Yummy Black Bean Brownies

When you think of Brownies, does it conjure up feelings of wicked delight?? It does for me. 

They  are one of my favourite desserts, and  are best when they are  rich and gooey and deliciously fudgy and the best kind of food for fixing the worlds problems. 

So it is always nice when I can find a recipe that not only ticks the above boxes, but is actually good for me too. How can that be?

Well thanks to a fabulous blog that transforms all these comfort foods into delicicios healthy treats. A blog that keeps me inspired on the sweets front every single day; Chocolate Covered Katie, is always a source of inspiration when I want to cook something healthy yet sweet and chocolatey. 

When I receieved an email from her blog on Friday for Black Bean brownies, I knew I just had to try!  These had no flour and no egg, but somehow still maintained that gooey goodness of a brownie. You can check out her recipe here. I have made a couple of amendments, mainly based on what I had in the cupboard, and just a few things  I like to throw in.

I also doubled the recipe to make a full tray, and I think this worked better. So go and try them now, you wont regret it!

Oh and you generally cant get Black Beans at the supermarket, but I managed to pick up some organic ones at my local health food store for $2 a tin, and today at a Mediterranean supermarket I found some for 0.75cents a tin, so they are definitely around!

Black Bean Brownies

Preheat oven to 175 degrees. 

Line a square or rectangle cake tin with Baking paper

2 cans of Black beans - drained of the liquid and thoroughly washed

1 cup of quick oats 

4 tbsp of Cocoa - I used Cacao powder (better for you!) 

1/2 cup of rice bran syrup (you can use maple, honey, or another  sweet syrup )

2 drops of Stevia  (or use 2 tbsp of sugar here) 

1/2 tsp of Salt

1/2 tsp of Baking powder

1/2 cup of coconut oil (or Rice bran oil) 

3 tsp of Vanilla Extract

2 tbsp of Desiccated Coconut

2 tbsp of Macadamia or other nut butter

1 tablespoon of Chia Seeds

2 tbsp of Cacao Nibs (adds some crunch)

1/2 to 2/3 cup of Dark Chocolate Chips 

(Some additions: 

- Add 1/2 cup of Slivered almonds/pecans/walnuts for a crunchy difference

- 1/4 cup of cranberries for a fruity flavour 

- 1/3 cup of cooked beetroot !) 

Add all of these ingredients to a food processor and blend until smooth. I used a blender as that was all I had and it still turned out lovely. I imagine it would be even better in a food processor. Pour into bowl and add the Chocolate chips and Cacao nibs and then pour into the tin. {Today I had white chocolate chips so I had 1/4 cup of them and 1/3 cup of dark chocolate chips- Yum} 

Bake in the oven for 18 minute -22 minutes depending on your oven. Keep checking until it is the right consistency for you. Ours was quite fudgy which is the way I like it! 

Leave to cool for 10 minutes before cutting into slices.  

Cut yourself a big slice, boil the kettle, make a cup of tea and then sit back and enjoy the chocolately goodness! Bliss!!! {And all good for you too!! }

Oh and do yourself a favour and check out Katie's Blog, you wont regret it! 

Today I am linking up for FYBF over with the gorgeous Grace  over at With some Grace ...... 

Until next time life is too short for crap coffee

Favourite Photo Friday - The Coffee Edition

I just had some random thought, (that happens frequently for me!)  that I am going to share some of my favourite photos on Fridays, nice ring to it hey? It will be a happy way for me to end the week and and an easy post for this photo loving gal! 

I love sharing! I have over 50,000 photos sitting in my IPhoto never being seen by anyone. It seems such a waste when I know I have captured so much joy in them. There are photos of every aspect and random event of my life. The good, the bad and the ugly, but all the same they are memories.

So this first week, it made perfect sense to share some of my favourite coffee photos. 

I have taken these over the past 12 months whilst doing my little coffee challenge.  It seemed only right to parade the  photos that really are the essence of why I started blogging. For those that don't know, last year I went on some caffeine fuelled mission to taste 100 of Melbourne's best coffees. I took this challenge by the balls, going to over 150 of Melbourne's best java houses,  hence my friends, that is how I became known as Java Jane.

I may have gone a little stir crazy, but you cant really blame me, I was in the midst of my first year of solo parenting and trying to find my feet, and establish myself as an independent woman. Something I hadn't done for 6 or so years, but this time I had a 3 year old in tow! Nothing easy about that.

This challenge kept me sane, when everything around me turned to crap. It kept me focused, and motivated when some days I didn't want to get out of bed. In no way do I regret it, because it opened up the door to blogging, I cant imagine my life before it, and the friendships I have formed, the beautiful insightful  women I have met, and the stories I have been able to share and read. 

So that crazy idea by my former partner that I should start blogging about my coffee drinking escapade, that was by far the smartest thing he ever said to me  and  the best decision I made ,   the drinking coffee part was just the icing on the cake!   

