Week 37: There Is Always Chocolate

My mother, Suzanne Devine, had a razor-sharp tongue. When she was impassioned or provoked to anger, she could hit below the belt like nothing I’ve ever seen. Unfortunately, this week I took after my mother in that respect, and said mean things to someone I care about. I’m mortified! Hopefully, someday the victim of my sharp tongue will forgive me and I’ll forgive myself.
I’m not ready to announce on the Internet why I was in a situation that lead me to say mean things, but it definitely kicked my butt this week.

Here’s the deal, deep down I’m a serial cheerleader. The part of me that squeals with delight when I see seals or a double rainbow, loves to play silly games with four-year-olds, and blow bubbles from mountain tops, can’t help but believe that growth, fulfillment, and happiness will eventually come out of this difficult time.

Until then…there’s always chocolate to calm my mind and soothe my soul.

Original Recipe

The Process
Not wanting to mess around too much with the kitchen science, I followed this recipe as written (except my ingredients were a bit more wholesome with organic sugar, organic chocolate, and a white whole wheat flour, because that always just sounds healthier).

Healthier Flourless Brownies

Instead of trying to convert my mother’s recipe into something healthier, I took to Google to find a healthier chocolate delivery system, such as a brownie or cupcake, and discovered a black bean chocolate recipe that piqued my interest (find the recipe here)
I followed the recipe exactly, except I added an additional tablespoon of cocoa and a dash of cinnamon, and swapped 1/2 cup of oats with 1/4 cup of flax meal and 1/4 cup of oats.

The Results:

To avoid having too much chocolate in the house, I brought these desserts to share at The Station, an adorable little bar and curio that has warm hospitable proprietors, live music, a pool table and Pac-Man game, local spirits, and the best panini sandwiches you’ve ever tasted! (Think of the bar from the show Cheers, but plunk it in Woodstock, New York.) This establishment lends itself to a unique cast of characters—there is definitely a Norm, a Cliff, and even a Frasier. I go there a few days a week and haven’t quite decided which character I’d be, but hopefully not Diane.

Marching into a bar with a basket full of chocolate treats, plates, and forks brought me back to my “classroom mom” days, yet this time there were no complaints or hesitant tasters, because, after all, I was serving chocolate. 🙂

My mom’s cake didn’t serve well and was a little bit crumbly. The flavor was delicious and rich like a brownie, but I think it’s possible that the whole wheat flour kept it from holding up, or the other culprit could have been that the 45-minute bake time was too long.

Brave souls who knew that the brownies were made with black beans were still willing to give them a try, and people who did not know they were made with black beans had no idea. The general consensus was that they tasted more like a fudge and were yummy and moist. If you decide to make them for you and yours, remember that they’re hearty, so keep your portions small. I think next time I make them I’m going to add more chocolate and a little bit more maple syrup.

Overall, I would say that this chocolate fix lifted my spirits, as did the serving experience, which made me happy to think that I left people wondering, “What’s the deal with the crazy lady who brings chocolate desserts to the bar?”

 

Saturday 37 Recipe Pick

It’s apple season and I’m still in a dessert mood!