DancingMoosie
    DancingMoosie Posts: 8,619 Member
    Lol. Oh well, we learn from our mistakes, right? You can use apple sauce instead of the oil and egg beaters instead of whole eggs. Another good cheat is to take a boxed cake mix and use canned pumpkin instead of both the oil and eggs. I bake it in mini muffin tins with one chocolate chip on each(unless I make spice cake, then skip the chip!)
  • Des0922
    Des0922 Posts: 3 Member
    DancingMoosie wrote: »
    Lol. Oh well, we learn from our mistakes, right? You can use apple sauce instead of the oil and egg beaters instead of whole eggs. Another good cheat is to take a boxed cake mix and use canned pumpkin instead of both the oil and eggs. I bake it in mini muffin tins with one chocolate chip on each(unless I make spice cake, then skip the chip!)

    How much of the pumpkin do you use?
  • bbell1985
    bbell1985 Posts: 4,571 Member
    Black beans are not really low in calories.
  • Momepro
    Momepro Posts: 1,509 Member
    Maybe same calories, but probably a bit healthier anyhow.
  • Luna3386
    Luna3386 Posts: 888 Member
    I think that's pretty common. Sometimes "healthier" versions are more calorie dense.
  • Orphia
    Orphia Posts: 7,097 Member
    livingleanlivingclean wrote: »
    My suggestion is stick to smaller portions of real brownie - low calorie substitutes really don't hit the spot in the same way.

    Agreed.
  • bioklutz
    bioklutz Posts: 1,365 Member
    I haven't tried this yet. A couple posts down someone posted a fudge brownie recipe that sounds amazing!

    http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10559239/easy-protein-mug-cake#latest
  • jgnatca
    jgnatca Posts: 14,464 Member
    Cut smaller portions. Simples.
  • bbell1985
    bbell1985 Posts: 4,571 Member
    jgnatca wrote: »
    Cut smaller portions. Simples.

    Not that simple really. Good for you though if it is.
  • jgnatca
    jgnatca Posts: 14,464 Member
    I didn't say easy.

    Small portion along with a mindful exercise might extend the pleasure.
  • Geocitiesuser
    Geocitiesuser Posts: 1,429 Member
    https://www.gooddees.com/products/new-low-carb-sugar-free-gluten-free-brownie-mix

    Lowest calorie mix I have found, especially when replacing butter with applesauce.

    If you search through this forum you'll see I have a bit of an obsession with brownies, and I have come to a very unsettling conclusion: Don't bother trying to make "healthy" brownies. Just buy good normal brownies and eat less. Serious. Save yourself from the disappointment. "Healthy" brownies just... aren't that good.

    OR you can go another route and look into three brands of protein brownies that are pretty good: Lenny and larry muscle brownie, steve irvine fitcrunch brownie, or metrx brownie. Be mindful they are fairly high in calorie but all provide a big dose of protein.
  • DancingMoosie
    DancingMoosie Posts: 8,619 Member
    Des0922 wrote: »
    DancingMoosie wrote: »
    Lol. Oh well, we learn from our mistakes, right? You can use apple sauce instead of the oil and egg beaters instead of whole eggs. Another good cheat is to take a boxed cake mix and use canned pumpkin instead of both the oil and eggs. I bake it in mini muffin tins with one chocolate chip on each(unless I make spice cake, then skip the chip!)

    How much of the pumpkin do you use?

    You use a whole can to a whole box. I have measured and only used half of each when I didn't want to make as many.
  • Unknown
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  • abbynormalartist
    abbynormalartist Posts: 318 Member
    Thanks for the sympathy and advise! I think I like the fudgy-ness of the black bean brownies better than the regular, so even with the similar calories count, I'll stick with them and try to just eat one at a time. I'll also give the pumpkin a try! My son is just out of the puree phase so I still have some canned pumpkin to use up.
  • abbynormalartist
    abbynormalartist Posts: 318 Member
    Update: brownie mix with a can of pumpkin really is da bomb. I still think I like the black beans more so than oil/eggs because it makes for a very dense fudgy brownie. The pumpkin was still really tasty but lighter- not so fudgy. I bet it would be a great replacement in cake mix.
  • kelly_c_77
    kelly_c_77 Posts: 5,658 Member
    A can of pumpkin mixed with spice cake is awesome!!!
  • rainbowbow
    rainbowbow Posts: 7,490 Member
    Make real brownies and eat appropriate servings of them. As much as i like certain foods (like pumpkin with cake mix) as far as i'm concerned these foods just usually don't fit into my calories in the portions i want to eat them in. Baked goods are my crack. IMO i'd rather eat other things that fit (like skinny cow ice cream sandwiches) that taste great and are sweet and then have these things for special occasions.

    In the future i would be super weary of any "healthy" sweet treats you see in the future. Many of these recipes have just as many if not MORE calories than the real thing but they are sold off as "healthy" because they have "real" ingredients in them. Think black beans, avocado, cashews, dates, etc. etc. etc.
  • _pi3_
    _pi3_ Posts: 2,311 Member
    It should be more filling though right?
This discussion has been closed.

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