Are you excited, because February is officially “Celebration of Chocolate” Month?

There again, if you’re trying to eat healthier, chances are you’re planning to ditch sugar. Despite how much we all love the sweet treat, we can’t ignore that too much sugar can lead to health problems such as obesity, diabetes, heart disease and more.

This can be bad news for folks with a sweet-tooth (myself included), but there’s no reason to get gloomy. I have some pretty sweet news if you’re looking to have your cake and eat it too!

I recently discovered the secret to baking delicious cakes, cookies and cupcakes with little to no sugar. Swerve is a sugar replacement made of erythritol (a sugar alcohol that is made by fermenting glucose), a blend of oligosaccharides (fancy name for prebiotic fibers) and natural flavor.

I reached out to my friends at Swerve and asked if they could shine some light on the differences between the sugar alcohols on the market today. Swerve’s CEO Andress Blackwell explained that Swerve is ideal for baking. On the other hand, if you’re looking for a way to sweeten your coffee, you may want to opt for something a bit stronger in flavor, like Stevia.

Swerve is safe for pets, easily digested and fits with today’s popular diets like the Keto diet and gluten-free diet. Could this be true? It seemed too good!

I decided to give it a try. The result? These fudgy, chocolaty and nutritious black bean brownies made with Swerve granular and confectioner! They are sugar free, low-carb and packed with fiber and protein. Enjoy the recipe below!

Black Bean Brownies

Ingredients:

•  1 15oz can black beans, rinsed and drained
•  3 eggs
•  1 tsp vanilla
•  1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
•  2/3 cup Swerve sweetener (granular)
•  1 tbsp Swerve sweetener (confectioners)
•  1/2 tsp baking powder
•  1/4 tsp salt

Directions:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees
• In a food processor or blender, puree black beans (or mash well with a fork)
• Combine cocoa powder, sweetener, baking powder and salt in a separate bowl
• With a mixer, combine eggs, oil, vanilla and mashed beans
• Combine all ingredients, mixing well, and pour into a well-greased 8×8 pan and bake for about 30 minutes
• Cut and serve!

Stephanie Ferrari, MS, RDN is a Boston-based registered dietitian and the co-founder of FRESH Communications. When she’s not working, you’ll find her knee-deep in toys and leading sing-alongs with her husband and daughters. All images courtesy FRESH Communications