Black Bean Brownies with Raw Banana 'Nice Cream', Pomerac Salsa and Vegan Ganache

Turning today into a throwback sort of day!!

Just found these absolute classics from my first on-screen experience as a guest chef on a local cooking show.

I never knew what a real butterfly feeling was like until that day. Camera lights and all eyes on you? TERRIFYING.

Would I do it again? In a heartbeat. 

Yep, that's my hand (from CNC3 Taste site)

The producers thought it would be 'cute' to have a chef couple on the show. Those were the good ol' days.

Getting makeup done. I looked like an Oompa Loompa on purpose (pik by Shawna Maharaj)

That's Ed in the background. I wonder if he'd let me post his recipes from this show...

K back to the foodie stuff.

If you haven't as yet tried a black bean brownie, you're missing out on life. I'm just telling you straight up. It's so full of fibre and protein and you'd really never guess that it's made with beans. I did it once for a demonstration at my University and the students thought that I was lying... that there was no way this brownie was made with black beans. It was just so fudgey and perfect.

Take my silly advice. Try. These. Brownies.

And topped with ice cream? A HEALTHY ice cream too??

Raw jargon for this is 'nice cream' and it has every right to be called that. It's even nicer than ice cream. And all that extra potassium is a great bonus too. 
The high pectin content of bananas makes this nice cream really smooth and with a pleasant mouthfeel. The coconut oil creates a structure to the mixture when it hardens and adds that desirable ice cream 'bite'. Many banana nice creams call for just bananas, but I believe that the coconut oil is much needed!! It adds an ever so slight coconutty hint and deepens the flavour profile in a beautifully subtle way.

This nice cream is a must have in any raw repertoire and it's so nutritious, it really is a dessert that SHOULD be had for breakfast!! This recipe is a great base for if you want to use add-ins like peanut butter, cacao nibs or powder, berries, hemp seeds etc. 

And I bet they'd all taste insane with this brownie!!

By the way, if you were wondering what pomerac is, it's a tropical pear-shaped crimson fruit with a white spongy flesh inside that has a taste reminiscent of roses. I believe it goes by the moniker 'Malay apple' in other countries. Tossed with strawberry, mango, pink peppercorns and just the teeniest pinch of salt and it makes a killer topping to any ice cream.


BLACK BEAN BROWNIES WITH RAW BANANA 'NICE CREAM', POMERAC SALSA AND VEGAN GANACHE


Black Bean Brownie
(adapted from iFoodReal)

makes 1 tray (12 to 16 brownies) 

Ingredients
15 oz can of black beans, drained and rinsed well
2 flax eggs (or real eggs if that's your thing)
1/2 cup applesauce
1/2 cup date paste or 12 Medjool dates
1/2 cup cocoa powder
2 tbsp espresso (brings out that intense chocolate flavour)
2 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp Himalayan pink salt
3/4 cup dark chocolate chips

Preparation
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
Line a sheet tray or an 8 X 8 dish with parchment and lightly grease with coconut oil.
Add all but the chocolate chips to a blender and blend until smooth. A food processor works too.
Fold in 1/2 cup of chocolate chips
Add the mixture to the baking dish and sprinkle with the remaining 1/4 cup of chocolate chips.
Bake for 30 minutes.
Remove from the oven and let cool for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool fully.
Slice up into squares (or rectangles for plating).

Notes
Batter feeling a lil dry? Lacking sweetness? Hell, I like to throw some honey in there. Don't judge. Honey attracts moisture and will keep your brownies soft and moist (I cannot believe I just used that word).Chia gel can replace the flax eggs. But the flax adds a pretty awesome nuttiness.
If the surface is cracked up like a clay desert that hasn't seen rain in years, don't freak out! That's so normal for these brownies since they lack the gluten to keep everything nice and tight. Have a look.

I almost expect to see cacti popping up

Those cracks are perfect for pouring in a rich fortified wine. Mmm port-infused brownies...

Raw Banana 'Nice Cream'

Ingredients
3 bananas, sliced in circles and frozen for at least 8 hours
1 generous tbsp coconut oil, melted
scrapings of 1/2 vanilla bean
drizzle of honey** optional

Preparation
Throw everything into a food processor or powerful blender and process until creamy and no chunks are left.
You may see little flakes of hardened coconut oil but that's fine. They melt in your mouth and you get this incredible pop of flavour.
Transfer to an airtight container and freeze until solid.

Notes
Use almost overripe bananas for this!! The spottier the better. Great way to use up those mushy nanas that no one wants to eat.

Pomerac Salsa

Ingredients
2 large pomerac
3 strawberries
1 mango (I love Julie mangoes for this)
crushed pink peppercorns
a pinch of pink Himalayan salt
mint sprig to garnish

Preparation
Cut up the fruit into a medium dice shape.
Toss with salt and peppercorns to taste.

Notes
The mango should be just ripe! Firm enough to be cut up into cubes.

Vegan Ganache

Ingredients
1 cup dark chocolate couverture
1 cup almond milk

Preparation
Bring the almond milk up to a boil, turn off the heat and transfer to a liquid measuring cup (or a mug).
Dump in the chocolate and leave to melt.
Mix vigorously until it becomes like a thick chocolate sauce.
So easy a toddler could do it.
Although I don't advise they try :P

TO PLATE
Cut the brownies into rectangles. Place one at an angle onto a clean plate (use white for dramatic effect). 
Pour the ganache at room temperature into a squeeze bottle. 
Drizzle your design onto both the brownie and the plate. Zig zags are always impressive.
Spoon your salsa onto one end of the brownie. Top with a sprig of mint.
Make a quenelle with the nice cream and place at the other end. Or in a pinch, use an ice cream scoop.

Voila!!