A few secret ingredients will make over your favorite desserts. They're lower in fat — but not in flavor.

Triple-Chocolate Brownies

Makes 16

Nut lovers can add 1/2 cup chopped walnuts to the brownies. Walnuts pack a good dose of heart-healthy omega-3 fatty acids as well as protein and fiber.

Secret ingredients. Puréed black beans replace some of the butter used in most brownies. Their earthy flavor and dark color is a great match for chocolate.

1/4 cup (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, plus more for baking pan

1/4 cup black beans, rinsed, drained and puréed until completely smooth

3 ounces semisweet chocolate, chopped (1/2 cup)

2 ounces unsweetened chocolate, chopped (1/3 cup)

1 1/3 cups sugar

2 large eggs, plus 1 large egg white

1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

1 cup all-purpose flour (spooned and leveled)

1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon fine salt

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly butter a 9-inch square baking pan and line with parchment paper, leaving a 2-inch overhang on all sides. In a large microwave-safe bowl, combine butter, bean purée and chocolates, and microwave in 30-second increments, stirring each time, until melted and smooth, about 2 minutes. Whisk in sugar, eggs and egg white, and vanilla until smooth.

2. In a small bowl, whisk together flour, cocoa powder, baking powder and salt. Stir into chocolate mixture until just combined. Pour batter into pan; smooth top. Bake until top is cracked and a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Let cool completely in pan on a wire rack. Using parchment, lift brownie from pan and cut into 16 squares. Nutritional information per brownie: 155 calories; 7 grams fat (4 grams saturated fat); 3 grams protein; 24 grams carbohydrates; 2 grams fiber

Vanilla Cupcakes with Fruit Glaze

Makes 24

We used pitted cherries and raspberries for the glaze, but other fruits work, too. Purée the fruit in a blender until smooth, then pass it through a fine-mesh sieve.

Secret ingredient: White Beans

A white bean purée — creamy, sweet and mellow — is an invisible addition to vanilla cupcakes.

3 cups all-purpose flour (spooned and leveled)

1 tablespoon baking powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon fine salt

1 can (15.5 ounces) cannellini beans, rinsed and drained

1/4 cup (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature

2 cups granulated sugar

2 large eggs, plus 2 large egg whites

1 cup buttermilk

1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract

3 cups confectioners' sugar, sifted

1/4 cup fruit purée (from 9 ounces fruit, thawed and drained if using frozen)

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees, with racks in middle and lower thirds. Line 24 standard muffin cups with paper liners. In a large bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. In a food processor, combine beans, butter and granulated sugar; process until smooth. With machine running, add eggs and egg whites and process until incorporated. Stir into flour mixture until well combined. Stir in buttermilk and vanilla.

2. Divide batter among muffin cups and bake until puffed and set, about 17 minutes, rotating pans halfway through. Transfer cupcakes to wire racks and let cool completely.

3. Whisk together confectioners' sugar and fruit purée until smooth. Dip top of each cupcake into glaze, letting excess drip off. Let glaze set, about 15 minutes, before serving.

Nutritional information per cupcake: 200 calories; 3 grams fat (1 gram saturated fat); 4 grams protein; 42 grams carbohydrates; 1 gram fiber

Blueberry-Orange Cornmeal Muffins

Makes 12

Secret ingredient: Low-Fat Yogurt

Tangy, creamy yogurt provides moisture and helps leaven and tenderize baked goods as well.

1 cup plus 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour (spooned and leveled)

1 cup fine yellow cornmeal

1/3 cup granulated sugar

1 tablespoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon fine salt

1 cup low-fat plain yogurt

3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and cooled

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

2 teaspoons finely grated orange zest, plus 2 teaspoons orange juice

1 1/4 cups blueberries (7 ounces)

1/3 cup confectioners' sugar

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Line 12 standard muffin cups with paper liners. In a large bowl, whisk together 1 cup flour, cornmeal, granulated sugar, baking powder and salt. In a small bowl, whisk together yogurt, butter, vanilla and orange zest. Add to flour mixture, stirring until combined (do not overmix).

2. In a medium bowl, toss blueberries with 1 tablespoon flour to coat, then fold into batter. Divide batter among muffin cups. Bake until puffed and set, about 20 minutes, rotating pan halfway through. Let muffins cool in pan on a wire rack.

3. Stir together orange juice and confectioners' sugar. Drizzle over muffins and let glaze set, about 10 minutes, before serving.

Nutritional information per muffin: 156 calories; 4 grams fat (2 grams saturated fat); 3 grams protein; 29 grams carbohydrates; 1 gram fiber