Caramel Coconut Black Bean Brownies Recipe

It’s that time of year once again. My days of sleeping in and planning the days events on a whim are over. The new school year has begun. Every morning my alarm clock goes off at the crack of dawn and I am forced to wake peacefully sleeping children in order to feed, dress, and push them out to the bus stop… all before 7am. In the afternoon a big yellow bus will deliver almost unrecognizable children to my door. They look a hot mess. Hair is frazzled, frowns and beads of sweat grace what were once angelic faces. My light-hearted giggly children are now whining, moping, irritable minions. These kids need some food!

After school snacks can be a tricky business. We need them to pull our children out of this post school state of misery. We need them to power the kids bodies and minds for activities like dance class, football practice, fund-raisers, and the ever so popular homework. We need them to tie the children over until dinner, and we need it in a hurry. We are so needy.

Allow me to introduce my Caramel Coconut Black Bean Brownies. What I have turned to during these hectic school years is a little thing called Motherly Trickery. The kids think the “coolest Mom in the world” is feeding them a caramel filled brownie for an after school snack. This clever Mom knows they are actually digging into black beans in disguise. I use Litehouse Old Fashioned Caramel Dip and a mound of toasted coconut to add the irresistible pizzaz kids love so much. If I hadn’t baked these myself even I would be tricked upon tasting.  A rich chocolate flavor and the fudgy texture is enough to fool even the pickiest of eaters. Black bean brownies have the protein the kids need for lasting energy, the bulk to fill their bellies, and the taste to slap a great big smile on their faces! As a bonus they get an extra dose of potassium from the black beans which helps ward off muscle cramps from all those activities.

This snack can be made from start to finish in under 45 minutes and uses very little brain power on your part. With minimal effort you too can be armed with the power of Motherly Trickery. Let’s face it, every Mom needs a few tricks up her sleeve.