9 Delicious and Healthy Bean Dessert Recipes For The New Year

Love dessert? You can live healthier in the new year and still eat it with these 9 delicious and healthy bean dessert recipes!

A few of the recipes are sugar free and all are gluten free! They are simple to make and so good!

Sugar Free/Gluten Free Black Bean Cake. This black bean cake is so tasty, you won't believe the sugar and flour are missing!

Chocolate Chip Chickpea Cookies. There is nothing like a classic chocolate chip cookie, and these are soft and so good!

Double Chocolate Black Bean Muffins. These fudgy muffins are perfectly chocolatey and delicious.

Cake Batter Chickpea Cookies. Bring on the sprinkles and white chocolate chip with these yummy cookies!

Sugar Free Chocolate Chickpea Cookies. There isn't any sugar in these cookies, but they still have a great taste and will satisfy your cookie cravings!

Mini Sugar Free/Gluten Free Black Bean Chocolate Cupcakes. These little cupcakes are easy to make and so tasty.

Red Velvet Chickpea Cookies. Who said healthy foods couldn't be fancy? These cookies have a chocolate and vanilla taste for a great overall experience.

Sugar Free Black Bean Fudge. This sugar free fudge is great eaten by the spoonful!

Chocolate Chickpea Cookies. These cookies are moist and full of chocolate flavor!

I hope these recipes will help to make your new year a bit healthier and more delicious!
-Bethany

White Chocolate Chip Chocolate Black Bean Muffins - March Muffin Madness

I am honored to be participating in March Muffin Madness. This is the gluten-free muffin event version of the other March Madness. MMM is hosted by Shirley at Gluten Free Easily and will run through Tuesday April 5th. There will be 22 bloggers participating in MMM, which means 22 great gluten-free muffin recipes! If you love muffins as much as I do, then you should get excited! There will also be daily giveaway prizes and an overall giveaway throughout the event with prizes, including a very special grand prize awarded at the end, which makes this even more exciting.

For my muffin recipe, I decided to go with these White Chocolate Chip Chocolate Black Bean Muffins.

I love using beans in desserts. They are an easy way to turn a recipe into a gluten free recipe, and they are also good for you. These are the perfect treat for breakfast, for snacking during the day, or for whenever you want a good chocolate and white chocolate fix!

And the really great thing about these muffins is that they are super easy to make, as well. Just let the food processor do the work for you, and you will have them in the oven in no time at all.

These muffins are moist, flavorful, healthy and simple to make. Why not give them a try today?

I put white chocolate chips in them, but I thought that they could use a little extra white chocolate, so I decided to drizzle some on top, as well.

Here is the recipe. I hope you enjoy them as much as I do!

White Chocolate Chip Chocolate Black Bean Muffins

• 9 Tablespoons Water, heated
• 3 Tablespoons Flaxseed Meal
• 2 Cups Black Beans, drained
• 1/3 Cup Brown Sugar
• 2 Tablespoons Oil or Applesauce
• 1/2 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
• 1/2 Cup Cocoa Powder
• 1 teaspoon Baking Powder
• 1/4 teaspoon Salt
• 1/2 Cup White Chocolate Chips, plus a bit more for drizzle

1. Heat the nine Tablespoons of water for about 30 seconds in the microwave and add flaxseed meal to it. Set aside 10 minutes.
2. Preheat oven to 325 degrees.
3. Line a 12 cup muffin tin and spray wrappers with cooking spray.
4. Combine black beans, brown sugar, oil, vanilla extract, cocoa powder, baking powder and salt in the bowl of your food possessor. Add flax-eggs to it when ready, and then puree it all until nice and smooth.
5. Stir in the white chocolate chips.
6. Scoop into lined muffin tin and bake for 30 to 35 minutes.
7. Remove from muffin tin and allow to cool. Melt a bit more white chocolate and drizzle over the tops.

Now onto the giveaway. Look at all of these great prizes!

Enter the grand prize giveaway via Rafflecopter below. The giveaway includes so many great prizes, such as:  ½ gallon of Hidden Springs Vermont organic maple syrup, 5-lb bag of Honeyvillealmond flour, Cuisinart ice cream maker, Paderno World Cuisine vegetable slicer/spiralizer, Crockpot casserole slow cooker, Instant Pot pressure cooker, and more. The grand prize is sponsored by Blendtec. It's a Blendtec Designer 625 with Wildside+ and Twister jars. It's a much loved high-spend blender/all-in-one appliance!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Make sure that you also head over to Gluten Free Easily and enter the giveaway for the daily prizes. There's a new giveaway every day during MMM! And every comment during MMM (one per post) will count as an entry for the grand prize giveaway. These giveaways include awesome cookbooks, resource books, subscriptions, and meal plans.There will be over 75 winners in March Muffin Madness, so be sure to enter both the grand prize giveaway and daily giveaway every day so you can be sure that you will be one of the winners!

