A Glimpse of Glam: June 2016

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OOTD: How I Style These Well Loved Grey Shorts

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Black Bean Brownies: A Guilt Free Gluten-Free Vegan Sweet Treat

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Gluten Free Vegan Black Bean Brownies - A Glimpse of Glam

Hey everyone!

Bask in the glory of the beautiful mouthwatering photos of these delectable brownies. These are a really tasty sweet treat that happen to also be gluten free and vegan. Must I say any more?

Black Bean Brownies - A Glimpse of Glam Andrea Tiffany

First things first...

I apologize for being away for several weeks yet again! It has been too long! I was pretty busy finishing up stuff as classes ended for the quarter. Then, after finals, I was away visiting family for a week in Canada. I had very limited internet access because my grandmother doesn't have WiFi. Not because she doesn't know how to use it (though I actually have no idea if she does or not). To feed our internet addiction, we basically mooched off of the WiFi from our aunt and uncle's house that was one house down. It was super weak and barely reached, and only connected from certain parts of the house. We were better off going down the street to a nearby Tim Horton's instead. For the most part, it was nice to disconnect for awhile, but I did find myself occasionally wanting to go online to visit blogs and do my usual Instagram scroll.

A couple months ago, I shared with all of you a healthy salad and dressing recipe I created for the culinary sciences nutrition class I'm taking. This salad is a great dish to try out when you want something light yet filling, full of fiber, and packed with tons of nutrients. I'm glad to hear that you guys liked the recipe, and I wanted to share another one I've got!

I like to make sure the recipes I post are tried-and-true, and not an accidental one time only success. Otherwise, what's the point in posting a recipe if it doesn't work? I mean, sure the whole bragging part is pretty fun, you know, making everyone jealous of the delicious food. Sometimes, I pull up enticing photos of the food I make and show them to my friends, resulting in glaring, pleading looks from them as they wish I was giving them the food to try rather than just to look at. Look but don't touch; that's only fun for the person provoking the reaction, meaning me. But, I'm feeling generous, so I figured why not share the recipe!

These brownies are incredibly rich and fudgy, and full of that delicious chocolate flavor that leaves your mouth salivating for more. But, they have no butter. They may be dense little chocolate bombs, but they don't actually have the calories and fat they seem to have just from a taste. I gave some to my dad to try out, and he told me he loved it but didn't want to know how much butter was in it because of how fudgy and chocolatey it was. Seriously, his reaction when I told him this was actually a healthier version of brownies was priceless.

My father and sister do not like when foods are "healthier" versions of an original. I agree to some extent. Why bother creating a healthy version that isn't as satisfying as the actual thing? There's no point in eating something that is "healthy", if you are still left craving for the full-fat, full-sugar version. That's a ridiculous waste of calories and appetite. HOWEVER, on some occasions, a healthier version is good. Ones that fully satiate your desire for the food. They may not be EXACTLY copy-and-paste versions of the original, but they are damn good regardless. Actually, don't even think of them as a replacement or alternative; in fact, view them as an original themselves. They are their own thing. Try thinking that way and I guarantee you won’t be squinting at it through a lens of bias with negative, judgmental criticism parading through your brain.

That’s honestly how I go about a lot of new dishes I try out. If they happen to claim that they are “just like the original, only better for you”, I ignore all of that bullshit. I try not to let it all influence my judgment. So I am speaking the truth when I tell you all that these black bean brownies are truly remarkable.

I hope I’ve sold you all. If not, well, I can continue on ranting if you’d like? I could probably make a great salesman. But, then again, who knows? I’m talking to you guys virtually over the internet and I have no idea how well I’m doing. I’m only hoping that you guys are excited for this recipe.

Gluten Free Vegan Black Bean Brownies - A Glimpse of Glam Andrea Tiffany

So I’m just gonna assume it’s a yes…

I created two versions, one with flax eggs (made of ground flaxseeds and water), as well as one with chia eggs (made with ground chia seeds and water). I personally prefer the latter, but you can decide which you prefer.

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15 oz can of black beans, rinsed thoroughly and drained OR 1 3/4 cups of cooked black beans, drained

2 flax eggs (2 heaping tbs ground flaxseeds mixed with 5 tbs water)

2 chia seed eggs (2 heaping tbs ground chia seeds mixed with 5 tbs water)

3 tbs coconut oil, melted

3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder (for the chia version I used unsweetened dark cocoa powder but either works)

1/4 tsp salt

1 tsp vanilla extract

3/4 cup granulated sugar

1/4 cup lightly packed brown sugar

1 1/2 tsp baking powder

1/2 cup chopped pecans (optional)

2/3 cup chocolate chips (optional)

**You will need a food processor**

Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit

To make a flax egg or chia seed egg, grind up the seed in a food processor. Combine the ground seeds with water and set aside to thicken.

Add the black beans into the food processor and puree them until smooth.

Add in all the rest of the ingredients except for pecans and chocolate chips. Puree until smooth in consistency. You may need to pause and scrape off the sides occasionally. The resulting consistency should be thick not liquidy or runny.

Stir in the chopped pecans and chocolate chips, saving some aside to decorate.

Scoop the batter into a lightly greased muffin tin or square 9 inches by 9 inches baking pan. Sprinkle on the remaining pecans and chocolate chips.

Bake for 20-25 minutes until an inserted toothpick comes out clean and the tops look dry. The top will NOT develop the shiny crust typical of brownies, but will look matte.

Makes 12 servings

**I experimented with adding 2 oz of melted semisweet baking chocolate into the mixture to give it an extra chocolatey flavor, but that is optional as well. It creates a subtle but chocolatier, and richer flavor.

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Please do give this recipe a try! They really do satisfy that chocolate craving or sweet tooth. I personally prefer the chia seed one better, mostly because flaxseeds generally provide a nuttier flavor. Otherwise, both are really delicious and addicting. The added benefit of using this recipe is that the beans and flax/chia seeds add a TON of extra satiating fiber that helps keep you full. Trust me. This is coming from someone who gets hungry easily. I couldn't help myself one morning and broke a piece to eat with my morning oatmeal, and I actually wasn't hungry for 5 hours when normally I would be starving after 3 1/2 hours.

How often do you guys get hungry? Sometimes I wonder if I am normal, so I'm pretty curious to hear what you have to say.

Terribly sorry for having been away for so long! Final projects took up quite some time. I want to provide you all with good quality posts, rather than short random fillers that aren't as genuine. I have some more recipes to share with you all soon! Like I said before, I like to test them out to really make sure they are great before sharing. Cuz I've got a name to maintain and I can't be sharing terrible recipes.

Black Bean Brownies Recipe Gluten Free and Vegan - A Glimpse of Glam

Black Bean Brownies Gluten Free and Vegan - A Glimpse of Glam

Black Bean Brownies Recipe Gluten Free and Vegan - A Glimpse of Glam Andrea Tiffany

How do you guys create healthy versions of classic sweets without compromising texture or flavor? Comment down below!! I would love to learn new techniques to try out myself!

I really hope you enjoyed reading, and that you are having a wonderful week!

Til next time,