Coffee still plays a massive part in my everyday. It makes my days better, it lifts me up and soothes my soul. I cant put my finger on what it really does, but without it I wouldn't be the person I am. It helped me when I was down, it was my confidant, my shoulder to cry on, it was my Prozac,  pretty alright for a humble brown bean.

So here you go, enjoy some of my favourite photos I have taken of coffee that I have had the pleasure of drinking. 

(one day I will get a decent camera  - these were all taken on my iPhone!) 

Today I am linking up for FYBF over with the gorgeous Grace  over at With some Grace ...... 

 Until next time life is too short for crap coffee

The One with all the answers

I read this post over at Amelia from Weddings, Babies, Everything's this morning and was inspired to tackle this questionnaire where you only respond with one word! I was sure it was going to be easy, it was and it wasnt. 

Reflecting on it 10 minutes later made me realise how the restraint shown in having to chose that singular word was quite powerful at how it painted a picture of me. Here is a glimpse,  I hope it tells you some more, by not saying much at all. 

1. Where is your mobile phone? Table

2. Your hair? Bun

3. Your mother? Sweet

4. Your father? Inspiring

5. Your favourite food? Chocolate

6. Your dream last night? Nostalgic

7. Your favourite drink? Coffee

8. Your dream/goal? Happiness

9. What room are you in? Lounge

10. Your hobby? Coffee

11. Your fear? Everything

12. Where do you want to be in 6 years? Contented

13. Where were you last night? Home

14. Something that you aren’t? Confident

15. Muffins? Banana

16. Wish list item? Camera

17. Where did you grow up? Bendigo

18. Last thing you did? Sighed

19. What are you wearing? Dress

20. Your TV? Off

21. Your pet? Nonexistent

22. Friends? Supportive

23. Your life? Hopeful

24. Your mood? Glad

25. Missing someone? Shaz

26. Vehicle? White

27. Something you’re not wearing? Jeans

28. Your favorite store? Many

29. Your favorite color? Red

30. When was the last time you laughed? Before

31. Last time you cried? Today

32. Your best friend? UK

33. One place that I go to over and over? Cafes

34. One person who emails me regularly? Sister

35. Favorite place to eat? Home

Feel free to  have a go too and tell me about it. I think I cheated on  21 - Nonexistent. Oh Well I gave it a try! Its harder than it looks

Today I am linking up for FYBF over with the amazing marathon runner (woohoo!!) Grace  over at With some Grace ...... 

Until Next time.....  Life is too short for Crappy Coffee!!

More time..

In a few short weeks I'll be a mother of a five year old!! It seems so weird for me to even say this, like I'm talking about somebody elses child, not my own . Not possibly my own. 

Yet filling in his school enrollment forms with his dad, just reinforced the feeling that the baby I once cradled oh so small against my chest has now developed into a boy, a big boy who now leaps, bounds and jumps into my arms! 

This little boys personality is emerging more and more every day. I can see the likeness of myself in him like a mirror, but I also see the other side, he is so much more confident in himself than I ever remember being! I was timid and shy, always blushing, trying to hide behind my mousy locks.  This kid I have is charming and confident and has more cheeky in him than I ever knew could possibly exist. He will speak to any child with such ease, he is confident with adults, and although I have so much to teach him about the world, he has a ginormous heart, that makes me proud as a parent every day.

And as I consider this massive milestone coming up in my Darby's life, I have had news to lift me as a parent, to make me realise how much time I do want to spend with him before he goes to school, and  how much  more I have to teach him before his big, big  adventure.
 Alot of this good news has been mostly a relief.  I have been given a lifeline, I have been on a little bit of a slippery slope this year heading no where good. And now  I have been given more time! 

My work has come to the party and offered me 3 days a week! This is an amazing outcome and one I am so very very happy about it. The relief, sheer relief and the weight of everything on my shoulders has now been momentarily lifted.  

More time - what joy ! What I have wanted for so, so long, I have finally been granted !

The days of working four days are over, the struggling, sinking, drowning, not coping with  full time working and solo parenting at the same time,  pressures of Childcare and the early starts and the unreliable nature of what my Thursday's were, are gone,  done and dusted. The late nights getting home, the one less day spent in peak hour traffic so bad you can only cry (or laugh as I often forced myself to do), the toast for dinner, the tears by both of us in the morning.  Gone gone gone. 

I can now say I have more days at home than at work! Its only one day that I will be working less but the weight of that now gone has transformed me, and it hasn't even happened yet! (it starts next week) 
I am and will be so grateful for this extra time, time to spend with my baby who is becoming a boy... I cant wait! I want to capture these moments while I still can and for us to both savour  these times before he enters the next stage of his little life! 

Today I am linking up for FYBF over with the gorgeous Grace  over at With some Grace ...... 

Until Next time.....  Life is too short for Crappy Coffee!!