-Bethany

Gluten Free Enchilada Polenta Pizza

This Enchilada Polenta Pizza is packed with flavor and relatively easy to make. It is a great option for anytime you are in the mood for pizza and enchiladas at once, as it really captures both of those great foods. The crust is made with polenta, and it is topped with beans, corn, enchilada sauce and Monterey Jack cheese. It's a delicious and flavorful meal that you and your family will love it.

I have been making this enchilada polenta pizza a lot lately. It is fairly easy to put together, and I love the flavor combination. It has quickly become a favorite of mine.

First, start with a polenta crust...

Then add some beans and corn...

And then coat it in enchilada sauce...

 Then bake it for 15 minutes. Take from oven, add cheese to top, put back in and bake for 5 more minutes, until it looks like this.

Slice it up...

And dig in!

Gluten Free Polenta Enchilada Pizza

• 2 Cups Water
• 1/2 Cup Polenta
• 1 Batch Enchilada Sauce
• 3/4 Cup Black Beans
• 1/4 Cup Corn
• 1 Cup Monterey Jack Cheese, shredded

1. Prepare 1/2 cup polenta with 2 cups water as normal.
2. Grease a pan and spread the polenta onto it (making it about the size of a normal pizza). Cool in the fridge for 30 minutes or more.
3. Preheat oven to 450 degrees.
4. Top cooled polenta crust with enchilada sauce, black beans and corn.Bake for 15 minutes. 
5. Remove from oven and add cheese. Bake for another 5 minutes.
6. Remove from oven, slice and enjoy!

I know you'll love this recipe as much as I do!

-Bethany

Gluten Free/Egg Free Double Chocolate Black Bean Muffins

I have been using black beans in a lot of dessert recipes lately, and these muffins have to be one of the best things that I have made. They are moist, have just the right amount of sweetness, and are packed with chocolate.

Plus, since these have NuNatural's NuStevia Cocoa Syrup in the muffin batter instead of sugar, and black beans in place of flour, they actually aren't too bad for you, making them the perfect breakfast treat.

Don't they look good enough to eat?

I had to bite into another "just" for the sake of the picture after having had one already that day.

And it tasted just as great as the first!

Linking up to Five Friday Finds.

If you want to make these muffins completely sugar free, or vegan, then you can go ahead and skip the chocolate chips. They should have a good chocolate flavor without them, they just won't be as packed with chocolate.

Double Chocolate Black Bean Muffins

• 9 Tablespoons Water, heated
• 3 Tablespoons Flaxseed Meal
• 2 Cups Black Beans, drained
• 2 Tablespoons NuStevia Cocoa Syrup
• 2 Tablespoons Oil
• 1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
• 1/2 Cup Cocoa Powder
• 1 teaspoon Baking Powder
• 1/4 teaspoon Salt
• 1/2 Cup Chocolate Chips, optional

1. Heat the nine Tablespoons of water for about 30 seconds in the microwave and add flaxseed meal to it. Set aside 10 minutes.
2. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
3. Line a 12 cup muffin tin.
4. Combine black beans, NuStevia Cocoa Syrup, oil, vanilla extract, cocoa powder, baking powder and salt in the bowl of your food possessor. Add flax-eggs to it when ready, and then puree it all until nice and smooth.
5. Stir in the chocolate chips.
6. Scoop into lined muffin tin and bake for 25 to 28 minutes.

Adapted from this recipe.

Enjoy! I know I did. :)
-Bethany

Although NuNaturals sent me the products, all of the opinions and the recipe are by me.

Easy Enchilada Casserole

This easy enchilada casserole is just that - easy! It is much simpler to put together than enchiladas, while using the same ingredients, flavors and textures. I love it!

It all starts with spooning some sauce into the bottom of the pan...

And then adding some torn tortillas...

And then adding in layer after layer of the good stuff!

Then bake...

And enjoy!

I know that I did.

Easy Enchilada Casserole

• 6 to 8 Corn tortillas 
• 1 batch (or 8 oz if using store-bought) Enchilada Sauce
• 1 1/2 Cup Black Beans
• 1/2 Cup Corn
• 3/4 Cup Shredded Cheddar Cheese
• 1/4 of a Red Onion Onion, optional
• Taco Seasoning, optional

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
2. Spread about one third of the sauce into the bottom of a 8x8 glass pan. Lay 3-4 tortillas down and spoon on half of the beans and corn. Sprinkle on some taco seasoning and half of the onion, if using. Top layer with about half of the remaining sauce, spreading it out a bit, and a third of the cheese.
3. Repeat with the second round of tortillas, then the remaining beans, corn, a sprinkle of taco seasoning, onion, and the last of the sauce and the cheese.
4. Cover pan with aluminum foil and bake for 25 minutes or so. Take off foil and bake for an additional 5 to 10 minutes. 
5. Serve with sour cream. Makes 4 servings.

This casserole is seriously delicious, and so easy. I know that you will come to love it just as much as I do, once you give it a try!

-Bethany

Creamy Chickpea Taco Salad

I love chickpeas.

I could eat them for breakfast, dinner and lunch.

And, yeah, okay... sometimes I do.

