Recipe: Chocolate orange black bean cookies

Try this version of my chocolate cookies. They are delicious and naturally gluten free, as there’s no flour. The black beans are the most nutritious of all the beans, making these cookies high in both fibre and protein!

Various ingredients can be substituted. For example you could use pecan nuts rather than pistachios or raisins instead of dates. Have fun experimenting.

Ingredients: 

• 4 tbsp coconut oil (melted at low heat)

• 4 tbsp chia seeds (soaked in water for 5 mins) 

• 4 tsp maca powder

• 200ml maple syrup 

• 2 tins of black beans (drained) 

• 7-8 tbsp cacao powder 

• Pinch of sea salt 

• Possibly some flax seeds or oat milk to alter the consistency

• 1 ½ bars of dark chocolate (85% cocao) 

• 100g pitted dates (soaked in boiling water for 10-15 mins)

• 2 handfuls of pistachios

• 4 oranges - grated orange peel 

Method

Put the maca powder, maple syrup, black beans, cocoa powder and salt to the food processor along with the warmed coconut oil and soaked (and drained) chia seeds. Blitz the ingredients until thoroughly combined. If the mixture appears too dry then add a little oat milk. Conversely if the mixture seems a little too gooey then add some flax seeds.

Whizz up again. When happy with the consistency add the rest of the ingredients - chocolate, dates, and orange peel and give it a final blitz.

Put the cookie mixture on a lined baking tray, flatten them to shape and bake for 15 mins at 180c.

Let them cool and enjoy!