Chickpeas are amazing. So versatile and healthy and yummy... if you're not a big fan of them yet, give them a try. You'll be sure to fall in love with them before long, just like I did.

Now I don't know what to do when I have to go a day without them (like today). I have them soaking, though, so I can make them for tomorrow!

Oh, yum... these pictures are making me want this salad bad!

Creamy Chickpea Taco Salad For One

• 3/4 Cup Chickpeas
• 1 Tablespoon Sour Cream
• 1 Ounce Cheese, cut into small chunks
• 1/4 teaspoon Taco Seasoning (make sure it's gluten free)

1. Cut the cheese. Add the chickpeas, sour cream, cheese and taco seasoning to a bowl and stir to combine.
2. Taste and add a bit more seasoning if you like. Enjoy!

Creamy Chickpea Taco Salad

Serves 4-6

• 2 Cans Chickpeas, drained
• 1/4 Cup plus 1 Tablespoon Sour Cream
• 1 Cup Cheese, Cut into Chunks
• 1 1/4 teaspoon Taco Seasoning (make sure that it's gluten free)

1. Cut the cheese. Add the chickpeas, sour cream, cheese and taco seasoning to a big bowl and stir to combine.
2. Taste and add a bit more seasoning if you like. Enjoy!

Chickpeas really are so good. 

And this salad... oh my. So good.

-Bethany

Crockpot Chickpeas

I love chickpeas.

And I love how easy they are to make yourself. So inexpensive, too.

And There are so many things for you to make with chickpeas. Like hummus and desserts and "meatballs" and so much more!

I really love chickpeas. They are so versatile and healthy. The perfect vegetarian and gluten free food.

Try making them yourself and you'll never go back to canned.

Crockpot Chickpeas

• 2 Cups Chickpeas
• 1 teaspoon Salt

1. Rinse the chickpeas, get rid of any bad ones, and soak overnight.
2. The next morning drain the chickpeas then add to a crockpot along with the salt and water, filling until about two inches above the chickpeas.
3. Cook on high for 5 to 6 hours or until the texture of your choice. I usually go for 6 or a bit longer, because I like them nice and soft.
4. Drain, rinse and store in fridge or freezer. Make into the food of your choice.

Recipe from here.

-Bethany

Hummus Sandwich

If you are looking for a good, easy and inexpensive vegetarian sandwich, this is the one for you.

The hummus is garlic-y and delicious, the pickles adding some acidity, the cheese balancing it all off... you won't even notice that the meat is missing.

Hummus Sandwich

• Garlic Hummus
• Cheese
• Pickles
• Optional, any vegetables of choice

1. Prepare your hummus.
2. Lay out two gluten free bagels, or bread of choice, and spread a good amount of hummus on the bottom piece.
3. Slice the cheese and pickles (and vegetables, if using) and place on top of the hummus. Top with other half of bagel and enjoy.

Hope you like it as much as I do!
-Bethany

Garlic Hummus

I found this amazing recipe for hummus that didn't take tahini a while ago, and I have made it a bunch of times since! It is amazing, a delicious blend of garlic and cumin, made as thin or thick as you'd like...

I love it.

It tastes amazing, is super easy to throw together, and is heatlhy, too. Not to mention cheap. If you're looking for an inexpensive appetizer, this definitely qualifies.

Garlic Hummus 

• 2 Cups Chickpeas 
• 1 Clove Garlic, minced
• 1 Tablespoon Olive Oil
• 1 Tablespoon Lemon Juice
• 2 teaspoons Cumin
• 1/2 teaspoon Salt

1. Add all of the ingredients to your food processor and blend until combined, adding a bit of water if desired.
2. Eat right away or store in your fridge for a couple of days until you're ready to consume it.

Recipe found here.

I love an easy, healthy recipe, don't you?
-Bethany

Baked Chickpea Meatballs

I made these chickpea meatballs a couple of weeks ago, and they turned out great. They were so good, in fact, that I have been craving them the past few days. 

Baked Chickpea "Meatballs"

• 2 Cups Chickpeas
• 1/3 Cup Gluten Free Breadcrumbs
• 1 Tablespoon Ground Flaxseed
• 3 Tablespoons Hot Water
• 2 Cloves Garlic, Minced
• 1 teaspoon Dried Oregano
• 1/2 teaspoon Salt
• 1/2 teaspoon Onion Powder
• 8 cranks freshly ground black pepper (or really, however much you'd like)

1. Heat the water and add the ground flaxseed to it. Set aside for 10 minutes.
2. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
3. In a blender, pulse chickpeas until small crumbs form (almost fine).
4. Mince the garlic.
5. Add the chickpeas, flax-egg, garlic and the remaining ingredients to a big bowl and mix until combined.
6. Shape into 2 Tablespoon size balls of dough and set on a cookie sheet that has been sprayed with cooking spray.
7. Bake for 20 to 30 minutes, until slightly browned. Serve with sauce on spaghetti, and enjoy!

Adapted from this recipe.

-Bethany